Pubdate: Wed, 27 Nov 2002
Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Vancouver Courier
Contact:  http://www.vancourier.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474
Author: David Carrigg

ILLEGAL HASTINGS DRUG MARKET FINDS NEW LOCATION

An attempt by city cops to disperse the open drug market outside the 
Carnegie Centre has simply pushed the scene 50 metres west along Hastings 
Street.

For the past decade, a drug market has flourished on the doorstep of the 
centre at the corner of Main and Hastings streets, forcing community 
members to run a gauntlet of dealers and prostitutes to get inside.

On Nov. 6, however, the Vancouver Police Department began maintaining a 
24-hour, seven-day presence outside the community centre, leading to an 
immediate, dramatic reduction in illegal activity.

At the time, VPD spokeswoman Sarah Bloor said previous beat policing 
methods had failed because people would return as soon as the police were gone.

"This is somewhat akin to stepping in a puddle of water. The water is 
momentarily displaced but once you remove your foot the water simply flows 
back into the puddle."

In this case, the puddle has simply moved west, to a stretch of sidewalk in 
front of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority's Health Contact Centre, 
the old Pantages Theatre and the Regent Hotel, currently closed due to 
bylaw infractions.

Insp. Bob Rich, who is responsible for implementing the full-time watch 
outside the Carnegie Centre, confirmed the drug market remains in the 
100-block of East Hastings.

"I am going to do something about it but I have limited resources," said 
Rich. "We haven't tried to enlarge the circle of control beyond the 
Carnegie but we are going to have to find out how much territory two police 
officers can hold."

Rich said the police department is struggling to maintain beat patrols, 
answer 911 calls in the area and dismantle pawn brokers, grocery stores and 
bars that benefit from the drug economy, and has requested an extra 44 cops 
for the area.

More drug treatment facilities and a court system willing to jail 
non-violent offenders are crucial to ensuring police have real control over 
the drug market in the area, he said.

"Right now, the courts don't see the pimps and drug dealers as violent 
offenders. But what they do is so violent, living off the misery of others, 
particularly young women," said Rich, who supports a safe injection site in 
the area provided the courts prosecute people found using drugs within a 
"bubble zone" around the site.

Carnegie Centre director Michael Clague is pleased the open drug market has 
shifted from outside his centre. Now he's pushing authorities to open an 
overnight sobering centre and increase detox beds to provide a more 
permanent solution to the problem.

"The police can't do more than they are," he said. "What's happened at the 
corner has significantly benefited Carnegie, but it really hasn't addressed 
the problem. We need the system changed, I can't emphasize [enough] the 
importance of detox and treatment."

Dana Barnaby, spokesman for the Pantages Preservation Society, said he 
noticed last week that the drug market had shifted in front of the theatre, 
which the group hopes to restore and open in the new year.

Though he's concerned the drug market could interfere with renovation 
efforts, Barnaby insisted dealers and users have never been violent toward him.

"I've been down there three years and if I stand outside the theatre and 
start asking people what they're doing, they soon move away without any 
problems."
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