Pubdate: Mon, 28 Aug 2006 Source: Vancouver 24hours (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Canoe Inc Contact: http://vancouver.24hrs.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3837 Author: Matt Kieltyka, 24 Hours Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) POLICE TAKE AIM AT VIOLENT CRIME Annual Report Vancouver police are looking to cut violent crime rates, according to their annual report released today. In his written statement in the three-page newspaper insert, Vancouver police chief Jamie Graham stressed the need to cut into the rising number of assault and drug offenses. "Violent crime is a concern for us," confirmed VPD spokesman Const. Howard Chow. "It went up in 2005 and it's something we will be addressing." From 2004 to 2005, assaults went up 5.8 per cent and sexual offences went up 3.3 per cent. Drug offenses shot up 3.4 per cent, with heroin-related offences increasing by 15 per cent. Through a series of advertisements and media reports, the VPD said the public-awareness campaign managed to cut property crime by 20 per cent and triple membership in Block Watch programs. "For the first few months it had a huge impact in property crime rates," said Chow, who added other police agencies are now working on similar programs. "We did a study and property crime was the biggest crime concern for people in Vancouver, so we went after it with an aggressive campaign." Chow said the VPD is looking into similar-style programs for other crimes. - --- MAP posted-by: Steve Heath