By Stephanie Froese

Increased numbers from policing, not crime

Mar 28, 2011 | 6:29 AM

Crime is not going up, enforcement is — this is the message around an increase in drug related offenses last year.

Statistical data form the Prince Albert Police Service shows total crimes involving controlled drugs went up 52 per cent from 2009-10.

Sgt. Kelly McLean with the Prince Albert Police Service said he spoke to the enforcement officers that were directly dealing with this. He said there is no specific narcotic becoming more prevalent.

“They also don’t feel that the drug activity in the city is becoming more prevalent,” McLean said.

According to a report by the Prince Albert Police Service, drug possession rose 72.2 per cent to 93 occurrences in 2010. Drug Trafficking increased by 25 per cent to 55 occurrences in the same year.

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“What we’re dealing with here is targeted enforcement,” McLean said.

There are specific mandates that are laid out by administration and usually in they are joint forces operations that are run with the local RCMP, McLean said.

“That’s why in some cases were seeing a very dramatic increase.”

They are very confident they are not seeing an increase in the actual use or distribution of these drugs, McLean said.

McLean said they will continue to monitor this data very closely as the year goes on.

sfroese@panow.com