Pubdate: Tue, 30 Jul 2002
Source: Penticton Western (CN BC)
Copyright: 2002 Penticton Western
Contact:  http://www.pentictonwesternnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1310
Author: Eileen Brent

PICKETING AREA DRUG HOUSES ILL ADVISED

Orchard Avenue area residents are considering setting up a neighbourhood 
watch and picketing suspected drug houses in their fight against crime in 
their neighbourhood.

"We just want to say drugs are not welcome in this neighbourhood," said 
resident Jeff Nielson after a town-hall meeting at the Penticton Library 
auditorium last week drew about 50 people concerned with crime in Penticton.

It was the third in a series of meetings under the slogan, Justice for 
Victims, Punishment for Criminals.

Local MP Stockwell Day, Mayor Mike Pearce, councillors Gus Boersma and Dave 
Perry, crime prevention officer Al Sismey and Penticton RCMP Staff-Sgt. 
Pete McLaren also attended.

Sismey and McLaren suggested a number of options to reduce crime in the 
Orchard Avenue neighbourhood.

Chief among them was setting up a neighbourhood watch.

"It doesn't have to be 100 people. It could be six people," Sismey said. 
But he warned against other suggested options such as picketing the homes 
of drug dealers.

"You have to remember that when you take stands against these people, that 
they are not nice people. There could be retaliation."

McLaren also defended the local RCMP force against crowd suggestions that 
they do not respond quickly enough to complaints about suspected crimes 
involving marijuana.

"We're interested in all the different types of drug, but our priorities 
have to be centred on the drugs that are causing us the most problems: 
cocaine and heroin," he said. "If we've got a house selling marijuana, that 
is not high on the priority list."

McLaren also dismissed comments from one man who said the RCMP is no longer 
the force it was decades ago.

McLaren said he is "proud to wear this uniform."

"The vast majority of members who work for me are trying to do the best job 
day-to-day," he said.

McLaren also pointed out that Penticton's crime rate is lower than that of 
Vernon, a community of comparable size.

"We have less violent crime than Vernon, and less property crime than 
Vernon," he said.

Another point of discussion was the Young Offenders' Act, which continues 
to undergo revisions.

Day used this opportunity to slam the federal Liberals' approach to crime.

"Basically, the philosophy of the federal government tends to put more 
emphasis on the rights of criminals than it does on the rights of 
law-abiding citizens," Day said. "It is as simple as that."

Unless the federal government gets tougher, groups such as the Orchard 
Avenue residents will continue to feel frustrated, he said.

"I'm not talking about inhumanity here," he said. "But I am talking about a 
change in approach at the federal level that will assist mayors, 
councillors and parents all the way down the line."

Proper intervention at the right time can spare a young person a life of 
crime, he said.

"If that doesn't work, then the system and society has to get very, very 
serious." Those who advocate boot camps risk look like Neanderthals, he 
said. "But in some cases, they do work," he said. Pearce said crime 
prevention begins at home with parents taking control of their kids.

Pearce also talked about installing video surveillance cameras in downtown 
Penticton.

"I would be interested in looking at cameras," he said. "But they are 
costly and there are legal questions (about their use)."

But if people want to see a drop in crime, they must take the first step, 
said Sismey. "When people see that a community ties together, it is a huge 
deterrent for crime."
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MAP posted-by: Alex