VIOLENT CRIMES NOT AROUND EVERY CORNER: POLICE

Cops Dismiss Report Of Rising Small Town Violent Crime Rates

NORTHUMBERLAND - Contrary to recent reports, drugs, guns and violent
crimes are not around every corner in Northumberland, according to
local police.

An analysis by The Canadian Press found that violent crime charges,
traditionally found in larger cities, are spreading into small-town
Ontario, "where the number of serious criminal charges is outpacing
even major urban centres," according to the report.

"It's just a load of crap," said Cobourg Police Constable Terry
Stanley. "They've in fact decreased."

The report said the number of serious charges laid in small towns
between 2000 and 2007 spiked last year by nearly 25 per cent. But over
the last three years, the number of violent crimes in Cobourg has
actually dropped, according to Const. Stanley.

"We have no idea where those figures come from and we take exception
to them," he said.

Northumberland OPP don't keep statistics on local violent crime
numbers, according to Constable Chris Dewsbury. He did not want to
comment on whether Northumberland small towns were seeing an increase
in violent crimes.

Port Hope Police Chief Ron Hoath said his force is seeing a change in
crime, with more potent drugs such as crack cocaine and Oxycontin,
moving into the town. This hasn't translated into a rise in violent
crime in Port Hope - yet , according to the Chief. He said drug
dealers are moving out of the big cities and into small towns like
Port Hope but, "We're doing our best to see that they aren't welcome,"
said Chief Hoath. "It's a constant struggle."

Const. Stanley said many communities were seeing a slight increase in
weapons offenses and the police think the majority of those are drug
related.

Chief Hoath said one of the reasons the town is "not yet overrun by
crime" is because people call the police when they see or hear
something suspicious. He said the Port Hope police once got a call
about breaking glass in the middle of the night and arrived two
minutes later to catch a group of thieves on their way out of a home.

"Our area is not very welcoming to criminal activity because we have
local police, we know everyone and we get good public support," he
said. "Criminals like slow response times and for people to feel
intimidated, and that doesn't work here."

Despite that, Chief Hoath said if the rest of small town Ontario is
actually seeing an increase in violent crime it will eventually make
it into Northumberland as well.

Const. Stanley doesn't put much faith in The Canadian Press report
statistics and wants to make sure people are not worried about the
town becoming a hotbed of violent crime.

"This is an unnecessary alert because these figures just don't jive at
all with ours and we're the ones doing the work," said Const. Stanley.