Pubdate: Fri, 29 Dec 2006 Source: City Journal (CN ON) Copyright: 2006 Media Transcontinental Contact: http://www.cityjournal.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4391 POLICE MULL DRUG SQUAD REQUEST A drug squad dedicated to tackling downtown drug trafficking wouldn't necessarily solve the bigger problem, according to Ottawa Police representatives. The comments were made after Rideau-Vanier Coun. Georges Bedard sent a letter to Ottawa Police Chief Vince Bevan asking for a dedicated downtown drug unit. According to Bedard, the drug trade in his ward, and downtown, has grown much worse. Police spokesperson Cst. Steve Desjourdy said the chief has received Bedard's request. Desjourdy said a downtown drug unit wouldn't necessarily solve the issue because police need to focus on the bigger picture. He said drug-related crime is not limited to the downtown area. "Because there's something going on there [in centre of the city] doesn't mean there's not something going on somewhere else," Desjourdy said. The concerns outlined in the letter are not new to police, Desjourdy noted, adding that is one of the reasons why the drug unit doubled its numbers and received 10 additional officers two months ago. "In the near future we will be seeing positive benefits of this expansion." According to Desjourdy, focusing efforts on the downtown could cause police to miss the root of the drug trafficking problem. He explained grow operations are often set up in suburban areas, not downtown buildings. Meanwhile, people using drugs in one area might be coming from another. Part of the drug problem is a social problem, so police also work with community groups to tackle underlying issues that perpetuate the drug trade. Desjourdy added the mandate of the drug unit is to look at the entire problem, including organized drugs, grow operations, street level dealers and users. Bedard insisted the drug problem downtown has plainly grown "out of hand." "I think it's fairly obvious that my ward and Somerset ward - both downtown wards - have the highest concentration of criminal activity," he said, adding that means police in his community are busy working on different investigations and dealing with crime on a constant regular basis. Bedard said he's aligned with the shelters, community groups, and members of the business community to battle the problem. "If I simply asked by myself, I don't think that there would necessarily be enough interest from the police chief's point of view," he said. He said there are drug deals taking place in plain sight on the streets and it takes months to get police to conduct a sweep in affected areas. He added it also takes police months to bust crack houses. Bedard said the problem is so acute, it seems the dealers aren't even hiding their activities anymore. "They live through the sweep and then it's back to business as usual because they know that... [police] won't be back for a while." It's the willingness of the community to speak out about the problem that has prompted the councillor to tackle the issue now that it has, as he described, gotten out of hand. Desjourdy said although some dealers and users live through the drug sweeps, there are still officers on the roads enforcing laws, underlying projects on the go, and neighbourhood and community policing officers tackling the problem in various ways. He said police will continue to work with the councillor and the community. "It's a focus for the newly expanded drug unit" Meanwhile Bedard said he plans to continue applying pressure for a dedicated unit and, if necessary, he'll go the Police Services Board to appeal his case. But he said he hopes he'll get a positive response from the police chief instead. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek