GROW WATCH BEING ORGANIZED

Hope may soon have another tool in the battle against illegal grow operations.

A program proving itself successful in Chilliwack is being introduced
locally by the volunteer Hope Citizens on Patrol.

COP Volunteers, flanked by RCMP general investigator Kurt Bosnell,
introduced the idea of a Grow Watch at last week's council meeting, gaining
written support and permission to erect signs throughout the community
warning potential renters and buyers the area is under watch.

The program is a pro-active approach to the growing problem of marijuana
cultivation in Hope, said Bosnell.

In addition to being attracted by our low real estate prices... "many grow
operators believe they are coming to a small town... and they are going to
get away with it easier than in Chilliwack or Vancouver."

The Grow Watch program will be developed in a series of steps starting with
education forums, to teach volunteers the dangers, as well as the
indicators that there is a grow op in their neighbourhood. One of those
indicators include electrical brown outs from high power consumption on
their street, said Bosnell.

Anyone volunteering for the program will be asked to sign a letter of
participation stating that they are opposed to grow operations in their
neighourhoods and know the dangers of electrical bypasses and grow rips.

Once a block has hit an eighty per cent participation rate the entire block
will be signed as a Grow Watch' Neighbourhood, warning potential buyers and
renters that reporting and recording of suspicious activities are ongoing.