Hundreds of gang members in Ottawa but number of illegal guns unknown: Police

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Ottawa police say they are unable to give a number on how many illegal guns are currently in the city.

Staff Sgt. Ken Bryden — who heads the force’s Guns and Gangs Unit — could not offer a ballpark figure to the city’s Police Services Board on Monday.

He says officers are hampered by a lack of co-operation from witnesses when it comes to seizing the weapons.

That makes it difficult to get a warrant and criminals can more easily move the guns as a result.

Police did share numbers on gang membership with the board, reporting there are currently between 400 and 500 gang members in Ottawa, associated with 15 organizations.

They say 83 suspected gang members were arrested last year.