By Richard Rolke - Vernon Morning Star - February 27, 2008
A graphic video about crystal meth and its impact on individuals and families shook up Vernon’s civic leaders. Council members were visibly troubled Monday after viewing Stolen Lives, a video produced by the police to highlight the link between drug use and vehicle thefts. “It had a real impact and impression on us,” said Mayor Wayne Lippert. Besides images of thieves stealing bait cars, there are scenes of doctors operating on victims of accidents involving stolen vehicles. The video includes interviews with those involved in stealing cars as well as the widow of a man who was killed in an accident while driving to work. “It’s very powerful. There are no actors,” said Insp. Steve McVarnock, with the Vernon RCMP. “What you see is what you get. It’s the real world.” The video was developed by Sgt. Tim Shields, who is now the officer-in-charge of the Lake Country RCMP. It has been shown in secondary schools across the province, including recently in Vernon, Coldstream and Lumby. “We're had great success in the schools with this,” said McVarnock. He will also be showing it to Crown counsel at the court house. “We want them to see the impact of car thefts and drugs.” said McVarnock of the Crown lawyers and judges who are involved in the sentencing of auto thieves. Coun. Pat Cochrane is hopeful the legal system will take the video’s message seriously. “The penalties don’t reflect the crime,” said Cochrane. “We are doing everything possible to get people not to drink and drive, but with something equally as bad or worse because it involves stealing vehicles, it has no penalties.” Coun. Juliette Cunningham wonders if the city should look at forcing merchants to restrict the sale of ingredients used to make crystal meth. “It’s being productive. It would make it more difficult to get their ingredients,” she said.
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