Help needed | City residents asked to provide information

A1

By HEATHER MCLAUGHLIN
mclaughlin.heather@dailygleaner.com

Stumble Upon

del.icio.us

Digg

Facebook

Print

Email

26 Comment(s)

The Fredericton Police Force is looking to stamp out neighbourhood drug houses.

But it says it can't do it without help from residents of the streets and neighbourhoods affected by drug dens.

Staff Sgt. Brian Ford told the city's public safety and environment committee Tuesday that unlike some cities, there are no typical drug neighbourhoods in Fredericton.

But that doesn't mean drug operations aren't flying beneath police radar and it often takes residents near drug houses to alert police, he said.

Police are creating a complaint form and will protect the privacy of individuals who call with their suspicions, Ford said.

"We have a responsibility and a legal obligation to keep that information confidential," Ford said.

Typical signs of a drug-dealing operation include frequent pedestrian or vehicle visitors to a residence where people only stay for a short period of time, Ford said.

Windows may be blackened or covered with something and large amounts of trash may be generated.

"Sometimes, you'll see people and you really don't know what they do for a living, but they're driving big cars and they're coming and going as they please," Ford said. "Those are some of the things we need to look for."

There aren't necessarily more drug dealers peddling dope from dwellings, but there are likely some who are doing so quietly enough to escape police, but not necessarily neighbourhood, concern.

"There's a number of drug houses that have probably been flying under the radar and there's maybe not enough information there to do a (search) warrant on, or they're not reported because they may be more of a nuisance," he said.

Police aren't asking citizens to become vigilantes.

The force is formalizing the reporting mechanism so that a phone call or e-mail sent to police with information will be acknowledged, Ford said.

"I like to believe there's strength in numbers and if you have one drug house and 50 neighbours that want you out of there, I guess it becomes a matter of where do you start.''

Police will inform landlords of their concerns about activities consistent with a drug house.

"We want to work with that landlord and if it means evicting the residents, we want to work with them towards that goal," Ford said.

Police also want to ensure that drug dealers don't just move from one part of the city to another.

Ford said police are also aware that if they drive drug dealers out of the city, they could be displacing them to rural areas.

That will mean increasing the information sharing and co-operation with New Brunswick RCMP, who police rural parts of the province.

Local police are also planning to issue No Drugs signs with the phrase encircled with a red stripe across the middle.

"It's a simple initiative. It indicates that there's no drugs at this house,'' he said.

"If everyone has a sign on their house with the exception of the drug house, it really is a way of disrupting the business itself because people are looking to just sneak into the house and do their business and leave, it's very similar to having a spotlight on their house.''

Ford said police divide drug houses into three categories: party houses (low level), where minor drug activity may be involved; mid-level, where the property is being used for drug dealing and is generating high traffic; and high-level houses, which are often fortified establishments where drugs labs are operating.

The emphasis in the plan is on low- and medium-level drug houses.