A STRONG DEMAND FOR DRUGS IN PEACE COUNTRY, SAYS RCMP

The Peace Regional RCMP continues to investigate two recent, violent
incidents believed to be drug-related and connected and has also made
successful arrests on a third, unconnected but still drug-related incident.

This comes just days before a community safety forum to be held at
the Belle Petroleum Centre in Peace River, where the local drug trade
is expected to be a topic of discussion.

Staff Sgt. John Haney, officer in charge for the Peace Regional RCMP
detachment, says there is a strong demand for drugs in the Peace
Country - certainly a cause for concern to police and surely to the
community as well.

"What I would like to see, or hope to see, is discussion of how,
collectively as a community and region, we're going to address this
issue. Without the drug market in the Peace region or elsewhere, you
wouldn't have these instances occurring," said Haney.

"Part of the true problem is it's not only a criminal but social
problem, in that there is a demand for these drugs."

Haney says the demand is the cause for occurrences such as these most
recent three.

It was about 5:20 p.m. March 9, when police responded to the Mile
Zero Motor Inn in Grimshaw, and found a man in his early 20s,
assaulted and robbed after four men had broken into his room at the motel.

It is alleged the assailants hit the victim in the head with a
baseball bat twice before robbing him of $2,000 and a cell phone.

Police said the victim was less than co-operative, in the sense that
he gave vague descriptions of his attackers - one Caucasian and three
aboriginals - before disappearing.

While investigating the motel incident, police learned of a drive-by
shooting, believed to have occurred over the weekend of March 20-22,
near the top of Judah Hill on Highway 744.

Occupants within a moving vehicle - perhaps a high-end silver Ford
Explorer or Toyota Forerunner SUV - is said to have fired upon
occupants within a stationary vehicle - perhaps a newer burgundy Ford
F-250. It is believed this was done in retaliation over the motel incident.

"We have a strong reason to believe that (they) were definitely tied
to one another. In terms of specifics, that's not something that
we're wishing to disclose at this time, simply because we're wanting
to continue on with both investigations," said Haney.

The third incident, a home invasion occurring at about 6 p.m. Tuesday
on Duncan's First Nation, near Brownvale, is not believed to be
connected to the prior two incidents in any way other than it too
being drug-related.

"There's nothing to suggest that it is linked to the previous events.
What it's more suggestive of, is that there are different persons
within different groups operating within the region," said Haney,
adding the issue of co-operation is another key difference.

"A true barrier in each (of the first two) events ... is that these
are events that are going unreported, where the victims are not
(co-operating) with investigators whatsoever - it makes it extremely difficult.

"Alternatively, when you look at the event that occurred in Duncan's,
when the co-operation was there, it led to and resulted in the
immediate apprehension of those persons responsible."

Haney says the upcoming community safety forum, April 8, is an
attempt to become more proactive. He says in the last six months,
police efforts and enforcement strategies have been effective, but he
would also like to see the community engaged.

"We're looking for a fresh perspective, independent of the police
perspective, to determine if there are any creative ways that we may
or may not be aware of that we can use and put in place," said Haney.
It is designed to offer an understanding of relevant crime data, and
the nature of crimes being committed.

The forum, beginning at 6:30 p.m., will feature keynote speaker Bill
Pitt, a criminologist from the University of Alberta. He has been
asked to provide an independent view on crime trends in the Peace
River area over the last three to 10 years, offering strategies he
may be appropriate.

The forum will also offer attendees the chance to break into focus
groups, as well as a panel discussion to close. All of this, Haney
feels, will be beneficial in the longer term.