Andrew Raven
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Oct 19/05) - Just days after one of the largest drug sweeps in NWT history, police and the government announced the creation of a four-officer unit that will target street-level dealers.

RCMP Supt. Rick Roy says a new drug squad will focus on street level dealers - Lisa Scott/NNSL photo

"Hard drugs are becoming more and more prevalent," territorial Justice Minister Brendan Bell said Monday.

"We want to push (mid-level) dealers off the street."

While police believe last week's "Project Gunship" - which saw 31 arrests and cocaine trafficking charges against 15 people - dealt a major blow to upper level traffickers, street sales remain a problem, said RCMP Supt. Rick Roy.

"People in the Northwest Territories identified drugs a concern," he said.

"This will target overt drug dealers."

The officers will be based in Yellowknife, but justice officials envision them travelling throughout the territories.

"We would be naive to think drugs were unique to Yellowknife," Roy said Monday afternoon.

Their roles would vary according to the community, he said.

Sometimes the officers will be a visible presence - walking the beat in uniform - and in other instances they will be undercover.

Because the officers will not have other duties, Roy said they can respond to drug-related complaints faster and devote more time to surveillance and investigation.

Police hope by targeting street-level trafficking, they can reduce the number of crimes associated with the drug trade including vandalism and break and enters.

"Yellowknife police have noticed a trend between more enforcement and fewer property crimes," Roy said.

The four-officer drug team is a one-year pilot project. There will be no additional funding for the unit, Bell said.

Instead, resources from other areas will be pooled together. The territorial government - which provides 70 per cent of the RCMP budget - will review its effectiveness after 12 months.

While Bell conceded the fight against drugs is an uphill battle, he was confident the new unit could reduce the number of broad daylight, street corner drug deals.

"Some question whether this will move (the deals) into the alleyways," Bell said. "Well if that happens we will fight them there, too."