Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jun 2007
Source: Maple Ridge News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2007 Maple Ridge News
Contact:  http://www.mapleridgenews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1328
Referenced: http://www.mapinc.org/drugnews/v07/n688/a03.html
Author: Tim Meehan

REAL CRIME

Editor, The News:

Re: What about missed work (Letters, June 6).

Matt Ion received a warrant-less marijuana grow operation inspection
after he says his wife called in repeated tips about suspicious
vehicles in his neighbourhood.

While I trust Mr. Ion and his family are just trying to keep their
neighbourhood safe with his surveillance equipment, perhaps police
thought that his family was fearing a grow rip?

They say pot makes you paranoid - on both sides of the law, it
seems. Some of this hyper vigilance could be making its way into
police investigations. Unfortunately, this will only contribute to the
stop-snitching phenomenon, as now even good-intentioned informants can
be held under suspicion.

If the police unions would stop lobbying Ottawa for harsher drug laws
and sentences, maybe the time saved in the grow op scare could be
better put to use tracking down real criminals.

Tim Meehan

Ottawa
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MAP posted-by: Richard Lake