DRUG SCOURGE

Calgary police are apparently fighting a losing battle against a
proliferation of drug dens in the city and in southern Alberta.

Yet it's certainly not because they aren't trying. It's a question of manpower.

It seems everyone from Police Chief Jack Beaton on down is frustrated with
the situation.

Staff-Sgt. Paul LaVenture of the city's drug unit says last year police in
southern Alberta received about 2,500 tips involving suspected drug
operations. They ranged from crack houses to pot-growing operations to
amphetamine labs.

LaVenture's 20-member unit worked on 700 investigations stemming from those
tips. That's a commendable score.

But right now, some 200 addresses of suspected drug dens in Calgary alone
are in police files waiting for investigation.

But, says Insp. Joan McCallum of the force's organized crime unit, the
police force is so strained working on day-to-day crimes it hasn't the
officers available to do the exhausting background work to see whether many
drug tip-offs are correct.

LaVenture points out officers can't rush into any premises on a single tip
unless they have concrete proof something illicit is going on. Such
investigations take manpower -- and time -- both of which the force hasn't
got to spare.

McCallum notes that since drugs are the root cause of so many other crimes,
from break and enters to armed robberies, the situation is alarmingly
frustrating to the force.

If they could severely hamper drug use, there would be fewer other crimes.
It's a vicious circle.

If police could drive out the drug pushers, they would be simultaneously
driving down the crime rate.

That's why Beaton is going to push city council for more money next month
to tackle the city's growing drug problem.

Beaton insists the situation in Calgary is so bad that even if he had
another 30 officers in the drug unit -- which he is obviously not going to
get -- the unit would still be overwhelmed.

It's frightening by any measure.

That's why all of us should hope council listens carefully to Beaton's
pleas -- and acts on them.