by Nancy Gardiner
Northern News Services

NNSL (Sep 12/97) - Vandalism and other mischief in the downtown core will be dealt with, says Yellowknife RCMP Staff Sgt. Dave Grundy.

"I'm really confident we'll get to the bottom of this. We have a number of kids in jail now. In some cases, we have arrested kids for mischief. Some are off to Fort Smith, but they will get out so it's only a band-aid solution. We have to deal with the problem."

Grundy says he's met with one local businessman in the downtown core to address the issue and more meetings are planned.

Sam Yurkiw, owner of the Gold Range hotel, has met with Mayor Dave Lovell and Staff Sgt. Dave Grundy about his concerns.

"They have to do something or somebody's going to get hurt," says Yurkiw.

He's worried about the safety of his staff and patrons. He said the problem stems from youth 12 to 16.

"I hope to arrange a meeting in the near future with businesses downtown, social services and all the partners involved. That includes the fire department, city of Yellowknife and Department of Justice," says Grundy.

Although the problems may evaporate in the winter, they will only reappear next summer, he says, that's why it's important to deal with the problem.

Several options are being studied, and it is hoped more ideas will arise from these meetings.

One suggestion is to find a place in the downtown area to set up a youth centre and, perhaps, have it run by volunteers.

"RCMP members here are becoming very frustrated. New members here have been bringing ideas forth," he says. "But we as a police department have to do something with the community."

A community on patrol program is another idea. The RCMP may try to get a used vehicle and volunteers could "light a hot spot area (with lights mounted on the vehicle), then just call us," says Grundy.

To get that program going a sponsor would be needed, as well as a vehicle or a few vehicles.

Grundy doesn't believe curfews -- which have been brought up several times by local residents and by city council committees -- would be effective.

Repeatedly during the past year car aerials have been broken, people are jumping on the hoods of cars, people are throwing bottles through vehicle windows and the majority of the damage is caused by drunks or young people, he says.