WOMAN DEMANDS APOLOGY AFTER POLICE RAID

Josephine Lavallee is wondering what the neighbors are thinking after city
police raided her west end home last week in a fruitless search for dope.

"I'm worried about our reputation," said the 42-year-old married mother of
three.

"Maybe they are thinking we sell marijuana but we just didn't get caught
that day."

Lavallee said she was sleeping in her bedroom at about 2 p.m. when she was
awakened by shouts of "Drug bust! Police!"

"All of a sudden the police are by my bathroom with their guns out," she said.

Police showed Lavallee a warrant saying they had "reasonable grounds" to
believe there was marijuana and growing equipment in the home.

"I told them they had to be kidding E I said you are wasting your time
here, I only grow grass out in the yard, not in the basement."

Police spent about 25 minutes searching the Williamson Drive duplex but
found no evidence of drugs.

Lavallee said two police officers stayed with her in the kitchen while at
least two other officers searched her home.

Lavallee said police thanked her for her co-operation and hoped she
understood they had to follow up on leads.

But Lavallee said yesterday what she wanted was an apology, which she
didn't get, despite repeated calls to the police service.

"Nobody told me they were sorry. Maybe they busted the wrong house. They
should have apologized."

A police sergeant present at the raid said police aren't going to apologize
for doing their job.

While no drugs were found, reasonable grounds existed to search the home,
said Sgt. Doug Palson.

"It was a legal search based on a search warrant. Police acted in a very
professional manner," he said.

"It's the nature of the work that periodically warrants are executed and
items aren't found for whatever reason."

Lavallee, who is on stress leave from teaching, said the experience has
left her shaken.

"I had to use my asthma puffer and take a couple of pills to calm down,"
she said.

"Thinking about it after it's still giving me an anxiety attack."