TOWN'S DRUG TRADE TOPS RCMP AGENDA

RCMP in Rocky Mountain House have declared war on the region's increasing
drug trade.

At a recent presentation to town council, Mounties identified battling
illegal drug activity as the No. 1 priority in their new three-year
business plan, placing it ahead of increasing the number of officers on the
force and reducing crimes against people and property.

"Drugs like cocaine and crack cocaine are more readily available, and that
is something we want to address," said Sgt. Brian Halladay.

"Our goal is to make Rocky Mountain House inhospitable to those who are
engaging the drug trade."

Halladay pointed to the area's booming economy and swelling population as
the main reasons for the increase in drug-related activity. "That type of
growth comes with a cost and it does bring about problems."

A strong economy means people have extra money, and drug traffickers are
more than happy to capitalize on that.

"I don't think it's an issue any more, perhaps, than any other central
Alberta town with a booming economy," Halladay said.

Police plan to attack the drug trade through increased enforcement and
education.

More officers have received training in the Drug Abuse Resistance Education
program.

The RCMP also plan to enhance their school liaison program in the local
public high school and take it to other area schools.

Halladay also wants to see more of a police presence in elementary schools,
where he said early intervention is most effective.

"Our goal is to make people aware, give them the option of making smart
choices," he said.

Improving enforcement will begin with intelligence gathering.

The crackdown on drugs would also be improved by increasing the size of the
police force, one of the other priorities of the three-year RCMP business plan.

"It's been many years since there's been a manpower increase," Halladay
said, adding both the town and surrounding Clearwater County have grown
significantly in that time.

Halladay admitted it won't be an easy fight to reduce drug trafficking in
the area.

"The fact that it's against the law is not going to deter all parts of
society."

Rocky Mountain House is about 80 kilometres west of Red Deer.

The town's population was about 6,200 in 2001, up from 5,800 in 1996.

The population of neighbouring Clearwater County grew to about 11,500 last
year from 10,900 five years earlier, according to 2001 federal census figures.