POLICE IN LINDSAY AND OPS ON BOARD WITH KAWARTHA COMBINED FORCES DRUG UNIT

Officers and civilians alike have described Kawartha Lakes Police
Chief John Hagarty as "a breath of fresh air."

At the Chamber of Commerce business lunch on Jan. 18, he was more
like a strong wind - of change.

Chief Hagarty told his audience to be prepared to see a higher
profile of drug enforcement in the media, now that an officer from
the Kawartha Lakes Police Service has been assigned to work with the
Kawartha Combined Forces Drug Unit.

The move means drug enforcement in the Kawartha Lakes Police
jurisdiction will be much more aggressive, the chief said.

"We joined the Kawartha Combined Forces Drug Unit as of Jan. 1, and
we are going to be much more proactive [in drug enforcement].
Previously, we were simply reactive."

The unit is made up of officers from several jurisdictions, who work
together exclusively investigating drug crimes in Central Ontario.

Chief Hagarty explained that in his previous posting in Stratford,
the abuse and manufacture of methamphetamine was one of the top drug
problems facing police. He told his audience in no uncertain terms
that (crack) cocaine is the problem here, much more prevalent on the
streets than it was a few years ago.

The chief said that because the potential exists for considerable
population growth in the city, proactive police work, especially
relating to drugs, is a priority.

He insisted he wasn't trying to be "all doom and gloom". But he
maintained that targeting the problem of drugs will reduce the
escalating break-ins that have impacted the community in recent years.

Detective Constable Terry Cox said officers already working
drug-related crimes are pleased with the changes.

"It's just great, and we certainly welcome it," he said. "The chief
is extremely proactive about drug enforcement. He has very strong
feelings about going after drug crime. It's much more proactive than
reactive." Like his superior officer, Det/Const. Cox said eradicating
drugs in a community means taking a "very aggressive approach." He
said that along with cocaine, police are seeing an increase in
crystal meth in the Lindsay area.

"But one thing is for sure, aggressively enforcing drug crimes means
reducing other crimes that directly relate to them."