Iqaluit councillors heap praise on RCMP for storefront busts

A view of the old entrance way at the Iqaluit Northmart story, prior to the installation last year of new doors. Although Northwest Co. has now made the Northmart’s porch area smaller, it’s still prime turf for small-time drug peddlers. In response to complaints from numerous Iqaluit residents, including city councillors, the RCMP say that at random intervals, they’ll continue to crack down on such activity. (FILE PHOTO)

Iqaluit city councillors lavished praise on the RCMP April 17 for a series of busts this past March that scooped up half a dozen small-time drug peddlers from the front of the Northmart store and other public spaces.

“It’s positive news to hear of the police cracking down on drug dealing in public spaces,” Coun. Romeyn Stevenson said at the April 17 meeting of Iqaluit City Council.

Coun. Stephen Mansell, patched into the meeting by telephone from a hotel where he’s on vacation, also said he likes the police crackdown.

“Since I’ve become a councillor, getting hassled in front of stores is the issue people have talked to me about the most,” Mansell said.

Sgt. Kevin Lewis, who’s in charge of operations at the Iqaluit RCMP detachment, referred to the police action in a report to council.

Called “Operation Vegas,” the police crackdown used undercover officers to buy drugs and illegal liquor from people hanging out in front of storefronts and bars.

RCMP laid multiple charges against six people, all of which involve allegations of marijuana trafficking and sales of illegal liquor.

Lewis said the Iqaluit detachment will continue such crackdowns “at random intervals.”

“No one enjoys going to the Northmart store and walking through a gauntlet of drug dealers,” Lewis said. “We’re becoming desensitized to that.”

In his monthly police reports, Lewis reported that crime rose only slightly or even declined during those months compared with the same periods in 2012.

For example, the police dealt with 92 complaints of crimes against persons in February 2012, compared with 81 in 2011.

In March 2012, police recorded 94 crimes against persons, compared with 129 in March 2011.

Councillors used their April 17 meeting to catch up on a long list of housekeeping items, due to the cancellation of their last two scheduled meetings.

One was cancelled because of the sudden death of deputy mayor David Ell March 26, while another was cancelled for lack of a quorum.