Pubdate: Tue, 27 Sep 2011
Source: Surrey Leader (CN BC)
Copyright: 2011 Surrey Leader
Contact:  http://www.surreyleader.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1236
Author: Kevin Diakiw, Surrey North Delta Leader

GROW-OP HOMES MADE PUBLIC

Surrey is reporting far more pot grow-ops than other jurisdictions in
B.C., which Mounties say is due in part to a dedicated team tackling
the the clandestine operations.

As part of a new program called the Marijuana Grow Initiative, police
are making public all places where they seize marijuana grow operations.

The addresses of homes where marijuana grow-ops are found have been
published on the RCMP website, and as of Friday (Sept. 23), 26 out of
the 60 published are in Surrey.

The bulk of grow-ops were found in the northern edges of the city,
with small clusters of them in Fraser Heights and Newton.

RCMP Cpl. Drew Grainger said the high number of homes posted from
Surrey is due to a dedicated team of officers in the city targeting
the operations.

He said making the areas available to local residents raises public
awareness about where the grow-ops have been found.

Sometimes, the grow-ops pop up in the same community or same home
shortly after they're shut down.

The Marijuana Grow Initiative was unveiled the day after the federal
Safe Streets and Community Act, was introduced in the House, which
calls for tougher penalties and regulations for crime on several fronts.

For those involved in growing marijuana, the maximum penalty has
doubled from seven to 14 years in jail.

The initiatives are being hailed as great news by Surrey Fire Chief
Len Garis, who is also president of the Fire Chiefs Association of
B.C.

"Marijuana grow operations continue to be a source of fires due to the
improper installation and use of electrical equipment," Garis said in
a release. "The RCMP initiative already has the hallmarks of success
by including communities in the solution and by attacking this
entrenched problem from a variety of angles - and it will soon have
additional support from the new legislation."

Making the properties public will also help homebuyers and realtors
assess which areas might be associated with drug production.

Research has indicated that a home with a grow operation is 24 times
more likely to burn than one without.

The public can access the database for grow-operation location in all
RCMP jurisdictions at: http://bit.ly/r8YeqJ 
- ---
MAP posted-by: Richard R Smith Jr.