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Punjabi Language Education Association:

 

Former Vancouver Superintendent Kash Heed becomes new West Vancouver police chief

    • The appointment of Kash Heed as West Vancouver’s police chief is a great news for the Indo-Canadian community- Balwant Sanghera
    • The veteran, 51-year old police officer has been chosen as chief of the troubled police force of West Vancouver- Globe and Mail

 

Richmond, BC, Canada, July 03, 2007
Balwant Sanghera



Kash Heed- appointed as police chief of West Vanouver- Tough on criminals and working to control gangs


The appointment of Kash Heed as West Vancouver’s police chief is a great news for the Indo-Canadian community. Kash is not only a very competent police officer but also an extremely dedicated member of the Indo-Canadian community. As a member of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) since 1979 he has added a new dimension to policing.

It has been a great privilege for this writer and many others in our community to work with Kash in addressing the issue of gangs and youth violence in the Indo-Canadian community. Since early 1990’s our community has lost close to one hundred ten young men to gangs, drugs and violence. This has resulted in a lot of anxiety and frustration for all of us. The whole community has been devastated by these tragedies. For quite sometime, the community was blaming the police for not doing enough and the police was blaming the community for lack of co-operation. Finally, having gone through denial and blaming, the community accepted the challenge and decided to do something about it.

It was in this context, that Kash Heed, an inspector with VPD at that time, brought a number of concerned community and various gurdwara leaders together. This effort resulted in the formation of Sikh Societies Of Lower Mainland( SSOLM). Soon after its inception, SSOLM began a series of meetings with the officials who could make a difference in this regard. The whole process started with meetings with the attorney genera and the solicitor general of British Columbia. This was followed by meetings with Lower Mainland’s police chiefs, mayors, school officials, MLA’s and M.P’s. Kash Heed was one of the driving forces and resource persons in this on-going process.

As a result of the thrust by SSOLM, a number of initiatives were put in place by the community, police, schools and the provincial and federal governments. To its credit, the Indo-Canadian media played a prominent role in this .Formation of the BC Integrated Gang Task Force was a major accomplishment of SSOLM. The leadership and guidance provided by Kash Heed in this regard was much appreciated by the community. Since its formation, more than three years ago, this Task Force has been doing a commendable job. Similarly, the role of the Indo-Canadian media as well as various organizations and individuals has been remarkable, especially on the prevention side.

All along, Kash Heed has played a prominent role both as an officer with VPD and as concerned and active member of the Indo-Canadian community. He has been serving as a great role model not only for the Indo-Canadian youth but also youth in other communities. VPD’s various innovative programs including interdiction, encouraging more Indo-Canadian youth to join the police force and act as a great motivator are a credit to him. He has been playing a major role in keeping and helping our young people stay out of trouble.

Thanks to all of these collective efforts that youth violence in our community seems to be slowing down. Hopefully, our young people will realize that violence or gang life is not the way to make their mark in life. Even one life destroyed or lost is too many. Though a lot has been accomplished yet a lot more needs to be done. The leadership provided by Kash is appreciated very much. His promotion as superintendent with VPD earlier and now as police chief of West Vancouver is a matter of great joy and pride for the entire Indo-Canadian community. Kash deserves our hearty congratulations and best wishes in this latest challenge. There is no doubt that he will continue to play a major role in helping our youth in particular and the community in general.


Balwant Sanghera
(Balwant Sanghera is a retired School Psychologist, Community Activist and recipient of the prestigious Order of British Columbia Award. He heads the Richmond Multicultural Concerns Society and can be reached at
b_sanghera@yahoo.com)

 

 
 



Balwant Sanghera
President, Punjabi Language Education Association . He is a retired School Psychologist and Community Activist in British Columbia ,Canada.