Drug trade fuels London crime
Date: Dec 27, 2006 12:07 PM
PUBLICATION: The London Free Press
DATE: 2006.12.26
EDITION: Final
SECTION: City & Region
PAGE: C2
BYLINE: PATRICK MALONEY, FREE PRESS REPORTER
WORD COUNT: 369

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Drug trade fuels London crime

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One of the biggest challenges facing London police this coming year was
also a priority in 2006: Drugs.

The illegal drug trade plays a role in much of the city’s petty crime as
well as more serious incidents, such as shootings. Combating it will
remain a key focus as the calendar turns to 2007, Chief Murray Faulkner
says.

“It’s all connected to drugs,” Faulkner said, referring to auto thefts,
break-and-enter thefts, robberies and shootings.

“It’s drugs, it’s guns and it’s the whole spinoff of crime. That’s
something that a large urban city has to deal with. We accept that it’s
happening, but we don’t have to accept that we tolerate it.”

Several shootings in 2006 kept police busy, the first shots ringing out
among New Year’s Eve revel-lers on Dundas Street. No one was arrested
and police had little co-operation from witnesses.

One shooting grabbed more attention than most: Four people were shot
downtown early on Oct. 7, leading to several charges against Ahmed
Moalin-Mohamed, 23. But Moalin-Mohamed disappeared after being released
on bail, sparking a strong reaction from Faulkner, who was critical of a
court system he said gives accused people breaks at the expense of
public safety.

He says he will continue to speak out about those concerns in 2007.
“That’s going to be one of my themes. It has to (be) because no one else
is going to talk about it,” he said.

He added there are “two types” of offenders he will focus on. “One
is
the repeat offender with dozens of convictions . . . who our courts keep
giving 16, 17, 18 chances. The second (is) the ones involved in weapons
and personal crimes.”

Another major issue facing the police force is the expansion of its
Dundas Street headquarters.

The $34-million project, expected to start by spring, hit some recent
snags when neighbours in Old East Village raised concerns about the
building’s exterior. More money, they argue, is needed to upgrade the
facade.

Faulkner, for his part, said a “happy balance” must be found among the
neighbours, architects and police.

After a staggering 14 homicides in 2005, the city’s homicide rate
dropped significantly in 2006 to four. Attempted murders, however,
jumped 200 per cent to 12, police said.

Other crimes also jumped: Auto thefts climbed by 25 per cent and
robberies — defined as theft involving violence — were up 31 per cent.

Outside the city, the massacre of eight Bandidos bikers whose bodies
were found near Shedden on April 8 was likely the biggest crime story in
all of Canada in 2006.

It took only hours for OPP investigators to surround a farmhouse in Iona
Station and arrest five people. Ultimately, three more people from
Winnipeg were also charged.

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