Pubdate: Fri, 28 Oct 2005
Source: Pipestone Flyer (CN AB)
Copyright: 2005, Pipestone Publishing, Millet, Alberta
Contact:  http://www.pipestoneflyer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3736
Author: Lynette Kent

JUST SAY NO

. . . Was Good Advice at the Time, but the City of Leduc Has Gone A
Lot Further Recently in Its All-Out War Against Drugs.

In December 2004 a committee was developed with membership drawn from
a variety of local sources, and which immediately drew up its brief
and succinct vision statement: becoming a drug aware and drug
resistant community. Its purpose is to address drug-related issues in
the city of Leduc by means of its five sub-committees--enforcement,
identification/intervention, community networking, advocacy and
treatment, and prevention and education. Its key roles are to
identify, monitor, recommend and report to city council as a
sub-committee of the local Family and Community Support Services board.

"We set up these goals at the first meeting," says Alderman Dana
Smith, "and LCDAC will include representatives from AADAC, the RCMP,
Child and Family Services, Corrections Services, Boys & Girls Club,
Capital Health, the Church Ministerial, City Council, FCSS board, FCSS
staff, and the general public."

Meeting monthly both as a general committee and in sub-committee, the
group has "looked at innovative ways to respond to drug issues. For
example, use of a drug dog, and increased visual interaction with RCMP
at schools," she said.

Recently the city of Leduc sent a letter to the judicial system's
federal crown prosecutor about stiffer penalties to be imposed in
drug-related issues, "similar to a Victim Impact Statement, to show
our community does not support drugs," says Alderman Smith. She notes
that they have attempted to install a court fine program whereby a
convicted drug offender might also be required to pay a fine "which
would be given to LCDAC, in addition to any other sentence."

"At present we are working on a brochure to make information available
about the committee, drug facts and related information, along with
contact numbers. And we're working at putting a system together to
educate local businesses to notice suspicious purchases, such as
ingredients for meth, and placing high risk items behind counters.
We'll instruct business owners what to look for, things that would be
on a list of ingredients," says Smith.

Inspector Mark Dibblee, officer in charge of the Leduc regional
detachment, is encouraged by recent progress in weakening the drug
trade.

"You know there's a problem when there's an increase of thefts of and
from vehicles, robberies, and activity indicating gang activity," he
explained. Recently the police undertook a three-month undercover
operation in the area, which was extended to seven months. "We charged
35 individuals, with 90 charges of trafficking."

The city's 2005 budget had included funding for two more full time
RCMP members for drug-related problems, and the results, says Dibblee,
have been obvious. But he credits the Leduc City Drug Action Committee
with much of its success.

"The city took a 360-degree approach to the problem. The realization
is that as long as there's demand, there's supply. It creates problems
for the community, everyone needs to be involved."

In 2006 schools will be a focus for education, and businesses as
well.

"Parents should not be the last to know if their children are on
drugs," says Dibblee. "It's the lack of contact with them which is
usually the problem." He said that if parents are reluctant to be
involved with their children's lives, they may find themselves "paying
for it. Parents with money, who are affluent, sometimes throw money at
their kids to keep them out of their hair."

He said drug dealers are targeting kids "as young as ten to sell
drugs. They [the dealers] know kids who are caught will get lenient
punishment. And there are always more ten-year-olds." Consequently,
school presentations are essential.

The recent significant arrests and seizures, says Dibblee, give him
reason to believe "the drug problem [in the Leduc region] is being
knocked to its knees, and we're going to keep it there."
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake