PEMBERTON RCMP CRACKS DOWN

Increased Presence Resulting In More Arrests, Corporal Says

Last week the Pemberton PetroCanada Station was the scene of an armed
robbery. Two males from the Lower Mainland allegedly used a corkscrew
to threaten the gas station attendant before making off with an
undisclosed amount of cash and cigarettes. Police later caught the
suspects, after they attempted to hitchhike.

In a sleepy town such as Pemberton, the event sparked concern about a
spike in crime. But RCMP Corp. Paul Vadik said incidents such as last
week's are quite rare. In fact police presence in town has been
consistent since Vadik filled the position of operational support supervisor.

In the past few months, drug busts have become a common occurrence. A
few weeks ago police discovered marijuana grow operation in Birken. A
male and female currently face charges of production of a controlled
substance, possession for the purpose of trafficking and possession
of a controlled substance.

That's just one example of the RCMP no-tolerance policy when it comes
to drugs, Vadik said.

"We are certainly putting a dent into the supply of drugs in the
Pemberton area. We have executed seven search warrants within the
last four months," Vadik said.

Many search warrants are the result of tips from the public and Vadik
said more drug busts should be expected in the area.

Vadik has experience in the war against drugs. Previously, he
completed a tour of duty with the property crime unit and spent time
on the plain-clothes drug traffickers' unit in Nanaimo.

"I have no time for drug traffickers or users for that matter. In my
experience there is a direct correlation between crime and drugs. We
will do everything in our power to stop illegal drug trade in the
area," Vadik said.

Vadik said many crimes are closely connected to drugs. He pointed to
recent break and enters in Pemberton's business district. Vadik said
the suspect was a known drug user, which led to his decision to
steal. He also said the individual is taking steps to address his addiction.

"The community has been very supportive of our efforts so far and we
have had great success," Vadik said. "We need the community to be the
eyes and ears of the police. We can only act on the information
people provide us."

Aside from drug investigations, Vadik said the detachment has
increased its presence at both the elementary and high school. A
full-time officer has also meant more success with impaired driving.
Over the past couple of months 12 individuals have been charged with
impaired driving and numerous 24-hour suspensions have been handed out.

"It is part of our counterattack program, which we will continue at
various locations without notice. When there was only one officer at
a time in Pemberton, it was difficult to commit to putting up
roadblocks. The increased police presence is getting the message out
that we don't tolerate drinking and driving," Vadik said.

"It has been gratifying seeing results from our efforts."