Pubdate: Fri, 11 Apr 2003
Source: Westender (Vancouver, CN BC)
Copyright: 2003 WestEnder
Contact:  http://www.westender.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1243
Author: Justin Beddall

CITY COUNCIL NIXES POLICE CALL FOR MORE TROOPS

Like U.S. Marines in Baghdad, the Vancouver Police Department has vowed to 
take back the inner city one block at a time if necessary--but city council 
isn't backing them with the necessary funds.

In November, the VPD began deploying a minimum of two officers to the 
corner of Main and Hastings, nearby the Carnegie community centre--24 hours 
a day, seven days a week--to deter the open use and trafficking of crack 
and heroin at the city's most notorious open drug markets.

So far, "Operation 24/7" has gone according to plan: the 100 or so regulars 
who used to loiter in front of Carnegie have decamped. Although police 
admit the problem has shifted a few blocks west to Columbia Street, VPD 
spokesperson Const. Sarah Bloor says the increased police presence has 
reduced the numbers of those involved in the open-air drug trade. "A number 
of people have left the area completely," Bloor said.

Still, in order to clean up the hardscrabble neighbourhood, the VPD 
understands it will have to monitor the movement of the drug trade while 
still maintaining a presence at Main and Hastings. Reclaim a block, keep 
it, claim the next. And that will take more men and women in black.

"One of the tactics we would employ to affect this open drug market would 
be an expansion of (the Carnegie) project," stated Chief Constable Jamie 
Graham in a report submitted to council March 27 asking city hall for $2.3 
million (44 more officers) to help fund the cost of a new "city-wide 
enforcement team" to deal with the drug problem. But following a heated 
protest by some members of the Downtown Eastside at the regular council 
meeting Tuesday, the city unanimously denied the backing, and is waiting 
for the go-ahead for Canada's first safe injection site to open.

The operation focuses on disrupting the open drug market and interrupting 
the cycle of crime and drug use that has turned the streets of the Downtown 
Eastside into a drug warzone, says Graham.

Already, Operation 24/7 has reclaimed the neighbourhood's community centre.

"We've had people we haven't seen in a while, especially older folks and 
people who bring kids," said Dan Tetrault, assistant director at the centre.

"It has made the centre more accessible."

Not everyone is pleased by the operation, though.

"What has it accomplished? It's just moved the whole drug trade 90 feet 
down the street," said John Richardson, executive director of the Pivot Law 
Society. "It's probably had a negative impact. It's moved people farther 
away from the needle exchange program."

And if it takes six officers to claim a city block, at an average cost of 
$70,000 per officer, Richardson believes the price tag is far too high.

"It's like a waterbed; you push down in one place and it will spring up 
somewhere else."

Vancouver community AIDS organizations have cited fears of increased 
transmission of HIV with increased police presence around the Downtown 
Eastside.

"Operation 24/7 is a prime example of the limited, and often negative 
aspects of enforcement," said Malsah, acting chair of BC Persons With AIDS 
Society (BCPWA).

"All they've done is displace drug users two blocks closer to the tourist 
area of Gastown, and scared addicts in desperate need of sterile syringes 
away from the needle exchange."
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