FANTINO DISTANCES HIMSELF FROM SINGAPORE DRUG LAW
Statement Misrepresented, Chief Says: Also Says That Carjackings, Home
Invasions Will Rise

As he continued to push his law and order agenda yesterday, Julian
Fantino, Toronto's incoming police chief, backed off comments he made
in a National Post interview in which he said he would support
Singapore-style drug laws in Canada.

The current head of the York Regional police, speaking at a news
conference during which he said carjackings and home invasions are the
crimes of the future in Toronto, said his views on the subject had
been "misrepresented.

"I just said that Singapore had a problem, and that Singapore did take
initiatives to correct difficulties with crime, with disorder, and
with drugs ... That's all I said. I didn't say anything about caning
or hanging," Chief Fantino said.

"You people [the media] make the headlines. I didn't say any of those
things in that context."

Sentences for drug possession and trafficking in Singapore range from
caning with a rattan stick and imprisonment, to hanging. Suspects
found with more that 15 grams of heroin, 30 grams of cocaine or 500
grams of cannabis are considered to be trafficking and sentenced to
death.

A transcription of the tape of the interview with Chief Fantino, which
was published Saturday, reads as follows:

Chief Fantino: "There are some countries that have very minimal
problems with drugs. Singapore is one of them. Just look at their
legislation and see what they do with drug dealers in Singapore."

National Post: "Is that reasonable, though, do you think?"

Chief Fantino: "It seems to work for them."

National Post: "Would you support something like that here
though?"

Chief Fantino: "I would. These people are merchants of misery and
death. I mean, through their actions and their greed, they're killing
people right, left and centre. They may not be pulling the trigger or
stabbing them directly, but they're helping their demise."

The chief commented on the interview during a news conference at which
he warned that Toronto is about to see more carjackings and home invasions.

"We have come into some information from sources that I will not
disclose that this is the type of crime that a good number of the
criminal element are talking about and predisposed to doing.

"It's become the next wave in crime and, if we're cautious and alert
to trends, I think we have to see that there is a very significant
problem. This wasn't a big to-do a number of years ago."

In York Region, where Chief Fantino remains in charge until March 6,
there have been three home invasions and one carjacking so far this
year. In 1999 there were 19 attempted carjackings -- of which 10 were
successful -- and 10 home invasions, numbers consistent with
statistics from previous years.

In Toronto, by comparison, there were 87 carjackings and 224 home
invasions in 1999. In the first two months of 2000, the numbers total
16 and 30, respectively.

During his remarks, Chief Fantino praised Mr. Justice Hugh Locke, who
recently handed two men 18-year and 16-year sentences for the 1999
carjacking, kidnapping and torture of Bay Street lawyer Schuyler
"Skippy" Sigel and his wife, Lynn. Those sentences are believed to be
the stiffest penalties handed out in a carjacking case.

"God bless Judge Locke," Chief Fantino said.

"I think he has captured the sentiments of the public, and clearly has
focused on the need that there be a deterrent in the sentence provided.

"Judge Locke seems to be in touch with reality. We need more Judge
Lockes, indeed we do."