Pubdate: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 Source: Clearwater Times (CN BC) Copyright: 2009 Clearwater Times Contact: http://www.clearwatertimes.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1448 SGT. SEIB GIVES SIX-MONTH RCMP REPORT TO COUNCIL Clearwater RMCP detachment responded to 1,115 calls for service during the first half of 2009. These ranged from nuisance calls such as barking dogs and youths drinking, to serious calls including spousal assaults, sexual assaults, and robbery. Because of the high volume of calls and the small number of members available, the RCMP continues to be a strategically focused organization. For the year 2009, RCMP continues to focus on organized crime, youth, and traffic safety. In addition, every detachment has been tasked with initiating four recruiting projects for the current year. 1. The first priority the Clearwater Detachment is focusing on is combating organized crime in our area. This includes targeting marijuana grow operations and drug traffickers. After taking down 53 grows in the past three years, they are becoming harder to locate. It would appear that in many cases growers are moving elsewhere as the chances of getting caught in Clearwater are high. So far in 2009 three grows have been taken down, with a total of 2,565 plants being destroyed. In addition one local coke dealer was busted, yielding 33 gm of coke, a small quantity of pot, and several pills. This case will progress through the court system over the next one to two years. The following is a recap of drugs seized in our area in the first six months of 2009. A total of 2,565 marijuana plants, 3,994 gm pot, 450 gm hashish, 1,063 gm coke, 1,030 gm meth, 1,000 gm ketamine, two gm heroin, 90 ecstasy pills, 113 caps of morphine, and 110 miscellaneous pills. In addition, a 9 mm Beretta handgun was seized. The street value of these drugs exceeds $2,800,000. Many of the drugs were seized from vehicles passing through from Edmonton to Vancouver. 2. In an effort to reduce carnage on our highways, both general duty and traffic services have focused on a second priority in targeting drinking and driving and aggressive driving. Clearwater members continue to maintain a high visibility on our highways. There has been one fatality, 13 injury crashes, and 65 property damage crashes so far this year (a total of 79 crashes attended to date.) There have been 14 impaired driving charges and 31 24-hour suspensions handed out so far this year. Once again there is zero tolerance for drinking and driving in our area. If a person is over the legal (per se) limit, he or she will be charged. 3. Members of the local detachment continue reaching out to youth as a third priority. Programs include DARE, which teaches younger children how to stay away from drugs; Birthday Party, which helps Grade 9 students to decide not to drink and drive; as well as a school liaison program, which has officers assigned to all local schools and to two youth groups. 4. The forth priority is for our detachment to put on a recruiting initiative each quarter this year. During the first quarter one of our officers attended the Emergency Responders Day. He spent about four hours demonstrating the emergency equipment and answering questions. The second quarter we put recruiting information in the local paper. So far this year we have had two people complete applications for the RCMP and have had several inquiries into a career with the police force. - --- MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr