COPS HUNT FOR MORE CASH

REGIONAL POLICE READY TO SEEK INCREASED FUNDING FOR DRUG SQUAD BUDGET

REGIONAL police will ask for a substantial amount of new money for drug
enforcement when it tables its 1999 budget next week, the Sunday Sun has
learned. What the exact lump sum will be is being closely guarded until Nov.
23 when the 1999 budget makes its debut before the police services board,
said regional police Deputy Chief Vince Bevan. "In 1999 we have put more
money in the budget for drugs," Bevan said.

"We have to replace the OPP money. Drugs is a priority for us and is one of
the few spots extra money is earmarked for in 1999.

"I'm not prepared to debate it in the media. The budget will be tabled Nov.
23," he added.

The need for the increase in the drug squad budget was prompted by the fact
that on Dec. 31 a working agreement with the OPP will end.

As a result of the OPP going its separate way, regional police will no
longer be able to depend on OPP financial support to run a drug squad.

For the last decade, 14 area police officers were assigned to the
joint-forces, OPP-run Ottawa-Carleton Regional Drug Unit (OCRDU).

Budget documents from the last three years show that in 1996 regional police
spent $1.2 million on its OCRDU commitment; in 1997 that figure jumped to
$1.3 million and this year close to $1.4 million was earmarked.

The bulk of that money covers the cost of salaries, said regional police
Director General Steve Kanellakos.

Under the agreement between the two police departments, regional police
supplied the majority of the staff, some vehicles and a very small amount of
cash for undercover drug purchases.

It was understood that the OPP would supply a third of the staffing and the
remaining expenses, including the rent for the secret drug office, which is
estimated to be $80,000 annually.

Bevan said regional police will run its own drug squad, whose main mandate
will be street-level enforcement, within its limited budget. However, he
said, a chunk of cash is going to have to be found to make up for a large
portion of what the OPP is removing.

Meanwhile, OPP Det. Insp. Jim Hutchinson said although the formal drug
enforcement agreement with regional police is expiring, future
joint-ventures will likely happen. "Policing has changed and Ottawa-Carleton
has a big area (to police). They're going back to the way it (drug
enforcement) was before," said Hutchinson.

He stressed the importance of street level drug busts, but added that the
OPP's drug enforcement mandate goes beyond that.

"The problem is if the drug squad leaves the street and goes to high level,
you lose your source of information. Your best source of information is the
street," said Hutchinson.

But under budget restraints the OPP could no longer justify working street
drug operations while its mandate was to police the area that runs east of
Perth to the Quebec border. Next week regional police and OPP brass are
meeting to discuss the issue.

RCMP Insp. Dale Begbie, who oversees the drug unit, said the changes going
on with regional police and the OPP will not affect the Mounties because
they focus on national and international cases.

Checked-by: Don Beck