CITY PROBING OPTIONS FOR DRUG BLITZ

Pitching warning signs outside marijuana grow houses or launching
Neighbourhood Watch-type anti-drug teams could help drive pot dealers
out of town, Councillor Linda Jackson says.

The efforts might even prevent the next narcotic threat, crystal
methamphetamine labs, from taking root in Vaughan neighbourhoods, she
believes.

"Today, it's grow ops. In six months, it will be meth labs, mark my
words. They're much more dangerous. They blow up," Ms Jackson said.

"They (drug dealers) are much less likely to come to a community if
there is heat. You always want to go somewhere where you can do your
business (quietly) and get out."

But she frowned on the idea of having councillors go door-to-door, as
two Scarborough politicians are doing, to ferret out marijuana grow
ops in their neighbourhood.

"I would be opposed to that. I think grow ops can be very deadly
environments," Ms Jackson said.

"It's known a lot of these houses are booby trapped to stop police and
other bad guys getting in."

Scarborough MP Jim Karygiannis and Toronto Councillor Mike De Grande
say they have uncovered a couple of grow houses in just the past week
using their unconventional methods.

"We're not there to say 'Hey, you got a grow house," Mr. Karygiannis
said.

"When a guy opens the door, we'll say, 'Are there any concerns that
you have?' If he doesn't look suspicious, then you go on to the next
door. If people don't open up, you ask the next door, 'Hey, you know,
seen something strange? Smell anything?' This is how you get people
involved."

Mr. Karygiannis has even gone as far as confronting two men he
suspected of tapping into hydro lines to power a grow house by parking
his car in front of their vehicle to prevent them from leaving until
police arrived.

The campaign leaves much to be desired as far as Ms Jackson is
concerned.

"I think that's taking the law too much into your hands. I wouldn't
support a vigilante action," she said.

"I think my role is bringing a level of awareness. I think that's the
police's role, to do the enforcement. I think that's one step too far
and putting themselves in danger."

Police have also cautioned the Scarborough campaign could be
dangerous.

Short of conducting door-to-door surveys, Ms Jackson wants Vaughan to
investigate several options for running drug homes out of the city.

For example, residents could set up Neighbourhood Watch-type
organizations to be on the look-out for grow houses, which they would
report to the police and the city.

The groups could display anti-marijuana posters to warn drug dealers
residents are monitoring their communities for grow homes, Ms Jackson
said.

"It's an awareness campaign. If these guys know they will get a
backlash from neighbours, they will be encouraged not to do it," she
said.

"They will go somewhere else. I want them to go somewhere
else."

Ms Jackson also wants to consider posting large signs outside grow
houses busted by the police to warn potential new home buyers.

However, director of legal services, Heather Wilson, warned the signs
could draw criticism from neighbours worried the warnings will devalue
their homes.

But Ms Jackson insisted the signs could be a valuable tool in ridding
the city of grow houses.

"Am I still going to stick to my guns on the signs? Signs, to me, are
still an option," she said.

"What devalues (neighbouring homes) more? What's the lesser of two
evils? That you've got a community where grow ops are accepted?"

However, Ms Jackson said she's willing to look at other tactics if
better options are suggested.

"It may not be the best tool. It's the first tool that came to my
head. We need many tools in the tool box."

Ms Jackson's suggestions come two weeks after councillors adopted an
innovative plan to fight grow houses.

While many municipalities are looking for ways to battle drug homes,
Vaughan's policy calls for York police to immediately notify city
bylaw officers when they have shut down an operation and completed
their investigation.

That allows bylaw officers to get inside right away to look for any
health and safety hazards.

If they detect problems, the bylaw officers can issue property
standards orders against the property which remain on file to alert
potential new buyers.

Det.-Sgt. Karen Noakes, with the force's drugs and vice squad, is
applauding Vaughan's campaign to wipe out grow houses.

"I guess I would encourage anything they can do with enforcement or
legislation they have," she said.

"We've always said it's more than just a police problem. We definitely
need their assistance."

Meanwhile, while Det.-Sgt. Noakes said police here are bracing for
crystal methamphetamine labs to make their way here from British
Columbia, she said officers haven't found any yet.

"I think there's a concern, not specifically with crystal meth labs,
but any clandestine, illegal drug labs," she said.

"There are concerns they will be heading this way from B.C. We have
found ecstasy labs here in York Region."