EDMONDS GETS ACTION FROM COPS, CITY HALL

Edmonds residents got what they wanted Wednesday night at the Edmonds town
hall meeting: Action.

Both the RCMP and City of Burnaby are stepping up efforts in the area,
hoping to clean up the prostitution and drug trade.

The RCMP have already increased its police efforts after a barrage of
citizen complaints. More officers have been called in to police the area
and RCMP have adopted a "zero-tolerance" approach.

Also, starting April 1, a new problem oriented police squad (POPS) of 12
officers will be deployed in Burnaby. Their first assignment will be a
"clean sweep" in the Edmonds area, RCMP Supt. Carl Schmietenknop told the
meeting.

The neighbourhood's latest increase in criminal activity is the result of
similar clean sweep operations in Vancouver and Surrey. They've pushed
their drug and sex trade problems into Edmonds, said Schmietenknop.
"Hopefully Vancouver will be getting some of our clientele," he joked.

Residents in the area have seen more prostitution and the drug trade over
the last two months. At Wednesday's meeting, Schmietenknop said it was the
result of fewer police patrolling Edmonds. Last summer there was additional
funding for policing but that money ran out two months ago.

As a result of residents' complaints the funding was brought back last week.

"You should be seeing a difference right away," Schmietenknop said.

The City of Burnaby's plans for Edmonds are long term. Increased street
lighting and sidewalks are some of the structural changes being made over
the next two years. They've also eliminated 33 problem buildings. Using
crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) principles, bushes,
trees and other hiding places are being eliminated or reduced to curtail
criminal activity.

Mayor Derek Corrigan, who attended the meeting with other members of
council, said projects were being built that would help build the
community. A new library is expected to be ready in three years, followed
by an aquatic centre. There have also been community-building events such
as the annual Santa Claus Parade and City Fair held in Richmond Park.

There's been a turnaround in Edmonds community spirit, he said. "Two years
ago we wouldn't have been able to hold this meeting. Today, any slippage in
this neighbourhood won't be tolerated, and that's a sign of a healthy
community coming together."

While the increased police enforcement was applauded by most, one speaker
had another opinion. A resident of New Westminster chastised Corrigan and
the RCMP for sweeping the problem into other cities. Prior to the New West
man's complaint, the mayor told residents: "I don't really care where they
go as long as they go away."

Corrigan later explained he and Edmonds residents were frustrated they had
been on the receiving end of criminal activity lately. Even though it
results in the problem being swept into other cities, it's important to put
police pressure on those in the sex and drug trades, said Corrigan,
otherwise they become established in neighbourhoods -like they have in Edmonds.

But police pressure from opposing cities will never solve the problem, he
admitted. These people on the street need treatment for their drug abuse.
The Burnaby RCMP confirmed that all of the prostitutes in the Edmonds area
are on the streets because of a drug addiction.