INSPECTOR SUPPORTS SAFE SITES

Vancouver's top drug cop has come out in favour of safe injection sites for
drug addicts.

"I think it is time we took a serious look at this," said Vancouver police
Insp. Kash Heed, who is in charge of the drug and vice squads.

"Sometimes what we do should not be based on whether everyone likes it or
not, or it makes you popular, it should be based on results."

In a paper written as part of his work toward a masters degree in
criminology at Simon Fraser University, Heed says we need to look at giving
drug addicts a safe place to shoot up.

"It is imperative we take a realistic approach to the injection drug use
problem," Heed writes in the background report now circulating in the
department.

While he admits publically sanctioned shooting galleries for junkies might
seem "radical" coming from a drug cop, he says there is ample evidence they
do help deal with the kind of "open air" drug problem rife in Vancouver's
downtown.

"I stress that an SIF (Safe Injection Facility) is not the solution to drug
use in our city, however, it is part of the solution," Heed writes.

He acknowledges that there is no legal way to have safe injection sites now
so laws will have to be changed.

And he also admits there is opposition within the police community.

Heed says work needs to be done to convince some police officers that
injection sites are needed as part of an overall strategy to reduce crime
and increase public safety.