Updated: Fri Jul. 18 2008 15:05:37

ctvbc.ca

Vancouver restaurants are teaming up with the local police in a bid to deter gangsters from showing up on their premises, along with other regular customers.

Described by police as a public safety initiative, it will mirror the city's "bar watch'' program and follows a number of wild-west style shooting incidents at downtown restaurants and clubs.

The most flagrant example was the shooting at Gotham Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar in January, in which Richard Scarpino, 37, and another man were shot dead

Participating restaurants have agreed to report to police any suspicious people who are seen either in, or around their premises.

"By doing so, they will effectively add more eyes and ears to the police,'' said Vancouver Police Dept. Spt. Warren Lempcke, during a press conference, Thursday.

The program is backed by the B.C. Restaurant and Foodservices Assoc., along with the Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Assoc.

Each participating restaurant will display a decal that signifies that they are supporting the initiative.

Comments are now closed for this story

Henry Lorteau
that should be interesting on how well this will take, i wonder if theere is going to be some human rights issues with this.

Mark
What a joke. They get a decal and that's pretty much the end of it. The police should force 'known gang hangouts' to install security cameras that feed in to a locked box only the police can access. Either that or close down your business.

Scott Varenberg
I worry more about the dirty Vancouver Police then gang members.If i own a restaurant i would ban the Vancouver Police,if a restaurant owner can ban poeple they think is gang members whats stopping them from banning anyone they want for any reason,like the color of there skin,or if there gay,etc.I think Vancouver is becomming a Police state,we can't say we have freedom here anymore!

Mark
A restaurant or bar becomes a gang hangout because the owners or staff are connected in some way. They should be forced to install cameras. That shooting a couple weeks ago was at a "gang hangout". People reported trying to go there to eat and being told they were closed when they were clearly open. The staff could have named every person in there the night of the shooting but I guess we're all supposed to pretend we believe they didn't know.
I know there's no shortage of dirty cops in Vancouver but I'm not worried about a dirty cop shooting me. We need to get rid of these gangs in this city and anyone who supports them in any way. This place is turning in to a complete hole!