Vernon North Okanagan RCMP had a little help from their friends on the weekend.

The Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia (CFSEU-BC) deployed their Uniform Gang Enforcement Team (UGET) in support of frontline policing in the North Okanagan.

Between Friday and Sunday, Sept. 20-22, UGET officers targeted a number of known crime hot spots and over the three days, seized firearms, drugs, and other weapons.

The visit to the North Okanagan is part of CFSEU鈥檚 overall mandate to provide specialized support policing agencies throughout British Columbia.

The deployment of our UGET officers across communities in the province is a key activity that enables CFSEU-BC to effectively reduce gang-related violence, says Sgt. Brenda Winpenny, CFSEU-BC media relations officer. By collaborating with various policing agencies throughout British Columbia, we enhance our efforts to fulfill our mandate of minimizing gang-related crime and the associated threats to community safety.

Vernon North Okanagan RCMP officer in charge, Supt. Blake MacLeod, said UGET's deployment in the region helps bolster overall crime strategy by disrupting potentially violent criminal activity in the community.

Working collaboratively, we are able to identify and proactively target specific individuals and locations associated to organized, gang, or other criminal activity, said MacLeod.