Pubdate: Tue, 22 Jan 2013
Source: Kamloops Daily News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2013 Kamloops Daily News
Contact:  http://www.kamloopsnews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/679
Author: Sylvie Pallard

STAND UP TO CRIMINALS, NORTH SHORE RESIDENT SAYS

'The only real danger is by not doing anything and pretending we 
don't see what's happening'

A North Shore resident wants his neighbours to stand up to criminals, 
and he's leading by example.

On Saturday the resident, who wants to remain nameless for safety 
reasons, called police to alert them to blatant drug dealing going on 
in front of the public library.

When an RCMP member arrived, the suspect had entered the library 
where he joined about 10 of his cohorts. The officer called for 
backup, saying he knew they had a history of violence, according to 
the witness.

Despite the danger, when police said they required a face-to-face 
identification, the witness boldly walked into the library and 
pointed out the man he'd seen dealing drugs.

While police dealt with the suspect outside, the rest of the group 
followed the witness out, berating and threatening him.

"They took my pictures with cellphones, told me they took down my 
licence plate (number), that sort of stuff," he said.

The suspect was released since he had no drugs on him. ("Probably 
passed it off to a buddy," said the witness.)

But police confiscated the bottle of liquor he was carrying, said 
RCMP Staff Sgt. Grant Learned, "because it's a catalyst to problem 
behaviour with that guy."

The next day, the witness changed his licence plate.

Nevertheless, he said he has no regrets and believes that the only 
way to avoid violence is for individuals to stick their necks out.

"The only real danger is by not doing anything and pretending we 
don't see what's happening. If these kind of activities are allowed 
to continue unchecked, someone is going to be seriously hurt," he said.

"I believe as members of the community we need to make it abundantly 
clear that . . . we are watching and we will report any and all 
occurrences to the police."

Acting as a witness may seem risky but it's sometimes the only way to 
effectively deal with such a situation.

"Classic case in point are people who call in about problem drivers," 
said Learned. "They see the driver, they identify the vehicle, they 
provide a licence plate. Yet they still have to be prepared to 
provide evidence in courts because they're the ones who witnessed the offence."

The North Shore Business Improvement Association has launched several 
initiatives to try to curb crime and has often called on 
neighbourhoods to join in the fight.

It's had some positive results, like a noticeable reduction in the 
visibility of prostitution.

Former BIA manager Peter Mutrie reasserted the approach to crime 
prevention on Saturday during the a recent Ideas Festival organized 
by Coun. Arjun Singh at the Thompson Rivers University Irving Barber Centre.

Mutrie said if people connect with one another, it builds a stronger, 
more caring society.

"We're all in this together."
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom