NEW CHIEF VOWS TO LEAD DRUG FIGHT

Downtown Dealers In Crosshairs As Community-Minded Officer Sworn In

Ottawa's new police chief says combating the capital's crack cocaine
problem will be among his top priorities.

On his first official day on the job yesterday, Chief Vernon White
said he is committed to cracking down on the street-level drug trade
that is plaguing the downtown core.

"Street-level drug use feeds criminality," said Chief White, a few
hours after being sworn in. "If we stop one drug dealer from
(dealing), we may stop victimization by six-or seven-fold."

Chief White, who is a strong proponent of community policing and
pioneered restorative justice programs while working with the RCMP in
Canada's Far North, said the police need to work with community
partners to get addicts into effective treatment programs.

"You have to have programs and it has to be instantaneous. They have
to have access immediately when involved with the police or other
agencies, not five weeks or five months down the road," he said.

At the same time, police need to get tough on drug dealers and crack
houses where users congregate to smoke the highly addictive drug.

Much like former police chief Vince Bevan, Chief White said he is not
convinced the city's crack-pipe program is effective.

"I have a real problem any time we give instruments of drugs to
anyone," he said. "Personally, I have a difficulty telling my
17-year-old daughter using crack cocaine is wrong, but by the way,
the city will give you a device to use it."

Chief White, who quickly kissed the Bible after he was officially
sworn in by Justice Peter Griffiths during a brief ceremony at City
Hall earlier in the day, said he also hopes to focus on issues such
as youth crime, guns and gangs. His plans include the introduction of
restorative justice programs, particularly to deal with youth crime.

Chief White said he believes community policing is "very much in line
with dealing with criminality and crime."

"I truly believe you can work with the community to solve problems
and still be tough on crime," he said. "Just because you are involved
with community policing doesn't mean you are the crayon and colouring
book police. It means you are working with your community."

Among the first issues some city councillors and the police
association are hoping the chief will address is officer deployment.

"I don't think we need more police officers, they just need to be
deployed differently," said Barrhaven Councillor Jan Harder, adding
she hopes the new chief is "less political" than Mr. Bevan.

Ottawa police association president Charles Momy said the chief's
arrival presents the perfect opportunity for "a complete review" of the issue.

Mr. Momy said frontline police officers are stretched to the limit
responding to emergency calls.

While Chief White acknowledged Ottawa's ratio of one officer for
every 740 residents is higher than in some other cities, he said part
of his job will be ensuring there are "appropriate people doing
appropriate jobs."

While he wouldn't commit to doing a complete review of deployment, he
did pledge to provide frontline officers with what they need to
better serve the public.

Police services board chairman Henry Jensen said he expects Chief
White will need a few months to put his "footprint" on the
department, although the board is keen to hear his ideas on officer deployment.

However, Mayor Larry O'Brien said he wants to give the new chief time
to determine what he feels the priorities are before setting any expectations.

"I'm waiting to hear what he thinks we should be doing," he said.

Chief White will have some help settling in and getting to know the
city. At the new chief's request, Deputy Chief Larry Hill, who was
expected to retire by July, has agreed to delay his departure until December.