SPECIAL POLICE UNIT EVICTS FIRST PERSON UNDER NEW SAFER COMMUNITIES ACT

They don't kick in doors, but they sometimes hang notices on
them.

Nearly a year after the province first announced the formation of a
special squad of investigators, they've scored their first victory by
evicting a person suspected of drug-related activity at a west-end
Halifax apartment building.

"It wasn't a big deal, but we managed to have an eviction done in an
informal process," Fred Sanford, director of the province's Public
Safety Investigations Section said.

The unit is a five-person force assigned the task of helping police
departments deal with complaints of neighbourhood drug use, illegal
liquor offences, gambling and prostitution under the province's newly
proclaimed Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods Act.

That act enables citizen complaints to be investigated. If the unit
finds proof of wrongdoing, it can order an eviction or work with the
property owners or tenants to resolve the matter.

In this case, a complaint was lodged against a tenant at 6701 Chisholm
Ave. in Halifax of suspected drug use. Sanford's team investigated the
complaint and determined the drug-related activity was potentially
dangerous and approached the landlord.

They also talked to the tenant under investigation and helped him find
a new place to live.

The unit even helped arrange counselling and addiction
services.

"They ended up telling us this was probably the best thing that could
have happened to them," Sanford said.

The investigation, which took about a month to complete and was
finally resolved last week, eases concerns about illegal activity by
law-abiding neighbours, but doesn't just shift the problem to a new
locale, Sanford said.

"We were looking at the bigger picture," Sanford. "I'm kind of
encouraged by this case and the way it worked out."

There's been little feedback from the community, but public safety
investigators did post notices at the apartment building advising
residents of what happened and what actions were taken. They were also
asked to make confidential complaints if the illegal activity resumes.

Sanford said the Public Safety Investigations Section has several
cases underway across the province, including more in metro.

Justice Minister Murray Scott announced the law, and the formation of
the investigative unit, last July.