The Abbotsford Police Department is being naughty, not nice, say taxpayers — by sending greeting cards of a gun-toting Santa to bad guys this Christmas.
None other than Abbotsford police Chief Bob Rich poses as a heavily armed, Christmas-card Santa, with the title, “Which list will you be on next year?”
The violent Santa image immediately provoked predictable concern — which is exactly the point, says Const. Ian MacDonald.
“We want people to pay attention,” said MacDonald. “ ... We want them to open up the card.”
“We want people to pay attention,” said MacDonald. “ ... We want them to open up the card.”
The cards are being sent to gang members, prolific offenders and property offenders this holiday season as part of Operation Resolution, with a help line for criminals wanting to turn their life around.
“We do receive calls regularly from gang-involved people who want to get out,” said MacDonald.
Last week the APD got its own Christmas present — a Statistics Canada report that showed Abbotsford has gone from Canada’s murder capital in 2008 and 2009 to its current standing as one of the statistically safest big cities in Canada.
“Last week was the good news, and people were asking me how we were going to be innovative, and keep the momentum,” said MacDonald, whose department is closing in on its goal of a 50-per-cent crime reduction over the five-year period of 2008 to 2013. “We’re hoping people will read it, make a call, and pick a different trajectory for 2013.”
The Santa cards provoked an immediate response on The Province’s Facebook page:
“This is terrible,” wrote Kelly Scarsbrook. “Using the image of Santa with guns is just plain wrong.”
Mike Schweer was concerned about tax money being spent on Christmas cards: “Living in Abbotsford I think my tax dollars could be better spent.”
Rich said he knew going in that the campaign would be controversial — and probably garner media coverage.
“We hoped that would happen,” said Rich. “We’re not going to rest on our laurels. A little controversy can really help.”
Rich said he donned standard Emergency Response Team gear — Kevlar helmet, ballistics vest, semi-automatic rifle, chest-mounted handgun and two magazines — for the Santa campaign.
Rich explained there were two versions of the card sent out — the Santa cover with a Yuletide greeting for business associates, and the gang helpline number sent to about 100 associates of a different stripe.
“We sent the card to people who are involved in property crime, people we deal with on an ongoing basis, people involved in the drug and gang world.
“We thought if we sent out a thought-provoking message, that people might think about going home to a safe place at Christmas.
“You can get out, you can be safe, but you have to make a choice.”
Rich didn’t have an exact figure but said the campaign cost “significantly less than $1,000.”
Allan Asaph, executive director of the Abbotsford Chamber of Commerce, saluted Rich and his department’s bid to clean up the community.
“Sometimes a little bit of humour can help you get a difficult message across,” said Asaph. “It’s taking a proactive stand, not just reacting.
“The police officers are the ones who are making the difference.”
Along with the detractors, some Province Facebook friends gave the Santa campaign a thumbs-up.
“Good tactic,” wrote Stephen Jacura. “It’s not the card itself that makes the statement, it’s the act of sending the card.”
Added Dave Brown: “It would only bother me if I was on the naughty list.”
