SURREY DOUBLES SIZE OF TEAM FIGHTING GROW-OPS

Surrey is doubling the size of a team that fights marijuana grow-ops
by inspecting homes with high electrical consumption.

After 56 weeks of operation, the city's Electrical Fire Safety
Initiative team has inspected more than 353 homes, disconnecting
power to 263 of them.

"We've been very pleased with the effectiveness of the initiative,"
Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis said yesterday. "In most cases, the
grow-op has been removed before the inspection, but there is strong
evidence that it has been there."

Garis said the team often sees several inches of mould growing on the
walls and ceilings of the homes, many of which contain children.

"In 90 per cent of the cases there is some kind of electrical safety
hazard," he said.

In those cases, the power is disconnected and the homeowners are
given seven days to fix the problems. The cost of the team, which is
made up of two police officers, a fire officer and an electrical
inspector, is recovered through a $2,000 fine and permit costs.

The team is able to inspect 60 homes a month, but that number should
double when four members are added.

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts said the team helps to prevent grow-ops and
the electrical fires that often come with them.

"We need to tackle this problem head-on without draining all our
police resources," she said.

"This integrated approach will send a message to criminals that
grow-ops will not be tolerated in Surrey."

Garis said B.C. Hydro provides the city with a list of homes that are
using more than three times the regular amount of electricity. The
latest, given to the city in October, listed 1,300 homes.