Perception is not reality and the problem you see isn’t always the one that’s the biggest.
I was part of a recent meeting with Belleville Police where they asked people about ways of improving communication and also our thoughts on the local crime scene.
Like some people I talk to on a daily basis, and others I see posting comments online, there were people in that room that thought the biggest issue or problem in the area is homelessness.
When they asked me, I said with no hesitation, “Drugs. The biggest problem is drugs and it’s not even close”.
There are literally dozens of arrests on drug charges in the area every month. We don’t see it happen, but the crimes and the dangers connected to it are very real.
Last Friday, the OPP released details of 10 arrests connected to the crackdown on illicit cannabis operations in Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory. The plant seizure alone was worth $122 million.
Last Wednesday, seven people were arrested in Belleville in connection with a drug raid that seized quantities of both fentanyl and crystal meth.
While it produces many challenges and is sometimes connected to drug use, homelessness itself is not a crime.
Producing and selling drugs, the use of guns and other weapons to protect the supply, and the property crimes committed to get money to buy the drugs add up a much larger problem, even if it’s harder to spot.
I’m Paul Martin and that’s what I see looking Beyond the Headlines.
(PAUL MARTIN)
