LOTS OF DRUGS HERE, CANDID OFFICER SAYS

Illicit drugs are freely available in Steinbach and the RCMP have their
hands full trying to stay ahead of the situation, a frank-speaking local
commanding officer told city council this week.

Sgt. Jake Hiebert, speaking on a wide range of topics to council on
Tuesday, said there is a "lot of dope out there" and he and others are
working with the young officers in the detachment to develop techniques to
deal with the drug trade.

Sgt. Hiebert, a Kleefeld native with 35 years' policing experience who
recently became commander of the city and rural detachments, made the
candid comments on local drug use after a question from Mayor Les Magnusson.

He said while many of the players in the drug trade are known to police,
the process of investigation and apprehension is slow and cumbersome.

Sgt. Hiebert said he wishes local residents would be more willing to come
forward with specific information, adding he believes many are fearful of
retaliation.

He provided several specifics on drug use, pointing out just last week
Grade 9 girls at Steinbach Junior High School were found to be involved
with cocaine and methamphetamines.

He did not elaborate further, but went on to say police believe some of the
drug trade is associated with a 24-hour local restaurant.

On more general policing matters, the commander noted he has 16 officers in
the city and rural detachments. The city will receive an additional officer
in April, bringing the total to 10.

The staff complement represents a good start toward the goal of 24-hour
policing in the city, Sgt. Hiebert noted.

There are two additional more senior officers in these detachments. The
highway patrol unit is a separate detachment although it works out of the
same building.

The commander told council his officers are a dedicated force, frequently
putting in many unpaid extra hours to catch up with the ever-increasing
load of paperwork and the need to load information into national databases.

As an example of good police work, he pointed to the recent arrest of
several people in connection with a string of armed hold-ups in the city
and another in Sarto.

Sgt. Hiebert said it is his dream to have officers walking the local
streets for a couple of hours each day.