COPS WARN OF FORMER GROW OPS

New Website to Be a Tool for Homebuyers

Guelph Police say a web page that lists former marijuana grow
operations in the city is a tool to help the public become more aware
of a widespread problem.

"It's a proactive way to keep our citizens informed of where this
activity has been happening in Guelph, and to help ensure that the
unsuspecting citizen that's buying a house is not buying one of these
places that has been used as a grow operation," Chief Rob Davis said.

The police service launched the web page on July 20. The link can be
found on the community relations page of the police service's website,
at www.police.guelph.on.ca.

The list currently includes 22 addresses where police discovered grow
ops between February 2002 and July of this year, and the number of
plants seized at each location.

Guelph Police had discussed publicizing grow op locations for a long
time, Davis said. The talks became more serious around the province
after a ruling from Ontario's assistant information and privacy
commissioner earlier this year, he said.

The February decision said York Regional Police were obliged to
disclose a list of former grow op locations and related information,
following a freedom of information request from a member of the media.

The London Police Service publicized grow op addresses on its website
even before that.

Grow operations in homes can lead to health hazards, particularly
mould and faulty electrical systems, said Guelph Police spokesperson
Sergeant Dave Elloway.

"It has to be a warm and humid environment to grow marijuana," he
said. "And there can also be modifications to the hydro meter."

That kind of information would be useful to real estate agents, who
previously had to rely on guesswork to tell if a home had ever housed
a grow op, said Robb Atkinson, owner of Royal City Royal Lepage Realty.

"This link will be a great resource for us," he said.

But one sociology professor from the University of Guelph said the
list could have a negative effect on the neighbourhoods where grow ops
have been discovered.

Patrick Parnaby said American research about sharing crime location
data over the Internet has raised concerns about "spatial labelling."

"Spatial labelling takes place when an entire street or neighbourhood
becomes stigmatized because, after viewing the data, the public sees
the criminal event not as an isolated occurrence, but as an indicator
that things are getting worse in a general area," he said in an e-mail.

"Once residents label a street or neighbourhood as being problematic
(i.e., having a history of grow ops) the implications can be --
although, are not always -- unfortunate: sale of homes, fear, lack of
trust, etc."

But Davis and Elloway point out the addresses on the list come from
all parts of Guelph, including rural areas on the outskirts of town
and newer areas in the south end.

"It's not confined to one area," Davis said. "It's pretty
widespread.

"I think what we want to do is encourage the public, through one more
avenue, to be vigilant in your own neighbourhood, because you never
know when it's going to be right around you."

Guelph Police were already releasing the addresses of grow operations
even before the web page was up and putting Crime Stoppers signs on
the lawn when they're busted, he added.

"I think the public needs to know that stuff," he said.

Police will continue posting addresses as grow ops are discovered, and
looking at the web page and public response to decide how to proceed,
Davis said.