POLICE MAKING A CLEAN SWEEP

Operation Curbs Crime In City's West End

SAL Infantino looks out the front window of his Sargent Avenue cafe
and sees a different world than the one he saw a few weeks ago.

"It seems to be cleaner," Infantino said yesterday. "It seems like
everyone is noticing it. There's a certain segment that seems to be gone."

Infantino, owner of X-Cues, is referring to a new kind of trash
pickup service: Operation Clean Sweep. It's the special police
project set up last fall to target street crime in Winnipeg's West End.

He's one of many who welcome the indefinite extension of Clean Sweep,
announced Tuesday by police Chief Jack Ewatski.

"There's more of a police presence," Infantino said. "People feel
safer. When you look after the whole community, it prospers." How
much it's prospered was detailed yesterday by Insp. Boyd Campbell.

He said the 45 officers assigned to the special squad have so far
seized more than $125,000 in drug- and crime-related cash. In
particular, since Nov. 21, officers have seized $117,365 in Canadian
currency and $8,547 in U.S. currency, most linked to the drug trade.

"Drug use and drug sales (fuel) a lot of the street crime out there,"
Campbell said.

By taking away drug profits, he said some drug dealers are moving
away to avoid police detection.

"The people who sell drugs out there are 'adjusting.' The message
we're sending is we're 'adjusting' as well. We will follow these
people wherever they go."

Other significant Clean Sweep statistics are:

* 406 people charged with Criminal Code offences;

* 23 firearms seized; * 10 vehicles seized;

* 564 spot checks of known gang members;

* 2,675 person hours spent walking the beat;

* 121 tips to police either through phone tip line (986-8435) or
special e-mail at http://www.winnipeg.ca/police.

Clean Sweep was launched by Mayor Sam Katz and Ewatski following the
Oct. 10 shooting death of St. John's-Ravenscourt School graduate
Philippe Haiart.

Police have said Haiart, 17, was an innocent bystander when he was
killed by gang gunfire.

Trudy Turner, executive director of the West End Business Improvment
Zone, said the agency has noted about a 40-per-cent decline in street
crime since Clean Sweep began. That includes reductions in street
prostitution, encounters with men trying to buy sex, break-ins and
incidents of intoxicated people.

She said in the beginning there was a fear police would become an
occupying force in the area, but that hasn't happened.

"There's definitely more police," she said. "And it does feel safe.
But we don't feel under siege. They've really struck a balance."
Turner also said officers have more time to respond to calls and deal
with issues with residents and business owners.

"All the parties are very supportive," Campbell added. "We're all
working towards the same end."

Campbell said one of the most significant seizures related to Clean
Sweep happened Jan. 29 at the Main Street Via Rail Station. A
33-year-old B.C. man was arrested as he picked up a bag containing
33.5 pounds of marijuana.

Officers have also seized about 2,500 grams of cocaine, 69 ecstasy
pills and 74 grams of methamphetamine.

How long Clean Sweep -- it has cost about $1.6 million so far --
keeps running will be decided in the upcoming 2006 budget talks at city hall.