Pubdate: Fri, 24 Apr 2009
Source: Prairie Post Southwestern (CN SN)
Copyright: 2009 Prairie Post
Contact: http://drugsense.org/url/2hefXRB0
Website: http://www.prairiepost.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/4495
Author: Elizabeth Bate

COUNCIL CONCERNED ABOUT DRUGS IN SWIFT CURRENT

Swift Current city councillor Stacey Ellertson wants parents of high 
school students in Swift Current to have a serious talk with their children.

In a city council meeting April 21, Ellertson questioned what was 
being done to combat what he calls a serious drug problem in Swift 
Current and urged parents, children, teachers and the RCMP to discuss 
the issue more.

Sgt. Pat Laybolt and Corp. Quinlan, of the Swift Current city RCMP 
detachment, were present at the meeting to present the arrest March 
2009 statistics for the city of Swift Current.

The statistics showed there were three drug enforcement arrests for 
the month. This number is down two compared to the same period last 
year and down 12 from the same period in 2007. The RCMP reports 15 
drug enforcement arrests for 2009.

Ellertson, however, believes these numbers are not reflective of the 
current drug situation in Swift Current.

"I looked at the line of drug enforcement numbers and it seems to me 
that those numbers go in the opposite direction and that our problem 
is getting worse," he says.

Ellertson says he has received calls from constituents and concerned 
parents regarding reports of wide-spread drug related activity at 
Swift Current Comprehensive High School (SCCHS) and in other areas of the city.

"I got a phone call and was talking to someone about the drug problem 
here in our city, especially at the Comp (SCCHS) and it was pretty 
horrifying to hear about some of the things that are going on there," 
he said during the meeting.

Ellertson, whose daughter attends SCCHS, says he has received 
information which would suggest students at the high school not only 
have easy access to hard drugs, but are using them on school property.

"(Students are) text messaging that 'this is stoned day and we're all 
going to get stoned on the same day' and people will do lines of coke 
in the bathrooms," he says.

Laybolt responded by saying the lack of conversation about the 
problem makes offenders harder to catch.

"It's an issue that people don't talk about. The offenders are quite 
closed-mouthed about it and there's a paranoia that goes with it," he 
said. "To actually catch someone in a drug deal is quite difficult."

Although it may be difficult to catch offenders in the act, Laybolt 
insists the RCMP is aware of the problem and is trying to combat it.

"Drug enforcement is always there," Laybolt says. "We're always 
trying to be vigilant."

Laybolt says drug use in Swift Current is less than other areas in 
the province, but doesn't deny there is an issue here.

"The reality is that drugs are a common problem all across the 
country and Saskatchewan is no different," he says.

Ellertson knows measures such as the RCMP's efforts to arrest 
offenders and a new drug committee recently put together at Fairview 
School are a good start to combating the problem, but he wants to see 
more done to fight drug use, especially among students.

"I believe that we have to put a spotlight on some of these things," 
he says. "This is a problem we all have to share. We need to be more 
aggressive about facing this."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart