NORTH SHORE HUDDLES TONIGHT TO TACKLE PROBLEMS

North Shore residents have been given the tools to clean up the sex and
drug trade, now they are being taught how to use them at a community
meeting tonight.

"RCMP, citizens on patrol, community policing, Neighbourhood Watch - all
these tools are in place for the residents to use," said Ray Jolicoeur,
chair of the North Shore Community Working Committee, an amalgamation of
service providers and community organizations tackling the issues of
prostitution and drugs on the North Shore.

"This is not the first time this has ever happened in a community," said
Const. Brian Flanagan, media relations officer with Kamloops RCMP.

"This happens to be the first time it's probably ever happened to these
people, so they have to be educated and brought up to speed."

Encouraging neighbours to use the available resources to help themselves is
one of several topics to be discussed at tonight's community meeting
looking into the sex and drug trade on the North Shore. The meeting begins
at 7 p.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help (635 Tranquille Rd.).

At the meeting, the working committee will reiterate the concerns brought
forward at the initial July 21 meeting and what is being done to address
those concerns.

Approximately 200 people attended the first community meeting.

A smaller working group - comprised of organizations including the RCMP,
B.C. Interior Health, the Kamloops Community Action Team and the North
Shore Business Improvement Association - was launched at the meeting.

Jolicoeur expects a similar turnout at tonight's meeting. After it is
brought up to speed on the committee's efforts, the crowd will be split
into smaller groups of 10 to 12 people to brainstorm solutions.

"We're going to ask people to look at themselves when they think of these
solutions, not point fingers at who should be doing what, but how they, as
residents, can help themselves."