Pubdate: Tue, 10 Jul 2007
Source: Peterborough Examiner, The (CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 Osprey Media Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/2616
Author: Don Peat, Examiner Police Writer

ORGANIZED CRIME EVERYWHERE, REPORT SAYS

It has all the violence, drugs and guns of a script for  The Sopranos 
but a new report on organized crime in  Ontario says the problem 
exists in a variety of forms  and in all communities, including Peterborough.

The reality is that organized crime is in the  community, city police 
Chief Terry McLaren said  yesterday.

"I think we have some structured gangs here, and a gang  can consist 
of three or more people, but we have some  that have gang mentality," 
McLaren said.

A growing trend police have seen is the rise in outside  organized 
crime coming into the city from Toronto,  Ottawa and Quebec, he said.

"We are encountering individuals who are known members  of gangs 
outside our community, coming in here and  committing criminal 
offences," McLaren said.

"We know that from the intelligence gathered."

McLaren's comments come following Monday's release of  Out of the 
Shadows, a report on organized crime  prepared by the Ontario 
Association of Chiefs of  Police.

"We thought it was important that we get the word out  into the 
community that organized crime exists so that  community members 
would be more aware of it and that  they would be able to help us 
contribute to the  solution," McLaren, former president of 
the  association, said.

The report, available at www.oacp.on.ca, outlines  various organized 
criminal activities from gun running  and prostitution to drug 
dealing, money laundering, ATM  fraud and so-called "e-crimes."

It is designed to educate the public about the broader  impact of 
buying drugs, cheap auto parts or other  contraband, all of which 
amounts to supporting  organized crime.

An example, Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said, is  someone who 
buys stolen designer clothing at a deep  discount or picks up a joint 
from a street dealer.

"Much of that money is then reinvested in other  criminal activities 
- -- the importation of more serious  drugs, the importation of 
firearms into our community,"  Blair, the new president of the 
chief's association,  said.

"Those firearms are then sold to violent street  criminals and then 
somebody gets killed on our  streets."

McLaren agreed, saying people need to realize where  drug money goes.

"It goes all the way up the food chain to the top,"  McLaren said.

By releasing the report, the chief said he hopes the  knowledge it 
provides to individuals, businesses and  other community stakeholders 
will be a weapon against  organized crime.

"We might be able to make some larger dents and in  roads into the 
solving of the crime and maybe  disbanding some of these organized 
groups," McLaren  said.

- -- With files from CP
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom