Pubdate: Thu, 14 Oct 2004 Source: FFWD (CN AB) Copyright: 2004 FFWD Contact: http://www.ffwdweekly.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1194 Author: Stephen Lock Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) NEIGHBOURHOOD THREAT Drugs and hookers are making the inner city a dangerous place to live One of the issues we haven't heard much about in this civic election - and certainly one that affects several wards, but specifically Ward 8 - is the issue of prostitution and drug trafficking in residential areas. This is a concern that has not been effectively dealt with by either the City of Calgary or the Calgary Police Service (CPS). Representatives from the city and the CPS couch the issue in terms of "this community" or "that community." We see the same approach in the media. Drug trafficking and prostitution are not isolated situations. They are not just a "Forest Lawn issue" or a "Victoria Park issue." This is a concern that affects quality of life and safety throughout Calgary. Unfortunately, it continues to be portrayed, and therefore perceived, as an inner-city problem and suburban residents can rest easy. This is false comfort. The issue, just from a geographical point of view, is huge - far more of a problem than your average Calgarian likely imagines. The presence of prostitutes, their pimps (if they have one), johns and drug-traffickers ranges from Forest Lawn, through Inglewood, Ramsay and Dover, into the East Village, down into Victoria Park, through Chinatown, over into Bridgeland, back into the now high-priced neighbourhood of Eau Claire and into Downtown West. It continues into West Victoria Park (east of Fourth Street S.W. and west of Centre Street), spills over into parts of Mission and Cliff Bungalow and through Connaught-Beltline. There are some indications the problem is starting to affect Lower Mount Royal, parts of Scarboro and Sunalta. I've even heard Bowness has some problems in this regard. That is a massive swatch of real estate. If one then factors in the spillover effect in neighbourhoods bordering those named, one can easily see the spread of this problem throughout much of Calgary. The drugs being sold in our neighbourhoods are dangerous, highly addictive and insidious chemicals such as crack cocaine and, more recently, crystal meth. In my neighbourhood alone I can, on any given day (and night), observe up to a dozen drug dealers working the parking lot of the convenience store across the street from my apartment complex. I've observed what appear to be nice, clean-cut young adults and teens park in that parking lot in their nice cars and "score." There are at least two known crack houses in my block alone. My street is worked by up to seven or eight hookers at a time, with more on the surrounding avenues. I've been awakened at 3, 4, 5 and 6 a.m. (sometimes all in the same night) to the sounds of dealers fighting with each other, and hookers screaming and cursing at each other because they are angry or strung out. Area residents have been accosted and, in some instances, assaulted. I've seen gridlock at 3 a.m. as buyers inundate the avenue I live on. My apartment complex has a private courtyard-playground attached to the property. On the other side of the chain link fence is a "character home" that is constantly being rented to crack whores, addicts and dealers. A little over a year ago, a drug-related murder took place there, with one of the individuals shot as he attempted to exit a second-storey window onto the roof of the back entrance. His body bounced off the chain link fence and fell onto the basketball court of our courtyard -where in a few hours kids would have been shooting hoops and skateboarding. Another individual ran out the front door and was gunned down in the front yard of the house, steps away from the sidewalk and about 10 feet from our courtyard. Residents in this neighbourhood had been saying, for at least a year, that it was only a matter of time before we had a killing, a drive-by shooting, or some other form of violence. Thing is, this is not East Central L.A. or Vancouver's East Side. This is a nice neighbourhood, close to 17th Avenue S.W., the trendy area of Fourth Street and Mission, and a few blocks from the office towers of downtown and the mansions of Mount Royal. It is filled with a mix of older homes, 1950s walk-ups and apartment buildings, with a few historical sites scattered through the tree-lined streets. Not that it matters whether we live in a "nice neighbourhood" or not. What does matter is residents don't feel heard or listened to by either the city or the police. We are constantly told there is a lack of resources, so the police can't do their job down here. Now I read that Chief Jack Beaton is asking for more money for his department in order to combat "terrorism." What about the terror of being held captive in our own neighbourhoods by drug addicts, drug dealers, gang members and drug-addled hookers? In my apartment complex alone we have several families with children under the age of 12. We have seniors. Immigrants. An entire floor of our complex is devoted to people with physical disabilities, most of whom are in automated wheelchairs. The idea is to allow them to live independently, but what quality of life do they - or any of us - have when one literally has to negotiate a phalanx of drug dealers and hookers hanging out in front of the building or blocking the entrance to the convenience store? I have sat through endless hours of committee meetings, community consultations, town hall meetings and residents' meetings. I have written countless letters to my city council member, various city departments and the police brass. I have sent e-mails to anyone I think would listen, including media. I and other residents have canvassed a four-block by three-block area of businesses, shops, homes and condominiums trying to get something organized. I routinely forward incident reports to the drug and vice units via e-mail. I'm on a first-name basis with my community liaison officer. In the three-and-a-half years my partner and I have lived here, I have dealt with at least three of these officers - each of whom say the same things their predecessor said: "We understand your frustration; we're frustrated, too." "These things take time. Be patient." "We don't have the resources." "There's not much we can do." "The Charter of Rights and Freedoms won't allow us to (fill in the blank)." "You have to understand, many of these women are victims." "The judicial system just turns these characters loose before we're back on the street ourselves." "Keep calling us; it's citizens who make the difference." I have worked with the police, as a community activist, on a variety of issues. I think I understand the constraints they operate under. I certainly understand their frustrations over a lack of manpower coupled with residents sniping at the responding officer as if the system and its faults were controllable by that officer. The city is not much help, either. Yes, our current representative, Ald. Madeleine King, has met with many of us to discuss the issues facing this ward, but I don't see any real movement on those issues. While I applaud the revitalization of Connaught and the beautification of our neighbourhood parks, what's the point of having a lovely park surrounded by crack addicts and hookers? I am told, both by the police and by various representatives of the city, that my particular neighbourhood is seen as a "hot spot" and as "a model." There is apparently a report being prepared, which should be available sometime in October. What I don't see is this issue on the campaign agenda. Sure, infrastructure is important. Traffic calming (or not) is important. Addressing urban sprawl is important. So is this. - ---