LOCAL MAYORS WANT FED $ TO TACKLE GANGS, DRUGS

Federal policing dollars should go toward regional crime-fighting
initiatives, say local mayors, who are taking a position contrary to
several other leaders in Metro Vancouver.

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan led the charge this month indicating $53
million promised by Ottawa for public safety in B.C. should go to beat
cops. Without it, he'll be forced to raise taxes in Vancouver to pay
for the 96 officers he's promised this year.

Sullivan's call for more beat cops was echoed by Mayors Wayne Wright
(New Westminster), George Ferguson (Abbotsford) and Allan Lowe (Victoria).

However, Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts is urging her colleagues to take
the long view.

"At the end of the day, we all need police officers," Watts said, but
she added the crimes on the rise are homicides and gang-related
offences which are handled by regional integrated policing teams.

"I think from the 30,000-foot level, you've really got to look at
what's been happening."

She's spoken with federal and provincial solicitors general and they
agree the money should go toward tackling gangs, organized crime and
murderers.

"The integrated units, like IHIT (Integrated Homicide Investigation
Team), the gang task force, border integrity, all of those integrated
units would help the entire region and the province," she said.
"You've got to stop the flow of weapons coming in from the United
States, you've got to stop the influx of cocaine, this is why they're
warring on the streets."

Mayors from Delta and Langley agree.

Delta isn't currently part of IHIT, but Mayor Lois Jackson said Monday
she's hoping council will next year vote to join the team.

In the meantime, Jackson said the federal money should go toward the
most serious regional concerns, and that means murders, gangs and drugs.

"I believe we were told there are now 125 identifiable gangs in the
Lower Mainland," she said. "Something has got to give here, and I
think the $53 million (going to those investigations) has got to stand
us in good stead."

City of Langley Mayor Peter Fassbender points out if the federal money
goes to integrated policing, it takes pressure off of municipalities
that finance the regional squads.

"My view of it personally is, that by using the money towards IHIT and
some of the some of the integrated (teams), it does help us because it
reduces the costs on our budget," Fassbender said. Watts said at the
end of the day, cities have to do what's best for the people they serve.

"I believe that my city will be safer when we have the police dealing
with the organized crime issues and the gun-related violence," Watts
said.