'ODD SQUAD' BRING SKID TALES TO YELLOWKNIFE

SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - Two Vancouver police officers were in
Yellowknife last week to share their stories of life on the streets of
Vancouver's notorious downtown east side.

In addition to their police work, Sgt. Toby Hinton and Sgt. Mark
Steinkampf are members of the Odd Squad, a non-profit production
company consisting of police officers who film the drug-riddled
streets of the "skid."

The films were made to educate the public about the perils of drug
addiction, Hinton told an audience at the Tree of Peace on Wednesday
evening. "To show (youth) the end of the line because we work at the
end of the line," he said.

The Odd Squad has produced a number of films, most notably Through a
Blue Lens, in conjunction with the National Film Board. It documents
the lives of drug addicts living in Vancouver's downtown east side and
the unique relationship the officers have with them.

The Odd Squad was able to come North thanks to the John Howard
Society. In addition to the Tree of Peace, Hinton and Steinkampf
visited Dettah and K'alemi Dene school in Ndilo.

"Kids there were very receptive to our message," said
Steinkampf.

"It's difficult to compare with other communities," said Hinton. He
said the drug-infested area of Vancouver stands out compared to any
other places in Canada, because it is so extreme. "You can take out of
that a really strong message," said Hinton in reference to the squalid
state of downtown Vancouver.

Steinkampf said the relationship he and other officers have with the
addicts on the Vancouver streets is unique and they often see the same
people on a daily basis.

"You get to know people's histories," he said, adding that you can't
help building a relationship. "We're human and they're human. They've
just made some unhealthy choices that put them where they are."

The two men also paid a visit to inmates at North Slave Correctional
Centre and the North Slave Young Offender's Facility. Hinton said it
was a good experience to visit prisoners, as people who are
responsible for sending offenders to jail. He said in Vancouver he
will sometimes bring youth who are experimenting with drugs on his
beat to show them the realities of drug addiction and where it can
lead.

"I'll let the addicts talk to the kid," explained Hinton. "You can
tell it jars their world view a bit."

The Odd Squad has spread the anti-drug message across Canada and
internationally. Prior to coming to the North, Steinkampf was in Dubai
to speak on the topic.