LIVING THE GOOD LIFE AMONG HIGH CRIME RATES

Nelson City Police Report Shows Nelson Crime Rates Are High

Ever an oxymoron, Nelson may still be recognized as a little city best
known for its granola and alternative lifestyles, but the 2004 Nelson City
Police Year in Review showed the city is one of the most crime-ridden
municipalities in the West Kootenay. However, Nelson City Police (NCP)
Chief Dan Maluta said the types of crime being committed have done little
to affect the high quality of lifestyle and safety of residents. He
presented the NCP"s annual review to Nelson city council last Monday.

"We're experiencing the same global phenomenon as the rest of B.C. in terms
of the numbers of grow ops going exponentially...we're part of that
dynamic," said Maluta. "We've also had squirmishes with what promises to
be the biggest menaces of all, which is crystal meth...that's one we're
going to have to keep a very close eye on."

Maluta said that because the link between crime and drugs is strong, the
five-year strategic plan of the NCP will be to re-establish drug
enforcement as a top priority, even if it means other issues take second place.

"When we're talking about making priorities, there is no question that drug
enforcement has to be the top of the chain," he said.

Maluta said that a strong beat presence in the downtown core has created a
less tolerant atmosphere for nonsense and aggressive panhandling, though
problem behaviour is part and parcel of Nelson's party atmosphere. The
city's crimes are mostly "midrange" offences, such as driving under the
influence, domestic disputes, and assaults, which tend to rack up the
numbers, making crime in Nelson more potent on paper.

"This is a really heavy party town, and as you know we're an interior
capital for B.C. bud and all the subculture that goes with it," Maluta
said. "We don't get the armed robberies, homicides, or aggressive sexual
assaults."

2003 Statistics show each member of Nelson's 17 person force took on an
average of 92 cases, second only to crime-happy Abbotsford, which had 97
cases per cop. A city's crime rate is defined by the number of criminal
code offenses committed per 1,000 people in a year. Nelson almost reached
the top of the heap with 1,561 offenses, giving them a crime rate of 162,
coming in next under Victoria's top rate of 202.