Pubdate: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 Source: Sooke News Mirror (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 Sooke News Mirror Contact: http://www.sookenewsmirror.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2142 Author: Shannon Moneo PATROLLING COPS ON THE DOCKS, BLOCKS Programs Aim To Crack Down On Crime With Citizens' Help Sooke's six auxiliary RCMP constables are stepping up their presence on dual fronts - seaside and on the blocks. Two programs, the Home Security Audit and the Coastal Watch Program, aim to use citizen's co-operation to tackle illegal activity. "It's part of being pro-active rather than reactive," said Sooke RCMP auxiliary coordinator Cst. Tim Wang. Sooke's 14-member RCMP detachment is already stretched to its limits so having the six volunteer auxiliarys on board to handle additional programs is a bonus. "For a regular member to do this, it takes time out of their jobs," said Wang, who has been stationed in Sooke for seven years. The Coastal Watch Program was launched in Duncan and success there led to Sooke's interest, which isn't surprising given recent drug busts made just across the water in Washington State and in Victoria. "And there's probably a lot more (drug smuggling) than we know," said Wang, 41. Sooke RCMP don't have a marine vessel and it's kept busy dealing with drugs and alcohol on land, so Coastal Watch will be a people's attempt to help nab drug thugs and anyone else committing crime on or near the water. There are two goals, said auxiliary Cst. Neil Logan, 25, in charge of promoting the program. The first aim is to educate the public about any suspicious goings-on along the coast, and second, to make sure the public's information effectively reaches police. Coastal Watch, like the existing Block Watch, is one more way concerned citizens can assist in a "structured" way, Wang said. Logan, with two years of auxiliary experience under his well-stocked belt, said it only takes about 15 minutes for a high-powered speed boat to fly across the Strait of Juan de Fuca, making an illicit delivery or pickup. If someone happens to spot narcotics being loaded or unloaded, that's an "urgent" call. Dialling 1-888-855-6655 will put the caller in touch with the Coastal Watch office. Less urgent calls, say a Zodiac seen early in the morning being towed east down West Coast Road, could merit a call to the Sooke RCMP, 642-5241. As much information as possible should be recorded. Items like time, date, place and the five Ws are recommended, Logan said. And the caller has to be available for a return call. Reportable matters would be sightings like a vessel without a name or home port. All Victoria and Sooke-area boats have the "14K" identifier as part of their registration number. All B.C. boats carry the K; a 29K boat is from Chilliwack; an 11K hails from the Kamloops area. A boat without numbers and letters is likely not AOK. Other things to look for Logan said, are vessels operating at night with lights off, stealth moves like a black paint job or covered windows, boats sailing off on their own away from the fishing hot spots, vessels carrying extreme amounts of fuel (sometimes with drums on the deck) or riding low in the water (indicating too much cargo), older boats with brand new radar or scanning devices (an inconsistency on old boats, Logan said), abandoned, newer boats, and small planes flying around boats, indicating they may drop some drugs for pickup by the mother ship. "The main point is the importation of narcotics," said Logan, whose paying job is as a Capital Regional District bylaw enforcement officer. "Drugs are number one." But other Coastal Watch fodder would be homeland protection and possible terrorist strikes, illegal migrants, a distressed vessel, environmental issues, alcohol abuse and any of dozens of Criminal Code infractions. Don't be surprised if you see cops walking the docks anywhere between Beecher Bay and Port Renfrew, spreading the Coastal Watch word and fishing for information. "It goes to making the community safer," Wang said. The Home Security Audit, meanwhile, will go right into the houses of B&E victims and anyone else wanting a rating of how crime-proof their abode or business is. Break and enter victims normally get a Home Security Audit as part of the post-B&E investigation. Auxiliary Cst. Brenda Ferguson will lead the well-trained troop that will see two uniformed auxiliaries enter a home or business and perform a 1-1.5 hour physical check. They'll check the perimeter of the property, lighting, windows, vegetation, garage and record the serial numbers of certain items. The auxiliaries will give the resident their list which they hope is used to make the examined structure more crime-proof. Indicative of our double-income lifestyles, Wang said most break-ins occur during the day when homes are devoid of life. Victoria police statistics show 95 per cent of the B&Es are daytime heists and that the average age of the perpetrator is between 13-18. Between January 2004 to the end of June, there were 40 residential and 15 business B&Es in the detachment's area (from Beecher Bay to Port Renfrew). There were also 12 illegal entries into cottages and various out buildings like garages, Wang said. What's surprising, is the estimation that 38 per cent of all break-ins don't get reported, Wang said. "It's the dark figure of crime." Victims either feel their home or business invasion wasn't significant enough to merit a call to the cops or else they think they misplaced the missing items. Often things like alcohol or food go missing. People may not even realize an intruder was in their castle. Or else it could be months before someone realizes a rarely-used object has disappeared. A lot of home security fixes involve common sense, Wang said. Leaving doors unlocked, windows open and keys in the ignition are invitations for crime. Wang has heard from Sooke residents who used to say they've been living here 50 years and they have never been a B&E victim, "until it happens to them." The Home Security Audit is a free RCMP service but since it costs at least $1,500 to train and cloth the auxiliaries doing the work, donations are more then welcome. - --- MAP posted-by: Larry Seguin