Pubdate: Tue, 23 Mar 2010 Source: Nanaimo Daily News (CN BC) Copyright: 2010 Nanaimo Daily News Contact: http://www.canada.com/nanaimodailynews/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1608 Author: Paul Walton UGLY TARP AT NEW POLICE OFFICE HIDES AN EVEN UGLIER REALITY Some of you, well, a lot of you actually, will have seen the black tarp put up along the fence behind the building on Fitzwilliam Street now housing the Vancouver Island RCMP federal drug section. The office, behind the bus loop, has been operational for about six weeks now. Months ago, I put in a request to the Vancouver Island RCMP media liaison, Cpl. Darren Lagan, to talk to someone about this new office. Since I haven't heard from Lagan I am interpreting the answer as a no. Aside from the fact that they could have used something a little more visually friendly than black tarp, I think I understand what that's all about. The federal drug office, now relocated from Victoria to Nanaimo, has a very narrow focus and one very significant challenge: To investigate organized crime and others who are involved in trafficking large amounts of drugs. They are not called "organized" for nothing. In this space some time ago I noted how journalists and organized crime used information gathered off police scanners for their own purposes. The tarp reflects the fact that organized crime groups know how to collect -- and use -- intelligence as they pursue bringing drugs into Canada by the tonne. While the tarp may not help, it will at least make it a little more difficult for these criminals to make lists of makes, models and licence numbers of vehicles associated with RCMP investigators and staff. The concerns are twofold. The most obvious is that police would prefer that criminals did not know what they were driving while doing stakeouts and collecting their own intelligence. And it's also known that the Hells Angels keep files on individual police officers. Police raids on HA clubhouses have found names, addresses and personal details of police officers. So the tarp that rankles me every time I walk or drive by also protects individuals from being seen and identified as they go from their vehicle into the office. Again, I must remind myself, a reasonable precaution given the circumstances. We're not talking about undercover cops here. Neither you nor I will see them unless we watch them testifying in court. Let's just say from what I have gleaned that the work done in the new office is wide-ranging, at times intensive and at times grindingly boring. Some may argue that this is Canada, that all this secrecy is not in line with our democratic values; neither is importing tonnes of heroin, cocaine or hashish as financed by local marijuana growing operations. As much as we have become a global village in positive ways, it is also true in negative ways. Anyone who thinks that the drug war violence in Mexico will remain confined to that country better give their head a shake. Global drug cartels interest will protect their drug interests anywhere in the world and will make use of ruthless violence to do it. From the poppy crops of Afghanistan to the U.S.-Mexican border and the streets of our cities there are billions of dollars in play among diverse groups. There are no courts to settle disputes, just brutal violence. An ugly black tarp seems to reveal one ugly message. - --- MAP posted-by: Jo-D