CHIEF BLASTS RAVE SCENE

Police Chief Julian Fantino said he couldn't stand by while drug dealers
preyed on children, but social workers say his anti-rave crusade won't win
him any friends among the city's youth.

"When I learned of the kinds of things that happen in that scene, I couldn't
not sound the alarm," Fantino said at a community meeting in 12 Division
last night.

He reminded the audience of about 100 that the rave death being probed by a
coroner's inquest happened nearby.

'GOOD TIME'

"Raves provide a venue and willing customers for the drug dealers. (They
are) mercenary merchants of death preying on kids who are out for a good
time," he said, adding he supports city council's vote to suspend raves on
city-owned property.

But Dana Milne of the Syme-Woolner Centre said: "You can criminalize the
behaviour, but you can't stop it."

Youth worker Jacqueline Guishard said teens were also targeted by Community
Action Policing -- the program which increases the number of officers on the
street in problem areas during the summer.

'PERCEPTION'

"Last summer during CAP there was a police officer stopping every young
black person who walked by," Guishard said.

Russell Walker of For Youth Initiative said youth already had a negative
attitude toward police because "there is a perception that police target
vulnerable groups like youth and visible minorities."

But Fantino angrily defended his police force.

"You can't make broad statements that we go out and do our jobs
unprofessionally. I'm not going to sit here and have you malign a glorious
institution and its 7,000 members -- most of whom would put their lives on
the line. Don't stereotype the police force," he said.