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.
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