BRINGING DOWN A DRUG HOUSE

Often when residents talk about a crack house in their neighbourhood,
it's as if they're discussing an incurable disease.

But Kamloops resident Jim Knowles says he has a cure, and it's called
Blockwatch.

There used to be a well-known drug house in Knowles' neighbourhood.
Just last summer the house opened up on Columbia Street.

Today the tenants are out, the home has been renovated and the owner
is looking to rent it out once again, but this time to more reputable
tenants, Knowles says.

While Kamloops doesn't have a Blockwatch program in place, Knowles
knew enough about it to institute a similar program when the illegal
business started up too close to home.

"Police could never raid the house. They didn't have enough
manpower."

So it was up to the neighbours to come together to provide what
Knowles calls "the hassle factor."

"The majority of the criminals on the street are from somewhere else.
They've moved to Kamloops because of the hassle factor elsewhere."