SAFETY AN ISSUE IN SOUTH VAN

Complaints about increasing prostitution, drug dealing and other
criminal activity in South Vancouver have prompted the community
policing centre to hold a public safety forum.

The meeting, set for Oct. 14, is being co-hosted by
Vancouver-Kensington MLA Patrick Wong. It's intended for residents to
air concerns about their neighbourhoods and learn how to protect
themselves, explained Adrien Balazs, executive director of the South
Vancouver Community Policing Centre.

Areas involved include Riley Park, Sunset, Mount Pleasant, Victoria,
Fraserview and Kensington.

"It's about community empowerment," Balazs said. "The police cannot be
there 24 hours a day on every street corner."

According to Balazs, residents are increasingly troubled by drug
dealing, robberies, marijuana grow operations, break-ins, purse
snatchings and garbage scattered on the streets, lots and alleyways.

Many of the complaints come from the Kingsway corridor and along
Fraser between 41st and Marine Drive.

By letting the powers-that-be know about problems in the area, Balazs
said, the forum may help draw more policing and city resources into
the community.

Representatives from the city's engineering and property-use
departments, the Vancouver Police Department's vice squad, Vancouver
Coastal Health Authority and organizations such as the Dickens
Community Group are expected to be on hand.

A survey will also be distributed asking residents where the centre's
educational and policing efforts should be focused.

Balazs said many residents signed up as volunteers at the policing
centre after the last forum, held in the early spring.

Some residents complain crime has been displaced from the Downtown
Eastside as a result of a crackdown on drug-dealing and other illegal
activity there.

Const. Mark Jarvie, the centre's neighbourhood policing officer, said
it's hard to say whether that's true, since prostitution and drug
dealing have been an issue in South Vancouver for years.

But the forum will let people know how to report suspected crimes and
the limits of what officers can do to address their concerns, he said.

Recently, Jarvie responded to a complaint from neighbours about a
problem property at Main and 63rd that was being used as a flop house
for prostitutes and drug addicts. Several weeks later, he and other
city officials were able to evict the tenants-who weren't paying
rent-board up the house and have it condemned.

The forum will also let residents know about tools such as writing
victim impact statements to deal with crimes like prostitution. Such
statements are included in arrest files handed over to Crown
prosecutors. The last forum generated 50 such statements. "It helps
when I hear from neighbours where the problems are."

The safety forum takes place at the Polish Community Centre at 4015
Fraser St., starting at 7 p.m., Oct. 14. For more information or to
reserve a seat, call 604-775-1033 or 604-717-2940.