Pubdate: 07 Nov 2015
Source: Saturday Okanagan,  The (CN BC)
Contact:  2015 Saturday Okanagan
Website: http://www.kelownadailycourier.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1206
Author: Andrea Peacock
Page: A1

RED-ZONE STRATEGY WORKS, SAYS COP

Prolific drug offenders keep coming back to Kelowna's downtown area, 
but police say deterring those people through enforcement of a red 
zone is an effective strategy.

At any given time, around 30 people are banned from entering the red 
zone, said Sgt. Greg Woodcox.

"Typically, they are people who are chronic drug offenders," he said.

Kelowna's red zone is bound roughly by Sutherland Avenue to Doyle 
Avenue, and from Richter Street to Okanagan Lake.

The majority of people who are given red zone conditions are not 
first time offenders, and those who are sent to jail often end up 
back downtown, said Woodcox.

"I bet 85 to 90 per cent of them come back (downtown)," he said. "We 
do a round-up of people and we think it's good, then the next week 
there's 10 people that just got out of jail and they're right back there.

"They're good for a week or two, then you can see their health 
deteriorate, you can tell they're using. They admit to me they're 
using. Over time, it's just the same revolving door."

Even still, enforcing the red zone is beneficial, said Woodcox.

"If there was no deterrence, then everybody would be downtown at the 
same time all together, and our calls for service would go up. There 
would be more crime."

Woodcox said he often hears comments that all police are doing is 
displacing offenders from downtown, which he doesn't disagree with.

"Of course we are. But do you want everyone down here with no 
conditions hanging around the parks, trafficking drugs and beating 
each other up? I don't." he said.

"If we don't have the red zone, in The old Queensway bus station 
developed a reputation as a hangout for some of Kelowna's 
troublemakers. The city hopes a brighter, redesigned area might be 
less attractive for them. my opinion, it's going tell people it's OK 
to come downtown solely to buy drugs."

However, being under red-zone conditions does not prohibit people 
from accessing services such as the Gospel Mission.

"We don't breach people or arrest people for going to the Gospel 
Mission or a medical clinic on a red-zone condition," said Woodcox.

Those on red-zone probation can get an exemption letter from their 
bail supervisor allowing them to go to the Gospel Mission, along with 
other services they may need.

"We're not trying to stop people from coming down, but we're trying 
to stop people from hanging around with other prolific offenders."

Recently the City of Kelowna announced it is looking into hiring 
someone to focus on homelessness - an idea Woodcox is behind.

"I think it's a great idea," he said. "We're more than willing to 
work with somebody like that."

Woodcox said the three biggest issues he sees downtown are addiction 
issues, mental-health issues and homelessness.

"Homelessness is big right now," he said. "Calls for service for 
vagrancy have gone up exponentially in my opinion. The biggest 
complaint to me every day is 'I don't have a place.'"

Dealing with homelessness is a key part of dealing with the drug 
scene, said Woodcox.

"Once somebody has a place and they're more stable, their chance of 
success goes way up because right now they're living on the street 
and they have to do what they have to do to survive."

Working with the city and social agencies is vital for success, said Woodcox.

"All we want people to do is get their life together, get out of the 
drug scene. And if they're back at thedrug scene hanging around the 
same people who are using drugs, they're never going to change."

Woodcox said 99 per cent of the people he arrests for vehicle theft 
and property crime are drug addicts.

"There's five to 10 people that are responsible for 90 per cent of 
the crime," he said.

Kelowna RCMP has five officers designated to patrolling the downtown 
core, often with only one officer at a time, he said.

"We do what we can."
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom