Pubdate: Tue, 21 Oct 2008
Source: Prince George Citizen (CN BC)
Copyright: 2008 Prince George Citizen
Contact:  http://www.princegeorgecitizen.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/350

STRONGER LAWS NEEDED TO FIGHT DRUG PUSHERS

The activities inside a commercial building downtown have shone the 
spotlight on the difficulties police have when trying to bust people 
running drug houses.

Prince George RCMP say a downtown building is operating as a crack 
shack. Essentially a flop house, police say tenants are selling drugs 
from rooms in the rundown premises.

Despite their knowledge of what's going on inside, police's hands are 
tied by laws governing searches.

Police require almost irrefutable proof of criminal activity before 
being issued a search warrant. They can't simply happen upon a 
premises or person and shake them down. That's understandable. We 
would be in a sorry state as a society if police were allowed to 
search homes or individuals on a whim or a simple suspicion.

However, it's infuriating when criminals are permitted to carry on 
their activities under the public's and police's nose so long as 
their deeds are concealed from view.

Police need more law-enforcement tools at their disposal.

We support the calls by Sgt. Raj Sidhu, commander of the RCMP's task 
force unit, for meatier bylaws at city hall that would handcuff drug 
dealers and pimps.

Additionally, landlords must be brought to bear for enabling criminal 
activity by their scumbag tenants, many of whom, despite being of 
presumably less-than-modest means, drive expensive vehicles and have 
no problem paying the rent.

Ever wonder why?

Laws at the federal level also must be strengthened to give police 
and judges more clout in investigating and sentencing.

Drug dealers are a plague on our city and existing laws are having 
little effect.

Their efforts could be greatly aided by city hall and our 
tough-on-crime Members of Parliament.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom