A JEWEL OF A CITY, A DEVIL OF A PROBLEM WITH CRIME, DRUGS

PENTICTON - In a jewel of a city known for its orchards, vineyards and golf
courses, it's hard to visit and imagine a dark underside: homelessness,
drugs and a shocking new crime rate.

But that's what city officials are coping with in Penticton, where an influx
of drug users and dealers has sent crime statistics soaring.

The local RCMP detachment, battling for more budget resources, has delivered
a wake-up call to the city with a new report detailing a 37-per-cent
increase in crime over the past year.

That stat breaks down into some even scarier serious-crime numbers. Weapons
offences in the city are up 79 per cent. Domestic disturbances are up over
50 per cent. Break-ins and car thefts are rising fast. Assaults are up 15
per cent to 379 incidents in the first nine months of 2003.

The assaults category includes a disturbing spike in assaults on police
officers. There was just one assault on a Penticton cop during the first
nine months of 2002. During the first nine months of 2003, there have been
12 attacks on police officers.

"The nature some of these crimes is cause for concern," said Insp. Dan Fudge
of the Penticton RCMP. "Drugs are obviously playing a significant role."

Especially crystal methamphetemine. The highly addictive drug, at $10 a hit,
keeps users high for hours while fending off hunger and fatigue, making it
attractive to frightened street kids.

"It's terrible to look into a kid's face and see those first signs of
addiction," said RCMP community liaison officer Dan Moskaluk, a Penticton
street cop on lighter duties while his arm heals from rotator-cuff surgery.
The arm was torn up during a struggle with a suspect during a
domestic-disturbance call.

Moskaluk said the rash of crystal meth cases has produced some shocking
discoveries -- like the day he arrested a crystal-dealing teenager on a BMX
bike and found a loaded handgun on him.

Penticton is still a beautiful and safe city to visit. During my Interior
tour last week, I found the friendliest people and the warmest reception
here. But all the city officials I spoke to are concerned. The city has
cheap monthly motel accommodation and a warm, dry climate that may be
attracting street people from elsewhere in B.C.

"We are not going to sit on our hands while outsiders come here to steal and
deal drugs," said Mayor David Perry, who has formed a task force to tackle
the rising crime rate.

Perry slammed the Liberals for cutting social programs while refusing to
budge from their new welfare cutoff date, which will see thousands of
"employable" welfare recipients cut off next April.

"If we're having these problems now, what will happen in the spring?" Perry
asked. "For a short-term budget savings, the troubles may only increase and
become more expensive."