DRUG RAGE BLAMED

Drugs - particularly methamphetamines - may be a major factor behind a
recent string of attacks on police, say cops.

Two Mounties were hospitalized Monday after they tried to stop a
suspect from stealing an RCMP cruiser.

Since September, there has been a rising number of incidents where
suspects have tried to ram police cruisers or run down officers with
stolen cars.

Edmonton police Chief Bob Wasylyshen said he believes a lot of the
recent attacks on police officers stem from drugs and drug-related
crime.

"A lot of these people are drug-dependent and are desperate to
commit criminal acts that would provide them with money to obtain
drugs," he said. "And when they are confronted they are already under
the influence of drugs and they resort to desperate measures."

Edmonton police drug-section Det. Darcy Strang said methamphetamine use
is "absolutely skyrocketing" in Edmonton and outside the city. "Outside
of the city, they're finding more meth than ever. They just seem to be
inundated with meth, maybe due to the fact it's easier to make out
there."

Strang helps train officers on how to deal with people high on meth,
and their often violent and paranoid behaviour. He said there's a good
possibility methamphetamines or cocaine is behind some of the recent
violent incidents.

And University of Alberta criminologist Keith Spencer said the
contribution Edmonton's booming meth trade is making to violent attacks
on cops is underestimated.

"People on meth become very impatient, erratic, don't make rational
decisions and are very prone to violence," he said. "I'm glad I'm not
stopping them."

But finding specific reasons why more offenders are trying to ram
police cruisers is elusive, said Edmonton police spokesman Sgt. Chris
Hayden. "Desperation is one, and these guys trade stories in the
Remand," he said. "I think the media certainly have something to do
with it."

Beaumont RCMP Cpl. Steve Daley, 43, and Leduc RCMP Const. Fleming
Kaastrup, 38, remain in hospital after Monday's ordeal, said RCMP
spokesman Cpl. Peter Nobles. Daley suffered a broken ankle and soft
tissue damage, and Kaastrup may have to have surgery for a dislocated
fractured hip.

They had stopped a white van on the outskirts of Beaumont and detained
two people when a third man got into Daley's cruiser, planning to drive
off with it.

"The understanding being that their injuries were received as the
vehicle was being pulled away," Nobles said.

"We just know that there was resistance. The members were trying to get
him out of the vehicle when they ended up being injured." RCMP still
have no word on charges.

Nobles said the frequency of such violent incidents tends to rise and
fall. "It's just something that's part of police work."