CRACK-SHACK CRACKDOWN PAYING OFF, SAYS TOP COP

Drug dealing and break-ins are down in Kelowna because of the RCMP's
effort to bust crack houses, says Supt. Bill McKinnon.

"I think the downtown's in the best shape it's been in in four years,"
McKinnon told council during his regular monthly briefing.

In fact, McKinnon said he had heard from police officers in the Lower
Mainland and in Penticton who were complaining that aggressive
enforcement against crack shacks in Kelowna had caused many users and
dealers to move elsewhere in the province.

He acknowledged that such displacement doesn't solve the drug problem,
but it does make Kelowna parks and the downtown core safer.

"Congratulations on creating the reputation of Kelowna as a tough
place to operate a crack shack," Coun. Norm Letnick told McKinnon.

Letnick urged police in other municipalities to take a similarly
aggressive stand against crack shacks.

"Then we can displace the problem right out of the province," he said.

Break-ins were down 40 per cent last month from August 2006, to 101
from 176, and vehicle theft was down to 66 from 84. Such crimes are
considered to be closely linked to the drug trade, as users try to get
quick cash to finance their addiction.