Pubdate: Thu, 13 Oct 2005
Source: Hope Standard (CN BC)
Copyright: 2005 Hope Standard
Contact:  http://www.hopestandard.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1397
Author: Darla Dickinson
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

NEIGHBOURS TAKE A STAND AGAINST GROW-OPS

A program designed to spot and report possible grow-ops in different 
neighbourhoods will be available to those neighbours who wish to implement 
it. Three public forums will be taking place over the next two months to 
provide the public with more information about the program and how to spot 
possible grow operations.

"It goes hand in hand with Block Watch. It is a new program that crime 
prevention is taking on," says Constable Kurt Bosnell, the liaison officer 
for the Grow Watch program and part of the general investigation section 
for the Hope RCMP.

As part of the Grow Watch program the residents become the eyes and ears of 
the community and are trained to know any key factors to help identify a 
possible grow-op.

The community forums will take place at the District of Hope hall at 7:00 
p.m. on Thursday Oct. 27. Tuesday Nov. 6, Thursday Nov. 24 and Tuesday Dec. 8.

"It took us a while to get everything ready but it is really good. We have 
the support of Crime Prevention, the District of Hope and the Hope RCMP. 
The forums are open to everybody as we'd like to educate the community and 
hopefully get people interested in the program," says Jackie Remple the 
co-coordinator for the Block Watch program in Hope.

Some of the speakers at the forum include Constable Bosnell and Fire Chief 
Tom De Sorcy. Speakers will present their experience regarding grow 
operations in the area and offer clues on how to spot a possible operation.

"Constable Bosnell's power point presentation is very powerful as he has 
compiled photographs of the grow-op busts he has made in Hope. It is 
surprising how normal many of the homes look but then it becomes rather 
frightening when you see all the dangers associated with the operations," 
says Remple.

As for the training end of the program it comes included with the Block 
Watch training so neighbourhoods become a block watch as well as a grow watch.

"The program is a preventative approach to keep the grow operations out of 
a neighbourhood and if one does sneak in the neighbours know the kinds of 
signs that indicate a possible operation," says Bosnell. "Grow-ops are 
definitely a problem in Hope. In the past five years I have seen the 
numbers steadily increase but this is a creative way to address the problem."

Block seven will be the first grow watch/block watch and will shortly be 
receiving the necessary training.

"The program also brings your neighbours closer together, it really does. 
And, the program will help deter people who want to set up a grow-op. I 
will feel a lot safer if my neighbour sells their home that the message is 
there that we look out for one another," says Remple.

One of the major driving factors in bringing this program to Hope is that 
by acting as a deterrent it assists in keeping the neighbourhoods a lot safer.

In addition to the usual dangers associated with grow-ops the possibility 
of grow rips is also there and adds an additional level of safety issues 
for neighbourhoods.

'Grow rips' are when people go into a house that has a grow-op and steal 
the plants instead of producing their own, says Bosnell. "Grow Watch is an 
opportunity for the citizens of Hope to take back their neighbourhood and 
have some control," says Bosnell.

For more information contact the Hope Crime Prevention office at 604 869 5900.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom