NEW POLICE STREET TEAM DOUBLES DRUG CHARGES

A new police approach to drug crime is adding up to more drug charges
in the city's monthly crime statistics.

The Red Deer RCMP's drug squad, which dealt strictly with drug crime,
was replaced last year with a street team that has widened its mandate
to include drug-related crime.

Police say this proactive, multi-faceted approach to drug crime helped
officers double the number of drug charges laid last month.

Fifty drug charges were laid last month compared with 25 in January
2003.

RCMP Insp. Peter Calvert said drug "tentacles" reach out into the
community in many criminal forms.

"It's important to have a broad outlook," Calvert said. "A lot of
criminal activity relates back to drugs."

Drug squads worked well when drug offences were isolated crimes. But
drugs are now likely to be connected to other criminal activity, for
example break and enters, he said.

Shops selling cigarettes have become targets for "smash and grab"
heists because stolen cigarettes can be sold fast for cash to buy
drugs, Calvert said.

Other crime statistics comparing January 2003 and 2004
showed:

* Sexual assault dropped from 13 in 2003 to six in
2004.

* Assault causing bodily harm fell from four to one.

* Total assaults were up from 73 to 87.

* Residential break and enters fell from 56 to 27.

* Business break and enters jumped from 25 to 43.

* Total break and enters decreased from 101 to 81.

* Theft from vehicles increased from 108 to 196.

* Theft of trucks rose from 24 to 46.

* Total vehicle theft increased from 50 to 78.

* Property damage under $5,000 fell from 119 to 116.

* Total property crime rose from 573 to 587.

* Total Criminal Code offences dropped from 1,019 to 1,004.