NEW DRUG ENFORCEMENT OFFICER IN PONOKA

After a recommendation from the RCMP, town council passed a motion to
hire a plainclothes, drug enforcement officer. As part of the
Mounties' community plan, members of the local detachment developed
methods to target community-specific issues, says Cpl. Glenn De Maere.

"One of the major issues is drugs."

DeMaere, a member of the Ponoka force for the past two years, says
this new position will be a valuable resource because currently
general duty members have to divide their time between an assortment
of complaints or incidents and don't usually have time to conduct
in-depth drug investigations. The new officer's role will deal solely
with drug activity, and DeMaere says that's just what the Ponoka
detachment needs.

"With a dedicated resource, we have just that."

Council's approval has been sent to RCMP headquarters in the nation's
capital. DeMaere says he hopes the new addition will be here in April
of 2007, which is the beginning of the RCMP's fiscal year, but
they're waiting for word from Ottawa for an exact date.

"Ottawa will do what they need to do to make it a reality."

Coun. Marnie Wilkins calls the new position "certainly necessary, and
a good addition."