UNIT TO CRACK DOWN ON CRACK HOUSES

Fred Sanford is enthusiastic about his new job shutting down
properties rank with crime.

The former superintendent of the Halifax Regional Police is now the
director of the new Public Safety Investigation Unit.

The team will focus on closing crack houses and other properties
related to drugs, the illegal sale of alcohol, prostitution, or gambling.

"If we make it difficult for criminals to find a location to operate
from, then it's certainly going to make it difficult for them to carry
out their criminal activity," Sanford said.

With over 29 years of experience, Sanford is a seasoned investigator
with a number of big drug busts under his belt. Dial-A-Dope was a
drug-delivery-by-phone operation which he helped bring down in 2005.

Ten homes were busted, and cocaine, magic mushrooms and ecstasy were
seized. Sixteen people were arrested.

His new unit was created under the new Safer Communities and
Neighbourhoods Act.

"I'm hoping that this new legislation and the new section will give
citizens another resource for dealing with criminal behaviour that's
disrupting their communities," he said.

The province designated $540,000 to create the unit to work with the
community and police. The investigators can issue a community-safety
order based on complaints, and ask for a court order to close the property.

How successful will it be?

"I guess time will tell," Sanford said. "In other jurisdictions - a
team in Saskatchewan, one in Manitoba and recently one in the Yukon -
they've been realizing a great success."