DRUG PROBLEM MUST BE KNOWN

As often is the case with local crime matters, much less attention
surrounded the judicial resolution days ago of an aspect of what had
been a huge crime story when the episode first made news.

In this instance, it would be myopic to let what was learned in the
related court proceedings to merely recess from public consideration.

The case at hand arose from an April 21 scuffle at a Bagot Street
apartment that saw a man shot and police tactical officers blanket
and blockade a neighbourhood for hours that afternoon.

In court this month, one of the suspects charged in the investigation
arising from the apartment confrontation pleaded guilty to a spate of
charges including assault and possession of cocaine. Court was told
the charges flowed from Andrew Haller setting out that day on a hunt
for crack cocaine. The apartment where the hunt ended and the
shooting unfolded was described in court as a crackhouse.

All that was likely known to Guelph Police on the day of the
shooting. For days after the crime, however, the police service
elected to suggest it had no evidence of this being a crime linked to
the drug trade.

Perhaps that decision was made in an attempt to aid the
investigation. After all, the victim of the shooting -- who still
hasn't surfaced for police questioning -- might have been reluctant
to come forward had he been labelled by police as a participant in
the drug trade. Here's betting, however, this individual and all
those who might have been able to assist this police investigation
were not lured to be informants because this incident wasn't labelled
by officers as a drug crime.

Police have a difficult job deciding what evidence to make public and
what to withhold after major crimes. They also have to choose when to
be more open when the circumstances of the case need to be widely
appreciated in the public.

Guelph has a serious drug problem. This isn't a fact experienced or
clear to many local residents. Chances are that reality might have
sunk in deeper had city police been quick to reveal this case was a
drug-linked shooting; it involved a handgun and two principals in the
transaction who aren't even Guelph residents.