Pubdate: Fri, 19 May 2006
Source: Langley Times (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 BC Newspaper Group and New Media Development
Contact:  http://www.langleytimes.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1230
Author: Frank Bucholtz

SUPERINTENDENT'S WORDS CLARIFIED THERE IS NO LINK  BETWEEN GROW-OPS
AND AUTO THEFT

Whenever The Times publishes anything related to drugs,  the e-mails
begin to flow from all parts on North  America.

The flow begins immediately aE" often even before  Langley residents
receive their copy of The Times. A  network of people is plugged into
drug-related stories  via the Internet, and do not hesitate to share
their  thoughts with us and (they hope) readers.

We publish many of their letters, because they offer a  legitimate
perspective on an issue of public policy.  While most of them advocate
legalization or  decriminalization of some drugs such as marijuana,
others take a different perspective. I've always found  it curious
that anything positive about drug use (such  as support for medicinal
use of marijuana, which is  legal in Canada) rarely prompts any response.

On May 7, The Times published a story about a community  impact
statement on auto theft that the two Langley  mayors and Supt. Janice
Armstrong, officer in charge of  Langley RCMP detachment, had agreed
on.

The signing of the statement took place as part of a  press
conference, and there was discussion about how  auto theft spills over
into other crimes.

The Times reported that Armstrong had said auto theft  is linked to
marijuana grow-ops. Armstrong and other  police officers do not
remember such a statement,  although she says Langley City Mayor Peter
Fassbender  did mention grow-ops and she may have made a comment as  a
result of him doing so.

Our story prompted a letter from Randall St. Jacques of  the Marijuana
Party's Windsor West constituency  association in Ontario. He
criticized the link between  the two, and Armstrong agrees with him
that there is no  such link.

Her words are as follows:

"The author of the the letter to editor is quite right  in his
assertion that there is no direct link to  grow-ops and auto theft."

She is not critical of the reporting, saying that "we  appreciate the
coverage." However, she does want her  position on the link between
grow-ops and auto theft to  be clear and unequivocal. That is
important, because  she heads the local RCMP detachment and speaks and
acts  on behalf of all those who "serve and protect" us in  Langley.

Armstrong wants to emphasize that auto thefts are  linked to many
crimes. That indeed is the whole purpose  of the community impact
statement. Auto theft is a  significant problem and it hurts many
people in the  community.

"I did say that auto thefts were linked to many  property crimes,
including break and enters, thefts and  even robberies. I further
commented that suspects  driving stolen autos often engage police in
high speed  pursuits, endangering the lives of our citizens."

And in fact, many of those who are driving stolen autos  are high on
drugs of some sort, as was eerily  illustrated by the meth addict
driving a bait car and  waving a gun while weaving his way down Fraser
Highway.  That video was played on television and was not a  pretty
sight.

We all need to do our part to keep auto theft down, by  using theft
protection devices and making them  unattractive to thieves.

 From the Editor 
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MAP posted-by: SHeath(DPF Florida)