POLICE CHIEF WON'T CRACK ON CITY'S DRUG PROBLEM

As far as Mayor Bob Chiarelli is concerned, Ottawa is right in the
middle of a health epidemic.

With estimates of 5,000 street drug users in the city -- 80% of those
infected with hepatitis C and 21% infected with HIV/AIDS -- the city
can no longer ignore its escalating drug problem.

"We became complacent. It got away from us and now we have to play
catch-up," Chiarelli said.

Following the divisive debate over the crack pipe program, the mayor
did what he does best.

He defused the situation by setting up a committee with a number of
heavy hitters, including his office, the police, the Ottawa Hospital
and others -- to explore how to deal with the problem.

"We need to come to the table, a big table, to work together as a team
to fill the gaps in the system," Chiarelli said yesterday.

One of those team players needed around the table is Police Chief
Vince Bevan.

As the man in charge of ridding the streets, not of drug users but of
drug-using criminals, Bevan sees the problem from the other side of
the street.

When the crack pipe program was revisited by council, there was a
showdown of sorts between Bevan and the former medical officer of
health Robert Cushman.

Cushman was pushing for the crack pipe program, Bevan was vehemently
opposed.

The chief argued the crack pipe program focused only on the spread of
the disease, without paying attention to getting the users to address
their addiction.

For a time, council itself was divided, and was bombarded with e-mails
and phone calls from taxpayers angry that their tax dollars were being
used to hand out free crack pipes to addicts.

That's when Chiarelli stepped in, and clearly managed to buy some time
and silence from Bevan.

Ask Bevan whether he's now at peace with the crack pipe program, and a
slight curl of the lip is his first response.

It's clear that while Bevan may have publicly lost the fight over the
city handing out free crack pipes, the private, behind-the-scenes
battle is very much ongoing.

"I still have very serious concerns about the crack pipe and harm
reduction program in the community and the discussions that started in
April are still ongoing. I've gone back to the mayor, and asked that
we begin to make some more progress on the treatment and prevention
aspects of it," Bevan said.

The newly struck committee, according to Chiarelli, needs to find ways
- -- and money -- to fill the gaps in the city's drug prevention and
treatment programs.

One of the biggest gaps is the lack of a residential youth treatment
centre.

Bevan is looking for action now, and appears to be getting
impatient.

"I agree there is a place for the integrated drug strategy in this
community for harm reduction, not at the expense of correction and
treatment and I'm still waiting for that other piece. We're all
working hard, and I'm encouraged by the position the mayor has taken."

That however, is a much harder message to get his rank and file to
accept.

"It's very tough these days. They are dispirited by the crack pipe
program in particular because the clientele they deal with are very
difficult. (Many) are on crack," Bevan said.

Chiarelli said yesterday the debate over the crack pipe program was a
distraction in the war against drugs, and isn't interested in the
debate any longer.

Bevan clearly still needs some convincing.

"We need to be providing officers with the tools to do their jobs, and
they need support to get the job done.

"The crack pipe program is very difficult from that perspective. (Drug
addicts) are largely responsible for violent crime, and the kinds of
messaging being sent is confusing to everyone."