MOUNTIES CRACK DOWN ON DRUGS

Drug dealers beware -- the RCMP are taking an aggressive approach
against those who choose to produce or sell drugs, Corp. Marc Menard
says.

Criminals in Williams Lake have two options, Staff Sergeant Grant
Martin says.

"Stop dealing drugs in our community or expect the unexpected, your
life as a drug dealer in Williams Lake is about to change.

"We will make it very difficult for you. Your criminal operation will
be shut down, illegal profits seized and all applicable charges will
be laid.

"We will be relentless and pursue all leads in our objective to shut
you down and send all to jail."

From February of this year there have been a number of drug seizures
in Williams Lake (see box, page A7).

City councillor Ed Mead, who holds the protective services portfolio,
says he is not surprised about the drug activity in the city, but
pleased to see the Williams Lake RCMP are working hard to combat the
problem.

Mead says the recent drug seizures reflect the change the RCMP made a
year ago - forming a Crime Target team.

There were a series of planning sessions with city council and the
RCMP senior management team about the elevated crime rates in Williams
Lake last year. Williams Lake residents said drugs and drug related
activity was a number one concern in a community crime forum last
fall. Cpl. Marc Menard says in 2006 three full-time members were
dedicated to the Crime Target team.

Last year was an unusually busy year with major crimes, including six
homicides. The crime target team is now able to focus more time on
reducing drug crimes, Menard says.

Also last year Williams Lake was named crime capital number two in
British Columbia (Smithers is number one).

Mead says 75 to 80 per cent of that crime, including property crimes,
robberies and theft, is related to drugs and alcohol.

"The fact is we do have a lot of crime," Mead says, adding that
council has made combating drug crime a top priority.

Mead hopes that by reducing the drug crime in our community, crime in
general can be reduced.

The RCMP says a small percentage of our population is ultimately
responsible for the majority of the crime and drug-related activity in
this community.

"The members of the Williams Lake RCMP Detachment remain 100 per cent
committed and determined to make our communities as safe as possible,"
Menard says.