CRIME 'OUT OF CONTROL'?

RCMP STATS SHOW TORY CLAIMS OFF THE MARK

Russ Hiebert's dire warning that a "crisis of crime" is sweeping Surrey
doesn't add up, according to police and the city's new mayor.

Hiebert played the crime card earlier this week at a Newton press
conference, saying Conservative candidates are the only ones fit to combat
rampant criminal activity here.

"Crime is out of control in Surrey with street racing, grow houses and
shootings," Hiebert claimed.

But that alarmist view isn't backed by police statistics, and it's a view
Mayor Dianne Watts maintains just isn't the case.

While Surrey does have challenges as a result of population growth, Watts
said strategies are underway to address the issues. That includes adding
police and treatment centres to deal with drug addicts responsible for much
of Surrey's property crime.

"I wouldn't say it's out of control ?" I do believe we have issues we need
to address," she said.

Watts added street racing occurs in some rural parts of the city, but is by
no means an epidemic.

Hiebert has made crime a central issue in his re-election campaign, calling
for mandatory jail sentences and higher fines for drug dealers.

Wednesday, he said the problem in Surrey has reached crisis levels.

"When I go door knocking as of late, this is the number one issue people
are bringing to my attention.

"This is...certainly one of the highest concerns we've been hearing."

Despite Hiebert's insistence crime is "out of control", RCMP figures show
the crime rate is down.

Statistics show Surrey is no different than most other Lower Mainland
municipalities when it comes to crime.

Surrey's crime rate ?" measured as the number of Criminal Code offences per
1,000 people ?" has gone down since 2001. In the same period, the
provincial rate went up nine per cent.

"The issues and challenges in policing are not isolated to Surrey," RCMP
Const. Marc Searle said.

"We are experiencing the same challenges that most communities across the
Lower Mainland are."In fact, 30 municipalities recorded higher crime rates
than Surrey in 2004, including Whistler, Victoria, New Westminster and Langley.

Of 21 Lower Mainland municipalities, Searle said Surrey ranked seventh last
year in robberies, 15th in commercial break-ins and 10th in residential B&Es.

The Conservatives reasoned that even though Surrey is only
middle-of-the-pack in the Lower Mainland, the region still has one of the
worst property crime rates in Canada.

Hiebert also points to a nine per cent increase in violent crimes reported
last year in Surrey. Nationally, violent crime went up 12 per cent in 2004.

Watts called that "a spike" related to drug use.

"I don't think we can say that is a trend," she said.

Hiebert said much of his supporting data was supplied during meetings he
chaired as part of the Conservative Safe Streets task force. That task
force toured the country.