A Winnipeg community group says helping people learn how to report criminal activity to police can close meth houses and reduce petty crime.
Sel Burrows helps runs the Point Powerline community watch group in Point Douglas.
He said the neighbourhood is seeing results, with about one meth house shutting down about every couple of months.
Every two or three months, Powerline sends out a flyer with information and its phone number.
The people who call them are afraid or don’t know how to contact the authorities, he said.
When people call and report a meth house, Burrows said, the group contacts the landlord, who is instructed to tell the tenants to stop with the drugs, or face eviction.
If the landlord is intimidated, they’ll be connected with the police community support unit.
Burrows said the strategy is having an impact in other Winnipeg neighbourhoods.
He said he’s been helping a man in the North End, who is now calling the police and 311, which has helped cleaned up about six blocks in his area. Another in the West End, who Burrows said is also making strides to make a few blocks safe.
At the moment, Burrows said there is still one street where the group hasn’t been successful.
He said are two active meth houses, and a potential third in the area.
CTV News asked Burrows if the meth houses that close simply move somewhere else.
He said the group is not made up of social workers or enforcers, but the strategy is about saying “you can’t do this illegal behavior” in the community.
He said when a meth house does close, the petty theft drops because many of the people who steal don’t travel that far.
