MORE TOOLS NEEDED

While it's not too surprising, the fact that the Sunshine Coast is
becoming a haven for organized crime groups to set up shop for their
drug operations is certainly unsettling.

Sunshine Coast RCMP updated the Sunshine Coast Regional District
policing committee Monday with the troubling statistics that police
have noticed a significant rise in marijuana grow operations set up
by Lower Mainland criminals.

Lower Mainland law enforcement members have stepped up their gang and
drug enforcement over the years, and although many cases have been
solved and many more arrests have been made, the criminal element
involved in the illegal drug trade continues to plague our streets.

So, as the Lower Mainland starts to become a no-go zone for crime
groups, what better place to set up shop than the Sunshine Coast?

And more evidence of the growing trend of illegal drugs and the
violence associated with them raised its ugly head on Monday night.

Criminals invaded a home in Roberts Creek looking for a grow op and
violently targeted a family. The home did not have a grow op and,
even worse, those responsible for this heinous and despicable crime
indicated to the terrorized family that they were the police, which
they weren't. This isn't the first time an incident such as this has
happened. Monday's case is now the fourth incident in the past six
months and the third one where criminals have pretended to be police officers.

We can't imagine what this young family went through Monday night and
will go through in the days to come as they recover from the shock
they endured. This case just highlights the risks that are associated
to both legal and illegal marijuana grow operations on the Sunshine
Coast. The criminals who target these grow shows are clearly becoming
more aggressive and brazen in their attempts to get their hands on
the drugs. And the use of firearms and violence is clearly escalating.

So, what do we do as a community? For starters, we continue to
support the RCMP in their efforts by providing information about
suspected drug operations and, in the case of our municipal
politicians, if better bylaw enforcement is needed, then pass those
bylaws. If lobbying for more funding and resources is needed, then
start writing those letters.

The only way to take back our communities from the criminals is to
fight back and use whatever tools we can.