Pubdate: Sat, 11 Oct 2008
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author: Jason Luciw

RCMP GEAR UP TO CRACK DOWN ON DRUG TRAFFICKING

Displacement of hardcore drug addicts from downtown Kelowna to 
Westside is very much a possibility, according to RCMP commander Duncan Dixon.

And Dixon said he doesn't discount residents who claim more users are 
appearing in their neighbourhood, in area between Highway 97 and East 
Boundary Road, and Daimler Driver and Bartley Road.

"The criminal element is fluid," Dixon said in his quarterly report 
to Westside council. "There is no line, there is no bridge."

Plus, Kelowna's downtown enforcement unit is aggressive and drug 
users are likely being forced out of the area because of the 
officers' efforts, said the Westside commander.

"They will respond to pressure, they will be displaced and that is 
the whole idea behind the downtown enforcement unit in Kelowna."

However, Dixon also hoped there would be more resources to deal with 
crack addicts and crack shacks in Westside. He stated that the force 
continues to recruit people skilled in enforcement.

So, council will hopefully see some higher drug bust numbers in his 
next quarterly report, he added.

Westbank First Nation members are also being asked to heavily focus 
on drug enforcement because the WFN band council has asked the RCMP 
to help deal with the same issues on reserve lands, said Dixon.

Meanwhile, the commander noted that Westside and rural RCMP forces 
are almost at full strength at 38. There is currently one vacancy.

However, as officers are transferred out, vacancies will become 
harder to fill, Dixon noted.

"We're being impacted by the problem of buying houses and selling 
houses right now."

And the total RCMP force in Westside will drop to 35 at the end of 
this month, when three rural officers are transferred to Rutland so 
they can more quickly respond to complaints in Joe Rich, Ellison and Big White.

On a final note, Dixon said officers on the west side are young. He 
called his detachment "extremely junior."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom