PUBLIC SAFETY SHOULD COME FIRST IN GROW OP DISCLOSURE ISSUE

ISSUE: Chief Armand La Barge won't release list of grow ops without
provincial law clearly defining such.

We all know the dangers of indoor marijuana grow operations.

Growing weed indoors creates incredible moisture damage and makeshift
wiring to bypass hydro metres and exposed electrical panels are a fire hazard.

Then there is the less obvious problems of mould spores forming
inside walls that may not reveal themselves until months after a grow
op has been dismantled.

All of this puts families and neighbourhoods at risk.

York Region has become a haven for pot houses over the past few years
and are cropping up in subdivisions at an alarming rate.

Last year, for example, 173 grow labs were found in York and police
estimate there were about 10,000 operating across the Greater Toronto Area.

York Regional Police often call reporters and photographers to
accompany them and witness officers busting multi-million-dollar
grow-op operations, a perfect opportunity to show residents they are
on top of the issue.

It seems rather hypocritical, then, that when it comes to making
these addresses readily available to the public, Chief Armand La
Barge has refused to divulge such information.

Even when Chief La Barge was requested under freedom of information
last month by CTV to reveal a list of York Region grow ops, he refused.

After an appeal, however, he was forced to hand over to the TV
station a list of homes in the region where police executed search
warrants and seized marijuana plants from 2002 to 2005.

The chief says he won't give out the addresses of former grow ops
until the province passes legislation clearly defining what
constitutes a grow op.

That's ridiculous.

Any competent police officer knows with just a quick look around any
high-tech marijuana grow operation the place will need major clean up
and repairs.

It's about public safety, a service for which the public pays a hefty price.

The need for public safety, however, must be weighed against
liability and privacy concerns when making the decision to release
addresses of former pot houses, the chief insists.

Reading between the lines, it's clear he wants to avoid potential
lawsuits against the force by owners and neighbouring property owners
concerned house values could be negatively affected.

Former London police officer Bruce Brown disagrees with the chief's
reasoning to keep the list from the public, rightly pointing out,
"once a search warrant is executed it becomes public anyways".

So far, only London's police force and Toronto's 42 Division let the
public know locations of former marijuana operations. Durham police
are seriously considering the idea.

Readers who answered our website question on the issue overwhelmingly
agree residents should be made aware of houses that have been used
for growing pot.

Says one reader: "These houses are dangers to the community and can
go up in flames at a moment's notice. The gases grow ops give off are
harmful to others and let's face it, drug growers are not known for
their level of intelligence."

And at least one area real estate agent thinks it would make his job
a lot easier if there was an accessible list.

"This is not something that should be kept from a potential buyer.
There could be health hazards and it shouldn't matter if values of
homes are diminished or not. (Police) should absolutely let people
know," said Newmarket's Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd. general
manager Larry Mandlsohn.

Bottom line is the chief shouldn't use lack of provincial legislation
to hold back information the public has every right to see.

So far, there is no evidence to support claims grow ops have a
negative impact on property values, Al Orlando, president of the York
Region Real Estate Board, has said.

But to avoid that happening, many municipalities in Vancouver, where
grow ops first sprouted in Canada, have taken a pro-active approach
and have partnered with police in attacking the problem.

Politicians there say bylaws force homeowners to either clean up or
have the cost of cleaning up grow ops added to the property tax bill.

York Det.-Sgt. Karen Noakes has said York municipalities would likely
benefit from similar bylaws.

We agree.

Let's get moving sooner, rather than later.

BOTTOM LINE: Public safety should be first and foremost, not
potential lawsuits by homeowners over property values.