DRIVING THEM OUT

Regardless of where you might stand on the marijuana
criminalization/legalization issue, Surrey's grow op busting
initiative must be seen - from a civic perspective - as a remarkable success.

This city - like many others throughout the country - was inundated
with illegal grow operations.

Despite the ongoing debate about decriminalizing marijuana to reduce
its profitability and criminal association, the fact is it's still
all just talk.

In the meantime, the reality remains for cities, and that includes
these facts: Grow ops are notorious for illegal and dangerous
electrical connections that result in house fires endangering
innocent neighbours. Children are being raised in these homes, in
environments that include chemicals, mould, guns, violence, and other
unsavory characteristics. Grow operations also are a magnet for
criminal activity - as those in the trade muscle each other for
territory, and other hoodlums conduct home invasions - often on the
wrong and again innocent households.

City authorities can hardly stand by and watch all of this being
perpetrated upon the community.

Enter Surrey Fire Chief Len Garis, who masterminded the initiative of
tracking down grow ops by accessing BC Hydro records, and identifying
homes with abnormally high electrical consumption.

The result has been a stunning 65 per cent drop in home plantations
this year. On average, authorities found that of 1,000 homes showing
high power use, about 900 are indeed grow ops.

Of 1,000 homes targetted in January 2007, 280 returned to normal
power use, meaning the operators bugged out. Close to another 350
were inspected, and shut down. Garis estimates the remaining 300 will
be eradicated by December.

Clearly, the pot grow op business is feeling distinctly unwelcome in this city.

Yes, the problem is likely moving elsewhere (although some other
cities are following Surrey's example). And yes, the difficult
questions of pot use and criminalization are not being directly
addressed, and ultimately, they must be, for the current legal
structure is maintaining a multi-billion industry that benefits only
a criminal element, and taps precious law enforcement and justice resources.

Nevertheless, citizens expect their local elected representatives and
civil servants to provide services and security on a local level.

In this case, Garis and the City of Surrey are delivering.