POLICE ASK CITY TO ACT ON GROW OPS, BIKE GANGS

The city is looking at penalizing landlords who rent their homes to pot
growers. Landlords could be forced to pay fines to the city to cover police
investigations into the homes, and they would be required to indicate on
land titles that the home had been used as a pot grow site. That could
impact on reselling the house.

As well, outlaw motorcycle gang members may not be allowed on city property
- -- such as parks, pools, Copps Coliseum and Hamilton Place -- if they are
wearing gang colours.

The city is considering drafting two bylaws outlining those directions
after a presentation to council yesterday by Hamilton police. It featured
the growing presence of motorcycle gangs in the city and the increase of
marijuana grow operations across the city.

The wearing of gang colours, however, could be prohibited not just in city
facilities. Ward 4 Councillor Sam Merulla, head of the city's licensing
committee, says his committee will look at drafting a bylaw in the next few
months to prohibit gang colours in bars and taverns. The bylaws are subject
to investigation by city staff.

Police Chief Ken Robertson, who attended the council presentation, said
it's important the city help police send a message to bikers and grow
operators that their activities will not be tolerated -- and will not be
financially worthwhile -- in Hamilton. The bylaws were recommended by
police, but are based on similar initiatives across Ontario.

The chief said he'd like to see colours banned from city facilities because
he is worried about gangs fighting if they are at the same event. He said
this has been a problem in such places as Quebec and Nevada and, in some
cases, innocent bystanders have been killed.

On the grow operations, the chief said police want to create a "financial
risk" for people who engage in a grow operation so that others might think
twice about doing the same thing. He said bike gangs are behind many grow
operations, but said they are also set up by organized crime groups and
Asian gangs.

Police believe there are about 100 marijuana grow operations in the city.
Last year, they closed down 60 operations, and, so far, have tackled 53
this year.

They spend about $5,000 per investigation, but the cost is more if the
probe includes the fire, health and building departments. Many grow
operations are discovered when their makeshift hydro hookups cause a fire.

Detective Sergeant Rick Wils, head of the vice and drug squad, told
councillors the majority of landlords know their properties are being used
for grow operations. "The windows have been sealed . . . there are holes in
the roof . . . there are so many indications the landlord can't ignore it,"
he said, adding growers often pay higher rent.

A third part of the bylaw calls for landlords to seal up their properties
immediately after they've been shutdown as grow operations.