KEEPING UP THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS

Not unlike any other city in Canada, drugs are an issue in
Moncton.

"Drugs are prevalent at the street level in Moncton and this is not
uncommon for cities," explains Gary Hayden of the RCMP Drug Section.
"You can talk to officers in every province and you will see that we
all deal with the same issues."

Gary has been a member of the RCMP for 35 years, and has spent 27 of
those years in the Drug Unit. He explains that the section was born
out of a joint force operation in 1984 between City police and the
RCMP.

"The purpose of the drug section is to address street drugs and street
crime," he says. "We want to make sure there is a focus in the
tri-community on tackling the drug issue at the street level." Gary
explains that education is the key to prevention.

"We have focused on educating the younger generation," he says. "We
have the D.A.R.E program in middle schools and we continue to teach
and strictly enforce in all of the high schools. Partnering with the
schools, community, and our Community Policing sector plays a key role
in our success." There has been an increase in lower level street
trafficking since Gary first joined the team.

"75% of all the charges we make are on traffickers," he says. "We have
been targeting drug-dealers, because when you eliminate the source you
eliminate the opportunity for use. 100% of traffickers caught go to
jail, no questions asked." Although the trafficking numbers have
increased, Gary says he has seen a decrease in drug use in both middle
and high schools.

"It is still a problem but it's nowhere near where it used to be," he
says. "This shows us that education and enforcement is having the
affect we want." Last year the section conducted 85 raids in the
Codiac region.

"These raids range in size and we seize a variety of drugs," describes
Gary. "The most common drugs seized is marijuana, but that's not the
only thing we find. In recent years the prevalence of prescription
pills has become an issue."

There have been preventative measures taken to help eliminate the
trafficking and use of prescription drugs.

"We have partnered with pharmacies and in recent years pharmacies have
established a central database, which eliminates the possibility of
drug-dealers 'doctor hopping' to receive an abundance of pills," says
Gary. Doctor hopping is when individuals go to numerous doctors in
different cities throughout the province.

"Doctors are always contacted when their name is found on a trafficked
bottle of pills so they can take preventative measures with the
specific patient," explains Gary. He stresses the importance of
community partnership in order to keep trafficking and use to minimal.

"If you know of a dealer or are suspicious of a person or activity in
your area it is critical that you contact the RCMP," he says. "We
cannot be everywhere at once and we need the community to be the
active eyes and ears for us."

He also admits that there is no way to eliminate drugs completely, but
there are measures a city can make to keep the number of drugs
trafficked at a minimum.

"We are always anticipating, always preparing, always watching," says
Gary. "If you are trafficking we will be at your door, it's
inevitable." If you have any information or suspicion of trafficking
the RCMP encourages you to contact them.

"Forming key partnership in the community is essential to eliminating
trafficking and use of drugs," says Gary. "We need your help." You can
contact the RCMP drug section at 857-2400.