WATTS WANTS DRUG COURT

Surrey Mayor Dianne Watts is renewing her push for a drug court in Surrey.

Watts said Wednesday she favours the creation of a special court,
modelled on the successful Vancouver Drug Court, to help treat the
city's drug addicts and reduce crime.

"We, as a city, have definitely gone after the dollars of the
different levels of government and we've made it known that we are
very open to having a drug court up and running in the city of
Surrey. Have they written us a cheque? No, they haven't but I've made
it very clear that that's what we want to do," Watts said.

The Vancouver Drug Court was launched in 2001 as a four-year pilot
project to help treat cocaine, heroin and crystal meth addicts.

Drug treatment courts are an alternative to jail for non-violent
offenders who agree to take part in a court-monitored treatment program.

Crown counsel recommends eligible people for the program.
Participation is voluntary but those who turn the offer down must
answer for their crimes in court.

This week, Solicitor General John Les said the downtown program is
being extended for another three years.

The federal and provincial governments will share in the annual $1.5
million cost.

The Vancouver program focuses primarily on adults and Watts says a
similar drug court in Surrey should include teens. She believes
fighting addiction in the early stages would be more effective than
"dealing with chronic drug addicts at an older age."

Dave MacIntyre, program manager of the Vancouver Drug Court, said the
fresh approach to breaking the cycle of addiction has been a success.

"The drug court is set up for people who continue to use drugs,
commit petty crimes, get arrested and get back into the system," he said.

"The drug court is trying to break that cycle."

Of the 400 people who have gone through the program, 68 are graduates.

Given the program's onerous demands - addicts must be clean and find
a job and place to live in order to graduate - MacIntyre calls the
success rate significant.

The first drug court in Canada was introduced in Toronto a number of
years ago. This year, in addition to extending the Vancouver program,
funding was provided for programs in four other cities - Edmonton,
Winnipeg, Regina and Ottawa.

MacIntyre noted that there are 1,200 drug courts in the United States
and others are cropping up in places like Ireland and the Caribbean.

Les was unavailable for comment at Now press time.

Watts said she'll continue to lobby Victoria and the feds for a Surrey program.