Pubdate: Wed, 18 Jan 2006
Source: Kelowna Capital News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006, West Partners Publishing Ltd.
Contact:  http://www.kelownacapnews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1294
Author: Marshall Jones, staff reporter
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/coke.htm (Cocaine)

DROP IN CRIME A TEMPORARY REPRIEVE FOR DOWNTOWN

Kelowna Mounties appear to have earned a brief reprieve from the 
onslaught of drug crimes, vehicle thefts and robberies as crime 
statistics tailed off in the last quarter of 2005.

What looked like another record-breaking year for local crime 
statistics took a nose dive after September.

But while police will continue their efforts to clean up crime 
downtown, this moment of calm is being used to prepare for what may 
be next. Kelowna Mayor Sharon Shepherd and the RCMP are scheduling a 
town hall meeting on crime for late January.

They hope to build a new committee to keep ahead of the latest crimes 
and build a safer downtown.

RCMP Supt. Bill McKinnon gives the Downtown Kelowna Association full 
marks for its efforts to be proactive through the past two or three 
years but the dynamics of downtown Kelowna has changed.

There are more people living in the core and new buildings coming in 
all the time.

"Collectively we need to communicate better to those affected about 
the programs we have in place, what to do when they see crimes in 
progress," he says.

"We believe we have had some success downtown but we need to continue 
to improve on our performance in order for people who operate 
businesses and live in the downtown core to live in a safe environment."

Kelowna has gone through an unsettling few years dealing with crime 
and what McKinnon calls the "criminally transient."

Police have responded with a dedicated four-officer crew patrolling 
the downtown and great efforts by drug and property crime sections.

If any gains are to be made, the community has to take the reins.

"It's not just the police," he says. "There are things that business 
owners, the general public and ourselves can do to make things safer 
than what they have been in the past."

A date for the meeting is still being worked on.

Crime statistics actually decreased or stabilized in most categories 
last year, but only because 2004 hit the record books.

Drug offences (+12 per cent), impaired driving (+11.6 per cent) and 
auto thefts (+9 per cent) were up though the two former categories 
could be explained by stricter enforcement.

McKinnon says auto thefts is a direct barometer of the drug problem 
since 95 per cent of stolen vehicles are recovered in town. He said 
his goal is to reduce auto crimes by 25 per cent in 2006.

He wants to continue to focus on cocaine as the number one problem in 
the community but also wants to make a dent in the local marijuana trade.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom