BUSINESSES UNITE AGAINST CRIME

Rick Hyne is leading a charge to take downtown streets back from
addicts and prostitutes.

He's urging shopkeepers to join what he calls a Merchant Watch
program" sort of an inner-city version of Neighbourhood Watch.

"We say they're homeless and they're victims, but they have a
choice," Hyne said as two rough-looking men and a woman older than
her years cast a backward glance at him, then shuffle away down China
Steps.

All the street people know Hyne, a property manager for a downtown
holding company. He's been working to clean up the Victoria Crescent
area for several years.

"We're spending millions on a conference centre just a block away,
yet here we've got this part of town where people are afraid to go,"
he said.

Now merchants are posting signs on their storefronts warning the
public that the area is under surveillance and licence plates are
being recorded. It ends with a message to call the city crisis
hotline number to get off drugs.

Many merchants welcome what looks like concrete action to deal with
severe urban decay.

It reached a low point for Carla Samson when a woman walked in her
store, started a loud ruckus, then grabbed an article of clothing and
left.

"It upset me the fact they could just blatantly steal something,"
Samson said.

"I believe Merchant Watch will help, because if they believe people
are actively watching them, if they know we're here watching, their
not going to openly deal drugs and (engage in) prostitution. They'll
be a little bit more discrete about it."

The courts are beginning to recognize the problem by declaring the
Victoria Crescent area a "red zone" where known criminals and addicts
are banned.

But others are growing increasingly bold smoking crack in broad
daylight, frightening others with their aggressive, abusive
behaviour. Merchants get frustrated because police can't arrest
people unless they catch them in the act of committing crimes.

Anita Goldring, owner of House of York consignments, says it's
hurting her business, which she opened in September.

"When people are on certain substances their behaviour becomes
unpredictable and they become aggressive," Goldring said. "What will
it take, does one of us have to be stabbed?"

Not everyone supports Merchant Watch.

Ilan Goldenblatt, who operates the Thirsty Camel cafe overlooking
China Steps, believes the war on drugs has already been lost and says
it's time society accepts some people will use drugs in spite of
prohibition.

"I'm not wholeheartedly with the signs. I don't like the surveillance
society we're headed towards," Goldenblatt said.

"I think we need a policy by police and city hall that says we
recognize the problem exists, let's manage it."

Goldring agrees, but only to a point.

"I want drug deals to stop in front of my store," she said. "Until
more enlightened measures are instituted, I'm not prepared to go down
the toilet while these people make the streets non-user friendly."

As this debate continues, Const. Trent Casson of the RCMP bicycle
patrol team wheels up. He sees the merits of Merchant Watch.

"Anything like this is what we want to see, because it involves the
merchants," Casson said. "It gives us more ways of dealing with the
problem.

"The more we drive these people out of this area, the more you'll see
tenancy rates go up."

Ilan Goldenblatt, who operates the Thirsty Camel cafe overlooking
China Steps, believes the war on drugs has already been lost and says
it's time society accepts some people will use drugs in spite of
prohibition.