SOLICITOR GENERAL POLICE NEED HELP FROM LAWMAKERS

The province's law enforcement agencies are doing what they can to fight
crime, but the help they need isn't coming from Ottawa.

That's the word delivered by a frustrated B.C. Solicitor General Rich
Coleman Thursday to 125 Surrey Chamber of Commerce members. "You need to
tell (the federal) judiciary, 'you're letting us down'" Coleman said.

"They should be part of the solution, not the problem. The judicial system
that is supposed to reflect the values of communities, has to start to
listen to the people in those communities."

Known as B.C.'s top cop, Coleman told the story of an RCMP officer who
picked up a suspected car thief who was subsequently released. Two hours
later, the same officer was in a high speed chase, pursuing the same
suspect in another stolen car "He had 30 convictions," Coleman said of the
suspect.

"The justice system is letting us down."

Stiffer sentences for serious crimes do have an impact, he said, adding the
system is also failing in the fight against marijuana grow operations and
the drug trade.

"In the Fraser Valley, there will be 2,000 to 3,000 grow-ops raided and
shut down this year," Coleman said.

"Right across the border in Whatcom County, they won't have 10. Why?"
Coleman asked.

"In Washington state, they've raised the bar. Have a grow-op with more than
100 plants, it's an automatic five years in jail. For your first offence,
it's three months in jail and they seize your assets.

"In B.C., you can be charged seven or eight times, and still not get
incarcerated."

Coleman is preparing legislation that would allow authorities to seize
assets of drug dealers.

"If you have a grow-op, the police arrive," he said.

"Then the next guys coming in are going to take your house, your car and
your bank account. Then you have to prove you bought them with legal money.
The onus is on you."

Coleman finished the address by urging communities to speak out against a
flaccid justice system.

"We give all the tools we can to our law enforcement officials. And we will
give them more," he said.

"But when the criminals come out the other end, we need the help of the
judiciary, we have to send a message."