NO MERCY FOR DRUG DEALERS, SAYS CARR

The Premier has promised to give police officers "whatever powers they
need" to "bust" into homes used by suspected drug dealers, in a further
sign that law and order will become the main issue in the lead-up to the
State election.

Mr Carr said the powers were there to enter any house, no matter how many
barriers were erected by drug dealers.

"[But] if police need any additional powers to get these people, they will
receive those powers from my Government," he said.

"I have never held back when it comes to giving Peter Ryan and his men and
women the powers they need to create a safe community for all of us.

"If the police commissioner ever comes to me and says 'I need additional
powers to arrest drug dealers', it goes without saying he gets those powers
from the Carr Government," he said.

Asked how far he was prepared to go in giving police additional powers, Mr
Carr replied: "As far as is necessary to create a safer community."

Responding to reports that suspected drug dealers were now dealing from
houses in Marrickville rather than in street corners in Cabramatta, he said
this confirmed the success of the Government's "blitz" in south-western
Sydney.

Earlier, the regional commander, Ms Lola Scott, rejected suggestions that
police had failed to act against suspected drug dealers operating from
private residences in Marrickville and surrounding areas.

Ms Scott released statistics showing that police had executed more than 40
search warrants in the Marrickville area in the past year alone, resulting,
she said, in more than 250 arrests and 300 charges.

"This has also allowed police to gain valuable information about the
illegal drugs trade and the criminals involved in it," she said.

But the Opposition spokesman on police, Mr Andrew Tink, said police were
obviously hamstrung by provisions in the legislation which meant they could
only declare a private property a "disorderly house" after giving prior
warning to the occupants.

Mr Tink said these "extraordinary anomalies" forced police to effectively
warn drug dealers to move their operations from a private house.

The latest skirmish over police powers comes just days after the newly
elected Leader of the Opposition, Mrs Chikarovski, announced that law and
order would be one of her priorities if elected to office on March 27.

Checked-by: Mike Gogulski