RCMP are calling a recent undercover operation that targeted prostitution and drug dealing a success in the continuing effort to make the downtown area a safer place. The two pronged operation –dubbed “Project E-Phatic”– targeted the customers of prostitutes (known as ’johns‘) as well as street level drug dealers. “This is the first time in recent memory that we‘ve targeted ’johns‘ in the downtown area,” said Cpl. Henry Proce, RCMP spokesman. RCMP disguised two female officers as prostitutes on June 2 and June 9 and made a total of 12 arrests of men attempting to purchase sex. Eight of the 12 men arrested, who ranged in age from 20 to 73, are eligible to attend a “john school” in Vancouver. If they pass the class, which will cost the offenders $500 to attend, they will have the charges dropped. “Our goal is not to punish, it‘s to educate,” said Const. Sue Kolibaba, who has been responsible for running other RCMP initiatives aimed at curbing prostitution. “During the class they hear from the parents of street workers and from the street workers themselves,” said Kolibaba, who said the aim of the program is to give johns an understanding of the impact the sex trade has on the lives of prostitutes, most of whom are using the proceeds of their work to support a drug addiction.According to Kolibaba, the school has a very high success rate and most of those who attend do not reoffend. “The girls I know in Vernon have addictions; they‘re not out there to pay the mortgage,” said Kolibaba. The second prong of the undercover operation targeted the bottom rungs of the drug distribution ladder, street level dealers. A total of more than 20 charges are expected to be laid against 13 individuals as a result of the operations. According to RCMP, there is evidence that increased patrols at previous drug dealing hotspots has paid off. “We‘ve seen a tremendous decrease in the activity around the cenotaph. It used to be we couldn‘t get within 100 feet of the area without being offered drugs,” said Const. Kevin Cyr, one of the officers involved in the undercover operation. Cyr said that he was surprised to find that the number of men and women dealers were relatively even. Cyr added that crystal meth, a drug already being called an epidemic across much of western Canada, was so far relatively unavailable in Vernon. “Our problem drug is crack cocaine,” said Cyr. Cyr also said that it was no coincidence that the two main denominations of crack is sold in – 0.2 grams for $20 and 0.4 grams for $40 – coincided with the prices currently being charged by prostitutes.
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