REPORT TARGETS KELOWNA'S DRUG PROBLEM

Interim report from mayor's task force recommends police 'flying
squad', emergency shelters, tougher sentences and lobbying for more
funding

The Four Pillars Coalition presented an interim report to city council
Monday containing 11 far-reaching recommendations to deal with rampant
drug abuse in Kelowna.

The mayor's task force recognizes all three levels of government must
join forces to battle drugs, so it views the city as the means to
approach the provincial and federal governments for financial
assistance as well as legislative changes.

The most significant recommendations were:

* Creating an RCMP vice coordinator and four-member flying squad that
would focus on drug-related criminal activities, first targeting
street-level drug dealers and following them up the hierarchy of the
drug culture. Four additional RCMP members could be called in.

* Individuals under the influence of illicit substances could be
detained for 48-72 hours under new "protective detention" to allow
intervention and treatment at a medically supervised "sobering
station." Current legislation only allows 24-hour detention.

* Stiffer sentences for drug offences, including seizure of property
in grow-ops with the proceeds funding more drug enforcement; no
conditional sentences; and establishing drug courts.

* Short-term emergency shelters to offer support and referral services
as a pilot project.

* Improved neddle drop-off boxes to eliminate serious public health
threats from improper disposal.

* Hiring a drug policy co-ordinator to implement the task force's
framework for action.

* Implementing the 211 telephone service to connect callers to
non-emergency social, health and government services.

* Lobbying senior governments for long-term increased funding for drug
programs

A year ago, Mayor Walter Gray hosted a forum on community safety and
harm reduction which led to the formation of the Four Pillars Coalition

The Kelowna task force has four subcommittees, one for each of the
pillars: prevention, treatment, enforcement and harm reduction

The task force was pressured for an interim report because city staff
are preparing the 2005 budget and the mayor is bringing Kelowna's
suggestions to the premier's task force on homelessness

The 11 priorities identified at Monday's city council meeting had four
common threads: the need for ongoing research, increased shelter and
supportive recovery facilities, city involvement and long-term
co-ordination, said consultant-co-ordinator Robert James

"The issue of problematic drug abuse in the Central Okanagan is large
and complex," he explained. "The more we learn about drugrelated
issues in our community, the more it becomes apparent that we have
only just scratched the surface." During the past 11 months, the task
force has come halfway through a process which took Vancouver six
years to complete, he said

James is hoping a draft of the final report will be completed in
December with a report to city council in January or February

The entire report to city council will be posted on the Internet at
www.livingpositive.ca.