Pubdate: Mon, 29 Nov 2004 Source: Vancouver Courier (CN BC) Copyright: 2004 Vancouver Courier Contact: http://www.vancourier.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/474 Author: Doug Hopwood Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?216 (CN Police) POLICE PRIORITIES QUESTIONABLE To the editor: Re: "Cops set up special team to stop West Side petty crime," Nov. 21. Even though 21 pedestrians have been killed in motor vehicle accidents so far this year (10 more than last year's total), the Vancouver Police Department has moved 24 officers away from traffic duty and on to drug enforcement. At the same time, the police are responding to a rash of auto break-ins on the West Side with a special team of investigators, increased presence, and undercover operations. I'm sure that setting Vancouver's policing priorities is not an easy job. I'm trying, but I just don't understand why drug busts are more important than traffic safety, and I can't even imagine by what logic car windshields are more worthy of police protection than human lives. Doug Hopwood, Vancouver - --- MAP posted-by: Derek