COPS NEED HELP FROM OTTAWA, JUDICIARY: COLEMAN

The province's police forces and other law enforcement agencies are doing what they can to fight crime but the help they need isn't coming from Ottawa, says B.C.'s solicitor general.

"You need to tell [the federal' judiciary, 'You're letting us down,' " Rich Coleman said during an address to 125 members of the Surrey Chamber of Commerce last Thursday.  "They should be part of the solution, not the problem.  The judicial system that is supposed to reflect the values of communities has to start to listen to the people in those communities."

Known as B.C.'s top cop, Coleman told the story of an RCMP officer who picked up a suspected car thief who was subsequently released.  Two hours later, the same officer was in a high speed chase, pursuing the same suspect in another stolen car.

"He had 30 convictions," said Coleman of the suspect.  "The justice system is letting us down."

Stiffer sentences for serious crimes do have an impact, said Coleman, who added the system is also failing in the fight against marijuana grow operations and other aspects of the drug trade.

"In the Fraser Valley, there will be 2,000 to 3,000 grow-ops raided and shut down this year," Coleman said.  "Right across the border in Whatcom County, they won't have 10.  Why? In Washington state, they've raised the bar.  Have a grow-op with more than 100 plants, it's an automatic five years in jail.  For your first offence, it's three months in jail and they seize your assets.

"In B.C., you can be charged seven or eight times and still not get incarcerated."

Coleman is preparing legislation in this province that would allow authorities to seize assets of suspected drug dealers.

"If you have a grow-op, the police arrive," he said.  "Then the next guys coming in are going to take your house, your car and your bank account.  Then you have to prove you bought them with legal money.  The onus is on you."

Coleman finished the address by again urging communities to speak out against a lax justice system.  "We give all the tools we can to our law enforcement officials and we will give them more," he said.  "But when the criminals come out the other end, we need the help of the judiciary, we have to send a message."