COPS BACK NEEDLE SITE

Trafficking is Major Concern At Safe-Injection Area

City cops say they welcome the prospect of a federally-sponsored
intravenous drug 'shooting gallery' in Edmonton - but only if it doesn't
turn into a trafficking den.

Health Canada is working on guidelines under which cities could make
proposals to open safe drug-injection sites for needle drug addicts, Farah
Mohamed, a spokesman for Health Minister Anne McLellan, said Saturday.

"There's been some people saying they think Health Canada should fund it,
but we're not at that stage yet to even determine the amounts of money it
would cost," Mohamed said, adding a decision on funding would come only
when a prospective safe-injection site is identified.

Last February, Edmonton police Chief Bob Wasylyshen endorsed a plan to set
up experimental safe injection sites for addicts.

"As far as injection sites, those things are more of a health issue than a
policing issue," said Edmonton Police Association president Sgt. Peter
Ratcliff.

Arrests don't address the underlying causes of addiction, said Ratcliff,
adding cops have better things to do than bust junkies at shooting galleries.

"Our biggest concern is trafficking on-site," said Sgt. Glen Hayden, an
Edmonton cop and vice-president of the Alberta Federation of Police
Associations.

If shooting galleries were coupled with the provision of clean needles,
medical care and drug counselling for addicts, they'd be a good thing, he
said. "I'd support that 100%"

If, however, drugs were made available on site, Hayden said police would
have a major problem with the proposal.

One city councillor said she's all for the idea.

"My understanding is it helps reduce the number of addicts, to provide
individuals with a way to kick the habit," said Coun. Karen Leibovici.

"When you get people off the drugs, the crime rate goes down. And I can see
that as a positive thing."

Mayor Bill Smith also it's worth looking into, although he has his doubts.

"Needle exchange is one thing, but safe injection sites are another," he
said. "I'd like to get a lot more information on it before I support the idea."

Safe injection sites would likely reduce crime and cut down on the spread
of diseases like HIV and hepatitis C, said Dr. Stanley Houston, a
University of Alberta infectious disease specialist.

Houston also worked with Streetworks to evaluate the organization's free
needle exchange program.

A major benefit of a shooting gallery would be that it would give addicts a
connection to the rest of society - to medical care and to rehab programs
to get them off the needle - said Houston.

"Often, the next step they want to take is a step toward reducing their
drug use, and the next step after that is getting into rehab programs."