Pubdate: Thu, 08 Aug 2002
Source: Sentinel Review (CN ON)
Copyright: 2002 Annex Publishing & Printing Inc.
Contact:  http://www.annexweb.com/sentinel
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2385
Author: Lee Berthiaume

DOWNTOWN FOOT PATROLS PROCLAIMED A SUCCESS

Walking Officers Gain Information, Leads To Drug Raid

WOODSTOCK - A two-week pilot project that saw police officers walking 
around downtown Woodstock has had immediate results and contributed to at 
least one drug raid in the city, Oxford Community Police Chief Ron Fraser 
reported yesterday.

Fraser made his report to a committee composed of local business leaders, 
developers and youth service directors that has been gathering once a month 
to try to address youth-related concerns in the city.

"I think it was very beneficial," Fraser said of the downtown core 
enforcement program, adding that the real benefit was in establishing a 
rapport with youth hanging around downtown.

"(The police officers) didn't do a whole lot of enforcement but they did a 
lot of talking."

The program saw pairs of officers walking the downtown area between 3 p.m. 
and 2 a.m. several evenings per week for two weeks starting July 18.

The officers were not on regular duty and so were paid overtime. Fraser 
said this makes the program expensive and will be a road block to 
establishing it as a permanent fixture.

No word has been given on whether additional funding will be made available.

Besides talking to those hanging around downtown, the officers issued 
tickets, made arrests - some related to alcohol - and gained information 
that led to a drug raid on a Dundas Street apartment in which several young 
offenders were arrested.

Arresting drug dealers was exactly what Fraser had hoped for.

"It was these things I wanted to see happen," he said. "Alcohol (laws) can 
be a little more difficult (to enforce) because you can't kill the source, 
but with drugs you can."

In recent months some business leaders and residents had been calling for a 
greater police presence in the core after reports of frequent vandalism and 
clients and pedestrians saying they felt intimidated by loitering youth.

Fraser said a lack of manpower and resources was the reason a greater 
presence hasn't been available but continuing the program, even on a less 
frequent basis, would be invaluable.

"Every once in a while we have to get our presence down here," he said.

Royal Bank manager Don Wood, whose business received dozens of complaints 
from customers over the years and was a favourite spot for skateboarders, 
said he's seen immediate effects from the patrols.

"We haven't gotten a phone call in three weeks," he said. "From our 
standpoint it was excellent."

Wood said that in the past youth had no fear of police when hanging around 
downtown but that's changed now.

"They weren't being tested before."

Susan Atkinson, director of the Oxford Youth Trust Centre, approved of the 
program but was cautious of the results.

"I think it's smart and important to get the problems out of the downtown 
area but I think it's important to see where it re-erupts."
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens