ALLEYS STILL DRUG HAVENS

It's a nondescript parking lot, modest in size and wedged between
Seymour and Victoria streets on one side and Second and Third avenues
on the others.

In many ways, it's your typical city alleyway parking lot, filled
with a few cars on most days and home to a couple of blue garbage
bins. Random graffiti adds some colour.

And, like many of its counterparts, it often proves an ideal spot for
local drug dealers who use its relative privacy to make a quick deal.

Lately, this is something Ralph Ragan of Ragan Advertising has seen
happening beyond his back doors on a regular basis.

Within the past few weeks, the owner of the Victoria Street business
estimated he's had to call the cops about twice a week to deal with
undesirables in the lot.

He noted this is not exclusive to his businesses, but something most
downtown businesses deal with.

"This is only my opinion, but I think, generally speaking, there are
numerous problems far beyond drugs," he said. "They are more of a
nuisance than anything else."

However, while police response has always been good, he says the
source of the call has often moved on before the red and blue arrive
- - likely wandering down a few blocks to set up shop in another
parking lot or alley enclave.

Often, the same person will return shortly afterward, nullifying the
point of the original call.

But, while noting the obvious burden their presence has, Ragan
reiterates the dealers are more of a nuisance than threat.

His staff, he said, don't feel unsafe when coming or leaving the
workplace and business has not been affected.

Prior to this recent "spike" in complaints, he said, there was a long
stretch of relative calm, which was itself preceded by another,
similar spike in activity this spring.

The apparent trend, he said, leads him to suspect the ups and downs
could be connected to the weather and what effect it has on the
movement of transients.

However, the spike in calls raises other interesting questions about
the RCMP's Crime Reduction Strategy - namely, did the crackdown on
drug dealers in the spring merely push them into the alleyways - much
like many organizations thought would happen to prostitution
following the implementation of the red zones?

Gay Pooler, the general manager of the Downtown Kamloops Central
Business Improvement Association (KCBIA), said back-alley drug deals
are not a new phenomena and not likely a direct result of the city's
crime strategy.

In fact, she said, most businesses reported a significant drop in
visible drug activity following the RCMP's operations this spring.

"It is a constant battle" she said. "But we are definitely working on
the solutions all the time."

RCMP Cpl. Scott Wilson said he has no data to prove drug dealers had
moved into the alleys. But alleys, he added, have always been
desirable for dealers as they provide more cover.

He said police are aware of the concerns and are working to address
them. The parking lot behind Ragan Advertising is a trouble area, he said.

"These situations can be hard to deal with as, many times, by the
time we arrive . . . the suspect may have departed or has nothing
illegal on them when we check," he said.

"Having said that, we always encourage the public to call us with any
observations of what may be illegal activity. We respond to all the calls."