BOOK HELPS PEOPLE IDENTIFY DRUG HOUSES

Powell River RCMP have produced a new information guide to help the public
recognize and report suspected drug houses.

RCMP Constable Carl McIntosh said the guide, "Reporting a Suspected Drug
House," is free and is available to the public.

"This guide to recognition and reporting of suspected drug houses is easy
to read and fill out and can be given to the RCMP anonymously," he told The
Peak.

McIntosh said he hopes the guide will encourage the public to help police
in their fight against ridding the area of drug houses.

"Public assistance is being sought by police in eradicating the negative
impact that drugs and drug-related property crime cause with the immediate
community and surrounding area," he said. "This gives us another tool to
detect drug production facilities. Not only is it an enforcement tool, it's
also a crime prevention initiative."

The guide deals with issues such as the volume of traffic attending a
certain house and whether anything suspicious looks as though it is going
on at a particular address.

"We believe it will allow people to have a say in their immediate
neighbourhoods on the issue of drug production or cultivation," said McIntosh.

The guide is easy to fill out and doesn't take a great deal of time to
complete.

It can be picked up at the Powell River RCMP detachment, or McIntosh said
he is happy to deliver guides if requested.

"You do not have to supply your name," he said. "People can remain anonymous."

McIntosh said the completed guide can be dropped of at the local detachment
or sent in by mail.