A DISGRACE

Editor, The News:

Re: Website promotes recording crimes (The News, Dec. 12).

This is a creative effort by Steve Creighton, the administrator of the
Northumberland Court, or the ghetto, as we refer to in our
neighbourhood, to try and get the residents involved in cleaning up
this area.

After having been a volunteer with the community policing committee
over the years, and still seeing this situation persist in our area, I
welcome any effort that hopes to address this problem.

The police cannot do it on their own, they need our
help.

RCMP Insp. Jim Wakely said in January that the police can't succeed on
their own and need to work closely with community groups and social
agencies to achieve their goals. This same sentiment was also echoed
by Janice Armstrong, the former Ridge-Meadows RCMP inspector, who is
now in Langley.

We have now been dealing with this situation at the ghetto for more
than seven years. It is a disgrace.

And, with the downturn in the economy things will be getting
worst.

As more individuals are driven into poverty and despair, there will
always be a certain percentage of people who, when faced with
adversity, will simply gravitate to a life of crime and drugs.

We already have bodies turning up in our local ditches and streams,
and that will only get worse.

When will people wake up and realize that organized crime and drugs
are a serious problems in our community?

Maybe, when one of their kids gets killed by these
groups.

And the mayor , during the municipal election campaign, cited more
shopping as the burning issue on citizen's minds in Maple Ridge?

It is only when people realize that their is a problem, that we can
work together collectively to find a solution.

John E. McKenzie

Maple Ridge