QUEST FOR GROW-OP INSPECTORS GAINS MOMENTUM

A scheme to crack down on grow-ops two city council members are
proposing advanced a step on Monday night.

Council voted unanimously in favour of asking staff to report back by
Dec. 14 on the possibility of establishing an electrical and fire
safety inspection team that would single out houses consuming
unusually-high levels of power -- a sign marijuana is being grown inside.

The team would consist of a building, electrical and fire safety
inspectors who would give a household 24 hours notice that they'll be
there to make sure it meets standards. An RCMP member would also be on
hand to help ensure safety of the inspectors.

Coun. Cameron Stolz and Counc. Dave Wilbur raised the idea after
attending a presentation at the Union of British Columbia
Municipalities convention last month on Surrey's experience with the
initiative.

"What they found in Surrey is that when they posted these notices on
the door, (when) they come back 24 hours later the premises are
actually vacated," Stolz said.

In some respects, the proposal comes as old news to council. In 2006,
the provincial government passed legislation allowing municipalities
to get information from electricity companies about homes with unusual
patterns of power consumption.

But administrative services director Rob Whitwham noted that as the
result of a court challenge,police are no longer allowed to accompany
the inspectors to the door as a result of a legal challenge and must
stay out on the sidewalk instead.

"I think that is something we would have to look at in terms of its
implications for our employees that would be going into that
situation," Whitwham said.

In an interview, Whitwham noted that inspectors are brought in
whenever RCMP secure a search warrant and execute a drug bust for a
suspect house.

"Our guys go in when the RCMP is there, do all the inspections, and if
they see stuff that would be of interest to the other inspection
agencies...they'll call them in for a look," Whitwham said.