Pubdate: Sun, 10 Feb 2008 Source: Winnipeg Free Press (CN MB) Copyright: 2008 Winnipeg Free Press Contact: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/info/letters/index.html Website: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/502 Author: Lindsey Wiebe Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/topic/crack+houses RESIDENTS PROUD OF CRACKDOWN ON CRACK HOUSES Point Douglas Community Takes Action THE head of a Point Douglas community watch group is thrilled the neighbourhood's work in shutting down crack houses is getting public recognition, including from the mayor. "There's a huge difference," said Point Douglas Residents' Committee co-chair Sel Burrows, who said although the neighbourhood isn't quite crack-free, "we're so close we can smell it." Much of Mayor Sam Katz's State of the City address Friday focused on strategies for fighting crime in Winnipeg, and included praise for Point Douglas residents' efforts to force drug dealing out of the area. Burrows said it wasn't long ago that gang members would gather in front of crack houses, with dealers working the streets in broad daylight. "Now it's the opposite," he said and the drug dealers are the ones looking over their shoulder. "This is way beyond what we expected," he said. "The sociological impact on the community has been huge." Burrows says the neighbourhood's success is due in large part to a team of 37 area residents who act as community watchdogs. Their tips on suspicious activity are collected, stripped of identifying information and passed on to police. The committee's efforts began last summer, and by October they'd arranged a rally in Joe Zuken Park attended by police, politicians and roughly 150 residents, as well as Blue Bomber Milt Stegall, to declare they were taking back the neighbourhood. Burrows, who sits on the city's new police advisory board, also cited increased support from city police, and in particular new chief Keith McCaskill. He warned that closing down crack houses won't solve inner-city crime, and said the committee is involved in pressuring the city to do more for inner-city youth, including pushing for a boost in summer job creation. They're also working with police and residents in William Whyte to apply the same strategy to the North End neighbourhood, he said. Burrows said there are some concerns about personal safety, but said the response from the area has been encouraging. "I've got a whole bunch of individuals there who want to get doing it," he said. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard Lake