Pubdate: Sat, 08 Apr 2006
Source: Richmond Review, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Richmond Public Library
Contact:  http://www.richmondreview.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/704
Author: Kevin Diakiw
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

POLICE TO GAIN POWER TO ACCESS HYDRO BILLS

Heavy users of electricity will be reported to police under a new  
bill introduced in the legislature this week.

Near the end of this month, municipalities will have BC Hydro records  
on demand, data which will be turned over to police to determine  
whether spikes in power use were caused by a marijuana grow-operation.

Marijuana grow-ops require high power consumption, typically three to  
10 times the amount used by a normal home.

"This amendment will help local authorities target and shut down  
marijuana grow operations more quickly and more efficiently,"  
Minister of Public Safety John Les said in the legislature Thursday,  
as he introduced Bill 25.

"With these amendments, municipalities will now be able to obtain  
information from electricity companies about residences with unusual  
power consumption."

The names and addresses of the account holders will now be given to  
local authorities to investigate whether their homes contain a grow  
operation, he said.

One of the main impediments, investigators say, has been the time- 
consuming process of acquiring BC Hydro information through the  
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. To obtain a  
freedom-of-information request, the city first had to have tips from  
neighbours. Now the investigation process will be reversed: power  
records first, then assessment.

Jason Gratl, president of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, said  
the legislation seems "neither necessary or desirable."

He notes there are enough marijuana grow-operations to keep police  
busy for a long time, without the use of power records. "It all seems  
a little much for such a purpose," Gratl said.

"This is one part of a larger tendency of this provincial government  
to attempt to simplify the investigative techniques of the RCMP by  
providing the police with access to information from other sources."
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MAP posted-by: Jackl