Pubdate: Wed, 11 Mar 2009 Source: Winnipeg Sun (CN MB) Copyright: 2009 Canoe Limited Partnership Contact: http://www.winnipegsun.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/503 Author: Mike Sutherland Note: Mike Sutherland is the president of the Winnipeg Police Association. The Association's column appears twice a month. THE DENIAL GAME Violent crime is going up and more people severely beaten So we're No. 2. Frankly I'm a little surprised we aren't No. 1, and I'm not talking Slurpee capital either. In a recent article Maclean's magazine, it listed Winnipeg as the second most dangerous municipality in the country. Of course some say the stats are misleading, or out of date, but if Maclean's had said we were the second safest place in the nation, I'm sure those critical of the article wouldn't be so hung up on slamming the stats. Talk to any front-line paramedic, ER nurse or police officer and they'll all tell you the same thing. Violent crime is going up. People are getting severely beaten, stabbed or shot with ever increasing frequency. Why is it happening? The answer is simple, drugs, gangs and guns. Almost every crime can be tied to some type of drug usage, whether an attack committed by some drug-crazed perp, a gas station holdup to get enough cash for the next fix, or a gang war drive by as they fight over drug dealing turf. So we are No. 2, what can we do? 1. Zero tolerance for gang members. Take a look at the success we've had with the auto theft strategy, one of the cornerstones of which has been to target the worst of the worst and have them arrested for every single breach of bail or probation condition until the judges are forced to keep them locked up. It's worked so well for auto theft that we've reduced auto theft rates by roughly 70% since 2004 and it can work for the gangs, too. We just need to make sure we allocate enough resources to do it right. 2. Hit them in the pocketbook. Gangs operate to make money, beef up the units assigned to seize criminal assets and hit gangs where it will hurt the most, in the wallet. 3. Have intense addiction treatments while in custody for those who commit crimes to fuel drug addiction. Implement the ideas of front-line corrections officers in tightening up to keep drugs out of jails. While you're at it, no more cell blocks dedicated to specific gangs. SERIOUS TIME If you're a convict you go to the next available cell -- regardless of your gang affiliation. No more chillin' with the homies while you repay your debt to society. 4. Use or possess a gun? Automatic serious jail time with no bail or double time credit. 5. Carrot or the stick. Those gangsters with no demonstrated desire to rehabilitate get serious time -- we are talking decades here. Those that want to flip and become Crown witnesses get enrolled in a beefed-up witness protection program so they don't have to worry about gang retaliation. What shouldn't we do? Downplay the problem, or criticize those who identify the serious issues we are facing. If those with the power to take action simply try and suppress the bad news, the gangs will continue to laugh and profit from the drug-fuelled violence that will continue to plague our streets. What will it take to get action? Maybe we have to be No. 1. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom