DRUG SQUAD ESTABLISHED

Drug use is growing, and four partners have come together to combat
the problem in the tri-municipal area.

Parkland County, the City of Spruce Grove, the Town of Stony Plain
and the provincial RCMP have each provided one person to a new
four-member drug squad. Each partner has budgeted for funding one of
the RCMP officers, whose roles will be to investigate and reduce
organized crime and drug trafficking and operations in the region.

"This is the first time we've had an opportunity to sit down and say,
'Okay, we recognize we have a problem,'" said Ken Scott, mayor of
Spruce Grove. He further praised Parkland County for its involvement
in the squad, saying it's the "first county in Alberta to step
forward and pay for an officer," adding that "there aren't any
boundaries for drugs."

The problems were highlighted during this past year, when two
separate 21-day drug investigation projects were held. Called Klean
Sweep One and Two, the operations resulted in 86 charges laid against
30 individuals, said Inspector Wade Blake, officer in charge of the
Spruce Grove/Stony Plain detachments.

"If nothing is done, it (the use and trafficking of illegal
substances) will increase," he said. "People dealing will go to the
place with the least resistance."Blake feels this drug unit will give
his detachments the ability to fight against drugs in the area.

"With all that we are doing, we didn't have the resources to deal
with the drug issue," he said. "Now, with this unit, we do. That is
what they will exclusively be doing - dealing with the drug issue."

A tri-municipal drug strategy team was also established, made up of
volunteers from the three communities. The team is looking into ways
to bring awareness of the problem to the residents, as well as ideas
and strategies to reduce drug abuse in the area.

The police drug squad will be focusing on the distribution of crack
cocaine, marijuana and crystal meth, as well as other controlled
drugs and substances.