NEIGHBOUR HOPES TO SHUT DOWN DRUG DEN

Brocklehurst residents feel they've been held captive for three years
by a drug house no one appears able to close down.

During that time, Brian Nowicki has taken pictures, recorded licence
plate numbers and even tried to clean up the rundown home he says has
put "his part of the world" at risk.

"My wife and I are consumed by this. It's all we can talk about.
People say it can't be that bad, but you just sit here for a while
and watch," he said Sunday.

"I think it's unfair that one house can ruin a whole neighbourhood."

From his living room he can watch the constant foot, bike and
vehicle traffic enter and exit the yard at [address redacted] He
compares the traffic to a Tim Hortons drive-thru.

About 10 people drove up or walked up to the home during a 45-minute
period Sunday morning. Some started shooting up as soon as they got
back into their vehicles.

"During the Thanksgiving weekend we had vehicles pull up with licence
plates from Alberta and Saskatchewan. I took pictures of them," he
said, showing the photos.

Nowicki knows the homeowner and said she is also an addict. She's
rented the home to various tenants.

There was a point where the homeowner tried cleaning up the house
with Nowicki's help.

He and his stepson removed a yard full of garbage that included dead
animals, needles and bike parts. He took pictures of the mess.

Now, five old vehicles and two broken-down campers sit in the front
yard and junk fills the carport. The mess is in stark contrast to the
neatly mowed and manicured yards surrounding it.

Police haven't been to the home since a heroin addict overdosed three
weeks ago. Nowicki doesn't understand why something can't be done.

"With the cops, why can't they do something about this. My question
to council is isn't this illegal? Why can't you do something about
it?" he asked.

He took his frustrations to Mayor Terry Lake, who told him to bring a
petition to council. Nowicki has spent the last few weeks compiling
50 signatures, which he will present to city council Tuesday.

During his rounds, he heard stories from elderly residents afraid to
keep their doors and windows open during the summer for fear of
someone breaking in. Addicts have been found in backyard swimming
pools and have even run extension cords to outside power outlets.
Several homes have been broken into.

Caroline Bissat runs a day care in the neighbourhood. She signed her
name to Nowicki's list after sex-trade workers and addicts used her
front yard as a parking lot.

She's called Kamloops RCMP to arrange a neighbourhood meeting to find
out what residents can do. Her calls have not been returned.

"I know there are probably 50 homes in Kamloops and they have to
decide which one is a priority. Hopefully, it will be ours," she said.

Nowicki hopes council can put enough pressure on police and lawmakers
to see the home shut down.

"I'm worried about children getting run over or abducted or
molested," he said, pointing out that elementary and secondary school
foot traffic runs by the home.

Coun. Jim Harker has reviewed Nowicki's pictures and petition. He
thinks something can be done on the basis that the home is "an eyesore."

"I know drug houses are a reality in the world today. We will do
everything in our power to do something about it," he said.