Pubdate: Mon, 08 Oct 2007
Source: Daily News, The (CN NS)
Copyright: 2007 The Daily News
Contact:  http://www.hfxnews.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/179
Author: Beth Johnston, The Daily News

BAD NEIGHBOURS GETTING EVICTED

Legislation Allows Investigators To Clean Up 'Problem Properties'

For years, neighbours suspected drugs were being sold out of two 
apartment units at 18 Randall Ave.

People came and went at odd hours, there was often fighting and 
shouting, windows were smashed and doors were repeatedly kicked in.

"They were not good neighbours," said a nearby resident, who wished 
not to be identified.

On Aug. 18, the long-term tenants were evicted by plain-clothes Nova 
Scotia Justice Department investigators as part of the Safer 
Communities and Neighbourhoods Act, which came into effect last January.

Since the public safety investigation section went operational in 
April, residents have been evicted from 19 houses for selling drugs.

'A little surprised'

"We were a little surprised by the number of complaints we've had, 
especially that there are such a large number from the more rural 
areas of the province," said Fred Sanford, a former Halifax Regional 
Police officer who heads the section.

"It's an indicator that criminal activities aren't just occurring in HRM."

The section's three investigators - all former police officers - act 
on confidential complaints about houses where suspected drug sales, 
illegal sale of alcohol, prostitution or illegal gambling are going on.

"We have to prove the activities are happening on or near a property 
and they adversely affect the neighbourhood," Sanford said.

The windows at the apartments at 18 Randall Ave. are boarded up to 
keep looters out. Children's toys are scattered on the lawn. The 
other tenants in the building are still scared to talk about their ordeal.

"We were just glad to get rid of them," said another woman, who also 
wished not to be identified.

"They were basically prisoners in their own home," Sanford said.

"That was a very bad place in that community. We received a number of 
complaints and I know the police had as well. It had been a problem 
address for quite a period of time."

Sanford said residents are appreciative of the work his team is doing.

He thinks being evicted might be a bigger deterrent to drug dealers 
than a date in front of a judge.

"It's a great deterrent to someone when they lose their place of 
residence and are forced to move," he said, adding he doesn't think 
it's just moving the problem to someone else's neighbourhood.

"If they move and start participating in the same type of activity, 
we'll do it again and hopefully they'll get the message that it is 
not going to be tolerated in Nova Scotia."

The new act lets investigators avoid a lot of red tape and 
processing, which can be time consuming.

"We're able to take action within a relatively short period of time 
to get the community some relief from the situation."

Three other provinces - Yukon, Manitoba and Saskatchewan - are also 
experimenting with similar legislation.

Making communities safer

Finding a way to shut down "problem properties," where drugs are sold 
or other illegal activities take place, is an important part of 
making communities safer, said Halifax Regional Police deputy chief 
Chris McNeil.

Police can enforce the law, but lacked the legislative clout to 
actually force property owners to clean up problem buildings. The 
safer-communities legislation and Sanford's unit have filled that 
beyond everyone's expectations.

"They taken what was once a source of great frustration and filled 
that gap," McNeil said.

- - With files from Richard Dooley

- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act came into effect last January.

Since April, the public safety investigation section that enforces 
the act received complaints about illegal activities going on in 
residences across the province.

Here is the breakdown:

Halifax Regional Municipality: 37
Cape Breton: 12
Kings County: 11
Lunenburg: 6
Pictou: 5
Hants: 2
Queens: 2
Colchester: 2
Yarmouth: 2
Cumberland: 1
Antigonish: 1
- ---
MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart