IT'S CRACKDOWN TIME

Lac Du Bonnet RCMP Targeting Drugs

If you're dealing in drugs, the RCMP want to shut you down.

"I think we've had four (drug busts) now in the last couple of
months," LdB RCMP staff sgt. Glen Reitlo said recently.

"We're hoping that's just the start. We're not immune to it. There's
definitely drugs out here."

The LdB detachment recently released a performance plan aimed at
making the detachment more effective in a couple of areas.

Reitlo said RCMP held numerous meetings with area stakeholders,
including the town and RM of Lac du Bonnet, the RMs of Whitemouth,
Reynolds, Alexander and representatives from provincial parks. Also
involved in the discussions were members of an inter-agency group --
with reps from the youth centre, schools and the rec commission --
that meets monthly.

"The two main areas of concern were drugs and traffic," Reitlo said.

Two members from the detachment conducted a drug probe and determined
there was a "great amount" of drug activity. Reitlo said some drug
training for detachment members took place in the spring, and there
is more planned in the future.

Members will concentrate on drug intelligence, education and
enforcement. Reitlo said drug intelligence deals with letting the
public know that any information they have on drugs and dealers
should be reported to police. Informants don't have to reveal their
name, and if they are uncomfortable contacting the local detachment,
they can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

Under drug education, a constable from the LdB detachment is being
trained in Drug and Alcohol Resistance Education (DARE) and will
offer the DARE program in schools in the area.

Reitlo said officers have taken training on warrants and will take
more to help improve the ability to charge and shut down drug dealers.

There isn't just one specific drug that is problematic in the area.

"There's all kinds of drugs here. We're not targeting just one kind,"
Reitlo said.