TIME TO DEAL WITH DRUG ISSUES IS NOW, MAYOR SAYS

Penticton needs to take its head out of the sand when it comes to the
city's growing drug problem, warned Mayor David Perry at a public
meeting Wednesday.

The city's new drug partnership initiative took centre stage during an
early morning discussion at the Chamber of Commerce's Breakfast with
the Mayor event at the Ramada Inn and Suites.

Members of the public were invited to ask questions of the drug
partnership committee, which includes the mayor and representatives of
organizations ranging from social services sector to the hospitality
industry.

"Some of us tend to think that we're a small town out of the 1950s and
when we hear about drug-related issues we know that the media's
talking about Surrey-well that's not the case and we have to
recognize that now," said Perry. "There's a significant transference
(of drugs) from the Fraser Valley into the Okanagan Valley and that
means we have to be vigilant as a community to deal with those kinds
of things."

RCMP inspector Dan Fudge said Penticton's 30 per cent increase in
crime in the last 12-18 months is related to minor offences typically
connected to persons needing money for drugs.

Fudge said that since last September, three officers have been
assigned to full-time drug enforcement.

"It's no secret that we have a cocaine and crystal meth problem in
Penticton," he said, adding that undercover operations have been
successful to date, with two recent week-long operations resulting in
the drug trafficking arrest of 16 people.

Fudge also said the local RCMP detachment joined forces with
Summerland RCMP and detachments to the south in February, conducting
an operation looking for marijuana grow ops.

The team seized more than 3,700 plants and 42 weapons - including two
pistols - using 13 search warrants, he said.

Perry said one of the two areas the drug partnership initiative is
currently addressing is informing the public about marijuana grow
operations - specifically how to notice this activity.

A handout discussing the problems faced with grow ops was recently
distributed with electric utility bills and is available at City Hall.

The drug partnership committee is also working towards developing a
variety of bylaws to help make Penticton less appealing for drug activity.

The bylaw being dealt with currently puts responsibility on landlords
in cases of electricity theft, said Perry.

Another public meeting regarding the drug partnership initiative is in
the works for an evening in September.