Edmonton Police Service
Report a Drug House
Keeping Drug Dealers on the Run:
A Quality of Life Initiative
Background
• Large geographic area; diverse community
with lowest police to citizen ratio.
– 300,000 pop. / 120 patrol members
– Not typical drug neighborhoods
– Increase in hard drugs in these areas and a rise
in property crime and disorder.
– Booming economy/population shift
Scan
• Awareness of problem through Target
Hardening and tasked Drug House work
• Crime existed but unreported (apathy)
• Typical law enforcement ineffective/triage
• Perception by Community that Dealers
operating with impunity/good people
moving (not acceptable)
Analysis
• ‘Report a Drug House’ in Sept. 2005 a
forum for the public to report drug houses.
• The key to success; community
involvement.
• Direct connection to property crime and
disorder as reports flowed in (analysis)
Analysis
• Ritchie area (20 sq. blocks) 35% drop
in these crimes immediately and
current
– “cut my teeth” on notorious Drug Houses in
this Community
– Utilizing these new methods, these 3
neighboring houses were closed
– A temporary spike with 2 other Houses in
the area, they were shut down and the drop
in crime still stands
Analysis
• Definition of a Drug House;
– “Any residence with drug activity that attracts the
attention of the community and negatively impacts
quality of life in the community.”
– 3 Levels of Drug Houses:
• High-level (fortified and/or labs)
• Mid-level (dial-a-dopers, property for drugs,
high traffic)
• Low-level (minor drug activity, party houses)
Response
• Decision to target drug houses to disrupt
criminal activity and improve quality of life
for neighbors.
• Media blitz and Drug House pamphlet
(5000) in public places with phone line.
Response
Response
• Community Stations and Patrol Officers to
report citizen complaints of drug houses.
• All S. Div. Crime Stopper tips on drug
houses.
• 48 drug houses reported in one week; 186
reported from Sept. 2005 to June 2006.
• Centralized data collection. Ongoing
analysis.
Response
• Information gathering (community)
• Gather all intelligence on address and names
(CPIC {NCIC} and internal data)
• Initial “recce” of the property
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Physical look at house
Identify tenants/owners (plates, mail)
Talk to neighbors/”knock and talk”
Analyze data received from “recce”
Response
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1st visit to tenants and warning
Partnership action
Letters to neighbors
Eviction if needed
Partnerships
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Community
Landlords
Intra-Agency
Municipal Departments
Provincial (State) Agencies
Federal (Drug Court)
LANDLORD DISCLOSURE SCRIPT FOR DRUG HOUSES
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Good Day, I am Cst. BRODEUR of the South Division, Report a Drug House
Initiative, are you the owner of (House)? I have received anonymous information in
regards to criminal activity at this address. What can you tell me about this?
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As a Landlord I believe you should know what is happening at your house;
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I’m sorry sir, due to privacy concerns I cannot divulge personal information in regards to
the tenants in this house, however, I am involved in an ongoing investigation pertaining to
this address.
there is a lot of vehicle traffic, short visits in nature where someone from your house
comes out to the vehicle quickly and delivers a package of some kind.
there is a venting system coming from the house
I have received reports of strange odors coming from the house
horrible condition of the house and yard, lots of garbage
windows are blacked out
Police have attended this address before, though I cannot divulge this information to
you, under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, you can write
to the Correspondence Unit at Police Headquarters and request our files pertaining
to your address.
Again, is there anything you can tell me about this?
Have a good day and please call me if you need any assistance. (phones and e-mail
address)
Assessment
• 186 addresses reported
– 162 cleared (111 concluded, 51 inactive)
– 88% clearance rate
– 80% rate that fit the 3 levels of drug houses
• Problems-Solutions
– Sped up Court process (no longer need
for lawyers and bailiffs)
– Internal Affairs (pro-active communication)
Assessment
• Displacement
– Expanding program through the city
– Neighboring jurisdictions seeking assistance
– Re-establishment never as large or overt
• Commitment
– Current working model and expanding
– Other jurisdictions seeking template
Assessment
• Benefits
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Cost effective
Utilization of volunteers/students
Intelligence network (#1 citywide)
Increase in rate of Police satisfaction
Decrease in property crime >35%
Disorder no longer an issue
Nexus removed and property crime in
Ritchie have remained down(25-35%)
Contact Information
South Division
#104 Youville Dr. E.
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6L-7H6
Constable Maurice Brodeur (Reg. #1848 )
Community Programs
Ph: (780) 426-8247 or Fax: (780) 426-8211
Email: maurice.brodeur@police.edmonton.ab.ca