ENFORCEMENT NOT ONLY WAY TO FIGHT CRIME

Re: "Growing fears in the inner-city," Editorial, Sept. 8

The editorial says: "The $5 million the mayor wants approved to hire
10 more police officers and 25 bylaw enforcers might be more
effective if spent on permanent solutions to end homelessness."

After all these years of historical proof that enforcement is not the
only answer, politicians still refuse to take their heads out of the
sand and look for better ways of dealing with crime problems. Their
answer continues to be: use more enforcement and ignore what might
actually work towards reducing homelessness and crimes fuelled by the
illegal drug trade.

Al Capone and his type of violent criminals preying on others'
misfortune was not good enough of a lesson, it would appear.

Then add that all levels of government continue to ignore the
Canadian government's own drug studies the Le Dain (Commission of
Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs) 35 years ago, and the
Special Senate Committee in 2002.

Sadly the mayor (Dave Bronconnier), Ald. (Craig) Burrows and others
in city council prefer to waste our tax money.

Look, we are doing something, they want us to believe. They just
don't have the guts to try other things.

It is too hard, too much work, fear of losing votes and on and on.

Keith Fagin

Calgary