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Senior police officer wants a word with parents and teachers Sgt. Chuck Duecet, who is in charge of RCMP drug awareness for B.C.

Senior police officer wants a word with parents and teachers Sgt. Chuck Duecet, who is in charge of RCMP drug awareness for B.C., has been invited to present a short information session to parents and teachers in Whistler on drug use and abuse in the province. He will be joined by Corp. Bob Holl for the Nov. 17 presentation. "There is an ad hoc committee of 22 professionals in Whistler, councillors, doctors, vice-principals, police officers who formed the Whistler Drug and Alcohol committee," explains RCMP Const. Warren Tomalty. "We have invited Chuck Duecet up to provide information regarding the illicit drug trade in the Whistler area. There will be information on how marijuana, cocaine and heroin affects youths. Marijuana isn’t a gateway drug anymore. There are lots of statistics... The drug level in marijuana has increased by an incredible fold since the ’60s. Every day, or every week there is a grow operation in someone’s house. It’s being brought down south and the coke is coming up. In some cases it is on par, one for one." Tomalty says the committee wants to get to parents and teachers first. "They are the role models. It has all changed, they can see how it is affecting society right now." A letter will soon be sent home with all elementary and high school students requesting parents to send back the form saying if they will attend or not. "(The information session) is not much time out of people’s lives. And they do live in Whistler," points out Tomalty. "There are lots of opportunities in a small town for an illicit drug trade." Tomalty also points out that it has been just over a year since Whistler RCMP busted 33 people for drug trafficking in this area. Police have a lot of balls A recent dive drive to collect golf balls from locals golf resorts has raised $2,000 cash which will be donated to youth through Whistler Rotary Club programs. Tomalty says RCMP and the Rotary Club recovered a few thousand balls by scuba diving. "It was too deep for snorkelling... I’m a professional trained by the force so we’re tethered and it’s very safe. There are divers lost every year down south looking for golf balls. There are a lot of places I wouldn’t dive, there’s logs underwater and no vision." Apart from the golf balls Tomalty also recovered two bent golf clubs and one ball retriever. Camera never lies Bus drivers have now waded into the fray of photo policing with a recent incident. A schoolbus heading west on Lorimer Drive stopped to let children off and put out it’s flag. A Whistler woman driving eastward drove right past the bus. The bus driver acting on the spur of the moment took her picture and submitted it to police. The woman was given a ticket for passing a school bus and received a $144 fine. "She was very cognisant that she had gone through and understood why she was getting the ticket," says Tomalty. "But please people, we’ve got kids out there." DIPS dip deep in pockets There has been a recent increase in the number of people charged with being drunk in public (DIPs). Tomalty says the phenomena is normal but they are charging more people lately and the fine is $58. "As a warning to people if you don’t turn around, or you’re causing a disturbance and won’t leave, or you’re too intoxicated you’ll be put in the drunk tank so you don’t hurt yourself." A friend’s car is no sanctuary from the long arm of the law either. "We stopped a vehicle at the PetroCan on Oct. 17 at 2:30 a.m. One male passenger was intoxicated but the driver was not." Unfortunately the driver didn’t have insurance and the car was towed away. This left the police with a drunk guy in their possession. "We put him in the drunk tank and the other guy was allowed to go," says Tomalty. "So if you’re intoxicated make sure you don’t go into a vehicle that’s not insured." I said steel rims, not steal rims Police are applauding the foresight of thieves looking for all-season tires but they would prefer that they confined their consumerism. "People start to steal tires as soon as the season changes," says Tomalty. "I’m glad they’re conscientious but they should spend their own money." Tomalty suggests that people don’t leave their tires out. Studded tires and all-seasons were taken from the Sarajevo Drive area of Whistler’s Creekside.