Pubdate: Fri, 15 May 2009
Source: Kingston Whig-Standard (CN ON)
Copyright: 2009 Sun Media
Contact: http://www.thewhig.com/feedback1/LetterToEditor.aspx
Website: http://www.thewhig.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/224

TARGET SERIOUS END OF DRUG SPECTRUM

Kingston Police Chief Stephen Tanner suggests that crime rates in 
Kingston will rise because of an increase in drug enforcement.

Tanner is on the right track in bolstering the department's drug unit 
and targeting drug crimes that he believes are linked to other 
criminal acts, such as robberies.

The chief's comments about drug enforcement come on the heels of a 
Statistics Canada report that Kingston had a drug offences rate well 
below the national average. According to the report, the city's rate 
was 209 incidents per 100,000, about 30% under the national rate.

But the chief warns that Kingston's rate will rise because "drug 
offences are 100% driven by enforcement."

In fact, the chief is bracing the public for the possibility of 
doubling the amount of drug charges because of the additional 
officers. The upside is that public safety will improve in Kingston 
if drug operations are shut down and hardened criminals taken off the streets.

It's not unlike the health-care system readjustments in recent years. 
The provincial government targeted improvements in areas such as wait 
times for certain procedures. By shifting resources into different 
areas of specialization, wait times for some procedures are improved.

But shifting resources must be done for the right reasons and must 
yield the intended results. In the case of Kingston Police, the same applies.

If the chief is reducing traffic patrols and transferring officers 
into drug enforcement, that could be a wise decision. Drug crimes 
have a greater impact on the community. We trust that Tanner is 
redeploying resources effectively. After all, the police consistently 
made a case in front of city council for more officers, so the 
department has no surplus staff.

However, if the drug enforcement officers crack down on users and not 
pushers, is the community being made safer? Drug enforcement should 
be directed at users of hard drugs and dealers -- the more serious 
end of the drug crime spectrum. Rounding up pot smokers will only 
place an additional burden on the legal and justice systems and won't 
thwart the root problem.

When the new StatsCan numbers are revealed, any increase in charges 
should be in the correct categories.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom