RCMP CRACK DOWN ON OPEN DRUG AND ALCOHOL USE

YELLOWKNIFE - According to the RCMP, their newly-formed Crime
Reduction Unit has made an impact on drug crime downtown.

The Crime Reduction Unit was put in place early this summer originally
as a pilot project to see what effectiveness the unit would have, said
Const. Roxanne Dreilich.

"Over the summer they've had some significant successes, so it has
become a permanent fixture here at the detachment," said Dreilich.

"The biggest impact that we're seeing from the Crime Reduction Units
activity is a general decrease in the sort of open drug trafficking or
drug activity in the downtown core."

Dreilich said the main focus of the unit, consisting of two officers,
was the open illicit activity, specifically the trafficking of drugs
and use of drugs and alcohol on the streets.

The unit has been involved in a lot of surveillance as well as adding
an increased police presence in the city.

"Things aren't as chronic as they were, prior to the Crime Reduction
Unit being there," said Dreilich.

There was no exact numbers available on the number of arrests the unit
has made since its inception because the unit often works in
partnership with detachment personnel and the division drug section.

Therefore they will often not be directly involved with some of the
arrests of offenders the unit assisted in apprehending.

Most recently the unit arrested two men on Oct. 23, in the downtown
area for smoking crack cocaine. The men, ages 34 and 49, were both
Yellowknife residents.

The older man was found to have a small amount of crack cocaine on
him, according to police, and charges of possession of a controlled
substance are pending.