YOU CAN HELP

Everyone can make a difference.

Drug grow ops and labs are no longer a big city problem. They are
becoming just as common in smaller cities like Merritt. As they do it
is more and more important that the community helps with the fight.

The message that everyone can make a difference is one that the
Merritt RCMP hopes the community hears. They believe if they do it
should help them take down more drug houses in Merritt.

Talking to the RCMP, they acknowledge that drugs are a big problem in
Merritt, but they can only do so much on their own. That's where the
local residents come in.

In today's market, for most people their home is the biggest
investment they have, so it is important to protect it.

Sure you can paint, keep it clean and tidy and even do some renos,
but if you live next door to a drug house, nothing will make it
appealing to a prospective buyer. Nothing says dangerous
neighbourhood like covered windows and sketchy neighbours.

In 16 days the local RCMP shut down three marijuana grow operation in
Merritt. They were scattered all around town, but they had one thing
in common - nosey neighbours.

Now that tends to have negative connotations, but that's not at all
true. Sometimes a nosey neighbour can be a good thing if they
practice moderation.

The RCMP said there was a time when no one ever called to report
drug-related activities in their neighbourhood. Luckily that trend is
turning around. Now people are taking the law into their own hands by
filing a complaint.

Now, it's true that, when done to extremes, taking the law into your
own hands is not something anyone should do. No one should be
confronting these suspected dealers or growers, but they can get the
police involved with one simple phone call. So if it means placing a
phone call to tell the RCMP that you just saw your neighbours going
into the house with a number of strange plants or that your neighbour
seems to have blacked out windows with green goop dripping from the
window frames, it may be time you started to take action and place that call.

As reports of drug busts begin to rise and get more publicity, people
are bound to get the message that you can make a big difference if
you just trust the RCMP to act on reports of wrong doings.

It is not very often that the average citizen can help fight crime.
Day after day the RCMP are out there putting their life on the line
to make our community a better place. This is one way we can give
them a helping hand, so let's do it.

It is hard not to. We all want our neighbourhoods to be safe and
friendly. It takes only one drug house to change that.

So don't be afraid, make a call to either the RCMP or Crime Stoppers.
You could be part of the solution and help keep Merritt a safe little city.