DRUGS REMAIN HAT'S BIGGEST SAFETY CONCERN

As a provincial task force on community safety stopped in the Gas
City, drugs and alcohol dominated the discussion.

The provincially repetitive list of issues Heather Forsyth, chair of
the Alberta Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force, rattled off
sounds like a night of prime time television -- drugs, alcohol,
sexual abuse, family violence, mental illness, the role of parents,
organized crime and gangs.

Jennifer Scheible, affectionately called the youth member of the task
force, says drugs begin the spiral into crime.

"There's a cycle that goes with addiction. From petty crime to
prostitution," she explained.

Echoing this statement was Chief Mike Boyd of the Edmonton Police
Service who sits on the task force.

"People who are addicted to drugs are committing crimes to feed the
habit," said Boyd.

Reducing crime and victimization is the goal of the province-wide
tour, he added.

"And the point is to help individuals, to help families and communities."

Various members of the Hat community have been fighting an uphill
battle to bring a treatment centre to Medicine Hat.

And it could be a recommendation made by the task force, says Boyd.

"We've heard it every where we've gone. And that's the type of thing
where recommendations could be made."

But Forsyth says it's not realistic to put a treatment centre in
every community.

"You have to do is determine where they are most needed," she added.

The big question is, how do you reduce crime in our community?

It's all about connections, says Boyd.

"The justice system is on one side and the health care sector is on the other.

"It's about bringing the two together."

If we understand the link between drugs and crime, he continued, "we
could reduce the harm for individuals who are dependent, in turn
reducing the harm on families and the harm for whole communities."

A draft report is being prepared for mid-June to coincide with a
symposium on June 19 and 20. The final report is expected by September.

Local resident Stewart Boyd raised concerns over the new smoking
bylaw kicking in May 31.

"The bylaw will increase the opportunity for altercations outside the
bars," said Stewart Boyd.

That's a concern that the Edmonton police know all too well and Mike
Boyd says he could see that increasing in the Hat.

"When people are out on the streets, fights happen and they can turn
into murders," he explained.

Other concerns brought forward by the dozen Hatters in attendance
included the role of teachers dealing with troubled students, and the
forensic backlog.

The delay for results leaves criminals on the streets with the
opportunity to hurt more people, argued Stewart Boyd.

This is a statement Mike Boyd could only agree with. He even sighted
Paul Bernardo as an example. Delays in evaluating Bernardo's DNA led
to further tragedies.

The difference with this task force according to Karen Venables is
it's made up of real people, not just government officials.

"We've all walked a certain path and have different perspectives,"
said Venables who represents real-life victims. Her son died from a
single punch to the temple in 2002.

Violence strikes normal kids and we need to educate them, she says.

"It happens quickly after one decision."

We want to know the issues in each community in order to come out
with legitimate workable recommendations, says Venables.

"We don't want to have 84 recommendations that just collect dust.

"We want five or six recommendations that need to be done in
communities," she continued.

Sample recommendations include a change in young offenders treatment,
more options for families, or simply developing better connections.