Pubdate: Thu, 03 Apr 2003
Source: Kenora Daily Miner And News (CN ON)
Copyright: 2003 Kenora Daily Miner and News
Contact:  http://www.bowesnet.com/dailyminer/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/855
Author: Michael Jiggins, Miner and News Staff
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?188 (Outlaw Bikers)

DRUG ENFORCEMENT STRATEGY SESSION OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

"We're recovering a ton of cocaine."

Kenora Police Service Chief George Curtis uses those words to describe the 
growing drug problem facing officers with the city force and the Ontario 
Provincial Police.

"Both (OPP) Inspector (Dennis) O'Sullivan and I have been telling our 
Police Service Board on an on-going basis that we have a severe problem in 
our community with drug use," said Curtis.

With that "severe" problem getting worse, the Police Service Board is 
hosting a 'Drug Enforcement and Biker Gangs Strategy Session' at the Kenora 
OPP detachment next Wednesday at 6 p.m.

"What was happening was people on the Police Service Board, people at the 
mayor and council level were starting to see drugs impact on people that 
they knew in our community," said Curtis.

When the politicians began calling for action, Curtis said he and 
O'Sullivan advised them an education session to which council and other 
community leaders were invited had to be the first step.

"Every time you seem to read the paper on the break and enters it appears 
to all be related to people addicted to crack cocaine and trying to service 
their habit," said Kenora Mayor Dave Canfield.

The mayor said he's concerned crack cocaine is having "very, very serious 
ramifications on the community, I don't think we want our young kids turned 
into criminals."

Said Canfield, "The answer to the people who are dealing cocaine is to get 
them off the street and save our kids."

Curtis points to January's statistics provided by the Northwestern Ontario 
Tri-Force Drug Enforcement Unit to indicate the level of the drug problem 
in Kenora.

They showed a street value of $1,200 in cocaine, $6,600 in marijuana and 
$400 in hashish oil seized along with $7,300 in cash.

"And that's a lousy, cold month in January," said Curtis.

The numbers don't give the full picture of the problem the local police 
forces are faced with.

"Every week now our people are going up into schools and to property around 
schools and they are catching young kids toking up between classes, toking 
up at lunch time," said Curtis.

"That's why we're so willing to get involved and do this, because we're not 
sure that everyone in our community is aware of how severe the problem is."

Wednesday's strategy session runs from 6-7 p.m. and will include 
presentations by OPP Det. Sgt. John Horne of the Northwestern drug unit and 
OPP biker enforcement Det. Dwayne Hill.

Canfield said he's optimistic that arming people in the community with 
information about drugs and their affects will help police on the 
enforcement side.

"We all know people that have been affected by the use of crack cocaine and 
the result of it," said Canfield. "The big thing is public awareness, I 
don't think people, especially the young kids, realize the seriousness of it."
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