Pubdate: Wed, 27 Jul 2005 Source: Londoner, The (CN ON) Copyright: 2005 The Londoner Contact: http://www.thelondoner.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3768 Author: Anonymous WHAT ABOUT DRUGS? Police dumbfounded over gun violence increase in London? Take a look around. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that drugs bring gun violence and fuel involvement in gangs. Where do gangs get income? Think about it. With this new task force set up to deal with the gun problem, I have to wonder why we still allow multiple drug dealings to take place at several well-known drug havens in downtown London. In fact, these havens are located right beside the London Police station. Wake up, Londoners. Instead of just exchanging their needles we need to crack down (no pun intended) on this drug trade. Nice new white Nike Air basketball shoes? Nice new white sports jerseys and gold chains? Twenty years old with no visible source of income? Pulls out a wad of cash consisting of $20 and $50 bills to purchase a hamburger at Harvey's? You guessed it, drug dealer. I've seen multiple drug deals taking place at William and Dundas St., but can I do anything? After waiting five minutes to get to the operator-front desk option press zero -- last time I tried, even though I knew it was zero I was trying to press, it didn't allow me to press the zero when I hadn't gotten to that selection reading yet, the last option on the list -- the drug dealer has vanished. I have a suggestion. Forget the Mission extension and Salvation Army building (little too late for that now). Turn the drug management centre into a Betty Ford clinic (lower cost, more like jail actually) and crack down on simple dealers who fuel the homelessness, addiction and drug violence problems. Guns are a big deal and yet again it seems drugs aren't. Oh well, at least now I know that should I need police at my residence in a flash, burglary or other serious crime in progress, I think I saw a gun. Downtown resident, London - --- MAP posted-by: Beth