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The Canadie Champion. Friday, Octob ~ No link proven between drugs and theft crimes Police try to prove link bet-ween the drug trade and theft-related offences, but informnarion is lacking By IRENE GENTLE 7he Champion A recent drug project in Milton a nd Oakville didn't yield enough information to prove a strong link between drug use and crimes such as theft and break and enter, said Halton Regional Police Staff Sgt. Roy Smith. The ides behind the youth-targeted Drug Interdiction Unit Project was to cross- check if those involved with drugs were* also embroiled in other areas of criminal activity. "The whole purpose was to see if we could associate the two, but I don't think we had enougli data to show a direct link in this amali project," said Staff Sgt. Smith. 'It would be wrong for us to jump to that conclusion with this data." Many arresta and charges But the project did manage to bring in 74 arrests during ita six-week mun That led to 48 charges under the Controlled Druga and Substance Act. Most of the arrests involved possession of marijuana. But hashish, methamplietainine, ecstasy, psylobin, and GRB, which is one of the so-called date rape druga, were alan found. The project was initiated by Halton offi- cers Roger Wilkie of Oakville and Jeff Sandy of Milton. fley devoted 20 shifts to the undertak- ing between September 1 and October 14, splitting their time equally between the two municipalities. "Two of our junior officers came up with the ides that much of (certain types of) crime was related to drug activity," said Staff Sgt. Smith. "Two young officers did this alone. I thouglit it was poeuty impressive." Focus on drug possession Simple drug possession was the focus of the project rather than trafficking, he added. 0f the 48 charges laid, nine of the accused were femnale. The youngest to be charged was a 15- year-old who had been dealing fromn has parents' home. A 28 year old man was the oldest person charged. And more offenders were found in Oakville than Milton, said Staff Sgt. Smith. "Obviously there was more activity in Oakville because it's a bigger centre," lie said. The officers concenlrated on the project during their regular shifts, but weoe called away for regular duty when needed. Ironically, the project unfolded on tie liels of a recommendation from the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police that amaîl amounts of marijuana and cannabis derivatives - amounts of which would warrant a possession charge only - be decriminalized. Supported by police association That recommendation was alan support- ed by the Ontario Association of Cliiefs of Police. If passed, that would mean possession of the druga would continue to be illegal, but ot criminal. The proposaI was aimed at unclogging crowded court dockets while funnelling offenders into more useful treatment mod- els. But since the recommendation has not yet been approved, Halton officers are committed to upholding the Iaw as it now stands, said Staff Sgt. Smith. He noted that despite the small project sampling, the officers did corne away with some observations. One la that druga are increasingly picked over alcohol as the substance of choice for youths. "Every high school bas several drug sup- pliera," said Staff Sgt. Smith. "And it can go undetected by parents. With alcohol, youlsave the smell on the boeath." Another was that chemical drugs such as ecstasy are becoming more prevalent. nhe reason is it can provide more bang for the buck, said Staff Sgt. Smith. TODAY, ONE rs SEAR an eight-hour buzz," lie said. whule the initiative wiIl flot be entirely discontinued, a repetition of the project la unlikely, said Staff Sgt. Smith. "We have a staffing problem," lie said. "We can't afford to put somneone On One projeet."1 SUP ER SATURDAY & SUlNDAYq TWO DAYS ONLYI SATURDA OCT. 30 AND SUNDAY OCT. 31,1999 WHILE QUANTITIES LASTU O0MORROW