WHAT'S YOUR ANSWER TO RISING CRIME?

The face of crime in this community is changing. It's getting uglier,
darker, more sinister. Crime is becoming more prevalent, with more of
us at risk of becoming victims than ever before.

There are many reasons why. Our population has increased being the
obvious one. Police sources point to another ---drugs. Substance abuse
has always created issues for the police, just think of the resources
spent dealing with drunk drivers. However, the increasing use of drugs
including the harder and more addictive substances like cocaine,
heroin and crystal meth are a major factor in Salmon Arm's crime rate.

Break-ins are linked to drugs, as addicts will steal anything to try
and feed their habit. Assaults are linked to drugs as people lose
control of normal inhibitions or get caught up in situations where
they can't afford their habit and are physically punished for
non-payment. Sex is exchanged for a fix. Homes are converted into grow
operations as others want to take advantage of the quick bucks to be
made in producing weed.

In talking with police and court officials, it becomes clear Salmon
Arm is no longer dealing with the petty crimes of yore. I can attest
to that, just from my own experience. Eleven years ago, the police
beat I?wrote used to contain items like stolen bicycles and kids
throwing snowballs at cars.

It's not that those things don't happen any more, I'm sure they do.
But they just don't make the pages of the paper any longer. Not when
you have items like armed robberies, or assaults with metal pipes or
fires caused by makeshift marijuana grow-operations.

But while both the number of crimes and the severity of the crimes
being committed has increased, the police force has seen little
growth. An RCMP report regarding staffing levels at the Salmon Arm
detachment says it has an inadequate number of on-road police
personnel to meet the workload and deliver a minimum level of police
service.

Basically, the RCMP itself is saying this detachment is having trouble
meeting the minimum standards of policing for our community. It calls
for the addition of three new officers immediately. Yet, even with
adding three officers, it is still only going to be enough to meet
minimum standards of police service.

It's a huge issue for our community. How do you balance the need to
enforce crime and protect our citizens with the cost of doing so?

The force is looking to the municipality to fund two additional
officers, which would equate to roughly a two per cent tax increase in
your local tax bill.

Council members want to hear from the people of this community about
this. What would you cut so more can be spent on policing? Less road
maintenance or snow removal? Fewer upgrades to parks? No more grants
to non-profit groups??Or would you prefer to pay more taxes for
policing? If you don't speak up, you'll just have to put up with what
council decides.

While a public meeting on this topic was originally scheduled for
Thursday evening, it has now been postponed. The city reports they
hope to hold the public forum sometime in March or April, but nothing
is definite.