ABBY WANTS RESIDENTS TO REPORT GROW-OPS

Is your neighbour growing the wrong kind of grass?

Abbotsford plans to fight grow-ops with a campaign encouraging
residents to report their suspicions to the city. "We want to increase
awareness among residents so they know who to call if they think
there's a grow-op in their neighbourhood," city spokeswoman Tracy
Klassen said yesterday.

Suspected grow-ops are inspected by a team from the city's Public
Safety Inspection Division, which checks for bylaw and building code
infractions and requires homeowners to bring their properties back
into compliance.

The program began in 2004 and has been increasingly successful in
shutting down grow-ops. In 2007, there were 725 probes conducted, with
150 grow-ops confirmed and shut down -- a 20-per-cent increase over
2006.

Now a year-long multi-media awareness campaign aims to raise the
number even more. "Our program has made our community safer, and it is
extremely important for this program to continue," said Mayor George
Ferguson.

Abbotsford police Const. Casey Vinet said the program helps deter
criminals from starting grow-ops and frees up police to focus on other
work.