VICTORIA'S RATE OF DRUG CRIME IMPROVES SLIGHTLY

The bad news is, Victoria had the third-highest per capita rate of drug
offences in Canada in 2002.

The good news is, that's a substantial improvement over 2001, when the
Garden City had more drug charges per 100,000 residents than any other
Canadian city.

According to recently released Statistics Canada data, Victoria police
arrested laid a total of 1,456 drug-related charges in 2002, or 459 per
100,000 people.

That compares to 1,766, or 530 per 100,000 residents, in 2001.

"It's not one that you really want to crow about, but at least third is
better than first," said Victoria police Deputy Chief Geoff Varley.

"Drug crime is still very prevalent in Victoria. It's not good but it's
getting better."

Varley noted that the statistics take into account most of southern
Vancouver Island, estimating that about 50 per cent of those arrests would
have taken place in the city of Victoria.

The statistics can be misleading, since the numbers increase
proportionately to the amount of effort police put into drug enforcement,
he said.

"We tend to be a statistical victim of our own success. In Victoria we've
been very pro-active in dealing drug problems," Varley said.

More arrests means the public is safer, he added.

"That's the way we have to look at it as police officers," he said.

Drug offences increased by 43 per cent between 1991 and 2002.

While the majority of arrests were related to marijuana, other drugs such
as cocaine, heroin and recently, crystal meth, pose a bigger problem for
police.

"I'm told by the people who are dealing with drug issues that we are seeing
more crystal meth and the people using it can be significantly more
unpredictable and violent," Varley said.