PREPARE TO LOSE YOUR HOUSE ALONG WITH YOUR DOPE

Mission RCMP members are set to implement a strategy to address marijuana
and other drug growing operations by March 1, a strategy that will allow
landlords to screen prospective tenants with a criminal record check.

B.C. has nearly three times the national average of grow operations per
capita, according to Mission RCMP Insp. Pat Walsh, while theft of hydro is
estimated at more than $3 million a year in the province.

"Grow operations are increasing in size and sophistication," said Walsh.
"Make no mistake about it - it's a business and organized crime is there to
to make money."

Walsh is hoping the public is concerned about the growing problem of grow
operations and said people need to be vigilant and concerned, not complacent.

"There are criminals searching these [grow operations] out," Walsh said.
"They're coming in armed and prepared to get that product."

Cases of mistaken identity where grow-ops are concerned happens on a
regular basis throughout B.C., Walsh said. He made a presentation to
Mission council recently about the strategy to address grow operations,
which he said was well-received and largely supported by councillors.

The strategy will likely require the co-operation of the District of
Mission as well as other community organizations.

"It's a multi-faceted strategy. . .we're going to deal with grow operations
on a number of different perspectives," said Walsh.

For example, Walsh said the first thing police want to do is get the Canada
Customs and revenue Agency involved, to help take the profit out of an
illegal business venture such as a grow operation.

"In most cases, the people running a grow operation have not filed a tax
return in years," he said. "In many cases, they're driving a nice car and
own a nice house."

Walsh said RCMP members will stay tapped in to the National Financial
Tracking and Report Analysis Centre - an agency that tracks the movement of
money - with the intent of following organized crime through money movement
patterns.

In each case where a grow operation is discovered, Walsh said home owners
should be prepared to lose their house.

"We will try to restrain each property. When we come to seize your dope,
we'll seize your house," Walsh said.

Plus, grow homes that have been identified will be entered into a national
database that targets grow homes across the country, with possible links to
other grow operations and crimes.

Walsh said police will work with the Fraser Valley Real Estate Board to
ensure there is closure where a grow property is identified and added that
Mission RCMP will also use forward-looking infrared devices, which are used
to detect heat sources in a residence.

Where privacy rights come in, Walsh assured the general public that police
are busy enough with the 200-plus grow operation tips Mission alone
receives each year.

"We're not going to be randomly driving down your street to find out if
your house has an alternate heat source," he said.

BC Hydro and the Ministry of Children and Families will also play a role,
said Walsh, to identify and cut off illegal hydro and to ensure children
are in a safe environment.

"We will work with the ministry to remove children we find in an unsafe
environment," said Walsh. "We consider a marijuana or crystal meth grow
operation an unsafe environment."

RCMP members will now let the neighbourhood know what they are doing when
they bust a grow operation, said Walsh, for their education and so next
time, they might know what to look for.

A draft bylaw to address grow operations by making the homeowner more
accountable is also underway, something Walsh is working on with District
of Mission councillors and staff. As always, such education and prevention
programs such as DARE [Drug Awareness Resistance Education] are ongoing in
the community, said Walsh.

And last, but certainly not least, said Walsh, is the fact that Mission
RCMP are now going to accept applications from landlords for criminal
record checks on prospective tenants - for a fee - so long as the potential
renter has signed a waiver in agreement of the check.

While Walsh knows it is important not to discriminate against people with a
criminal record where employment is concerned, he said Mission RCMP have a
legal opinion that it is not discriminatory for a landlord to want to check
into a renter's background.

"It is perfectly respectable for a landlord to do," said Walsh. "We're
prepared to tell landlords 'Send 'em to us.'"