POT ANGER SPILLS OVER TO COUNCIL

A local resident drew the ire of Pitt Meadows mayor and council
Tuesday evening after he suggested that city officials have received
preferential treatment from the RCMP when grow ops were found in their
neighbourhoods.

The resident, who requested The TIMES not use his name, spoke to
council Tuesday about his and his neighbours' frustrations that RCMP
officers did not respond Monday afternoon when marijuana plants were
allegedly removed from a Pitt Meadows residence (see the story on
Pages 1 and 3).

Neighbours wondered why RCMP didn't search for evidence of a grow op
months ago, only to have the alleged pot growers now move on.

"What's been done?" he asked. "Nothing has been done."

Repeatedly telling council he was frustrated, the resident alleged
that a grow op in the neighbourhood of a "fire captain" was removed
quickly. He also suggested council members have received similar
treatment from the RCMP.

Visibly upset, Mayor Don MacLean interrupted after listening to the
allegations of the RCMP giving preferential treatment to staff and
council.

Police need probable cause and a search warrant before entering a
residence where marijuana could be being grown, said MacLean.

"I've seen grow ops taken down in one day," he said, adding other
times that takes six months.

MacLean said the resident already knew the facts regarding the day in
question after the RCMP talked to neighbours about why police officers
did not respond.

"For you to come here after hearing the facts...," he said before
trailing off. Because an off-duty Coquitlam RCMP officer set foot on
the property, any evidence gathered after that point would not be
admissible in court, said MacLean.

"We don't get involved in the operational issues of the RCMP," he told
the resident.

The alleged drug dealers were driven off the property after all "the
questions, the cameras and so on." But at least they're no longer
there, which was what the residents wanted, said MacLean.

"Had we caught them, that would have been a better thing."

There were nine patrol cars on the streets on Monday to field the 56
calls that came in to the Ridge Meadows detachment, said the mayor.
For the time of year, that number of calls is "heavy," said MacLean.

But if the man does have any evidence to prove his allegations, the
mayor urged the resident to turn it over so the RCMP could investigate.

MacLean, on council for 16 years, said there's no one more frustrated
than him.

"It is frustrating for the officers and those living in the community,
and they want it to be cleaned up," he said.

In response to Councillor John Becker's suggestion for a town hall
meeting, MacLean said: "Unless everyone in the community gets behind
and says, 'Not in my town', we will still have grow ops.

Coun. Doug Bing said council didn't appreciate the unfounded
accusations.

"Tone the hyperbole down," he told the man.

Coun. Andrew Tolchard, a retired police officer, said marijuana is the
engine that runs the machine of organized crime.

"There are hundreds (of grow-ops), and the system can no longer deal
with it, and there needs to be some changes," said Tolchard,
encouraging the resident to write to the federal government.