Chief concerned about rising drug crime

Hamilton Police saw a $2 million increase in the amount of illicit drugs kept off city streets in 2011, compared to 2010.

Chief Glenn De Caire presented a report at the Police Services Board meeting outlining the details of the increase in drug and arms seizures. He attributes it to police targeting specific gang members.

The gangs and weapons enforcement unit works with other Golden Horseshoe police services like Toronto, Halton and Niagara to help deal with gang related issues through information sharing, which has contributed in the rise in the number of drugs cleared off the streets.

De Caire says by targeting drug crime it also helps to combat other crime as well.

“22 percent of the people who commit a (bank) robbery have a previous drug conviction. We look at the drugs as the driver and of course that leads to the gangs, the guns and the organized crime – all for profit. So we’re really attacking the base roots drug issue in an attempt to eradicate that here in Hamilton.”

De Caire also says there have been changes over the last few decades in the number of weapons seized by police. He says 30 years ago it was rare to arrest someone with a handgun. He says now it’s unusual to go two or three days without arresting somebody with a firearm. The force is working with other police services to combat the rise in gun use as well.

Video: Melissa Raftis reports: