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What's The Problem? London Road can be a wonderful place to live. A short walk away from downtown this historical neighbourhood boasts character and convenience that many communities can only envy. London Road is home to a diverse demographic group and many would maintain that this diversity is invaluable for the creation of a rich and rewarding community. However, even proponents of diversity object to the negative influence that ‘drug houses’ have on a neighbourhood. Dealers selling from their homes bring people from far and wide who come and go at all hours of the day and night, argue, shout, fight and otherwise disrupt any serenity, security or comfort that communities may have developed. The effects of living close to a drug house are tangible: lost sense of security, loss of sleep, fear for children in the neighbourhood, frustration and helplessness. This is a reality that an unfortunately high number of London Road residents are having to live with on a daily basis…but it’s not a reality that has to be accepted. By taking three steps London Road residents can join together to protect themselves and their neighbours from the disruptive and dangerous influence of drug dealers living and selling out of houses in our area.Get Involved! Apathy and willful blindness are friends to crime, while unity and community are powerful deterrents. As the London Road Area Coordinator for Lethbridge Neighbourhood Watch, I strongly urge all London Road residents to join this non-profit, volunteer-driven organization. Signing up for Neighbourhood Watch is a paltry $3 per household one time fee. Benefits include: 1) meeting members of your neighbourhood who share your concerns about security and safety; 2) the security of knowing that others are looking out for you; and 3) a 60% sign up in your block allows you to have a Neighbourhood Watch sign put up (these recognizable signs put potential criminals on notice that others are monitoring the area). In order for Neighbourhood Watch to be effective, participation is required. Each block (both sides of the street) requires a ‘Block Captain’. This is simply a person willing to go to the houses in their block and ask people to sign up and collect the $3 fee. Block Captains then pass on membership information to the Area Coordinator…the rest is simply looking out for one another and attending meetings when you’re able or have a specific concern. For more information about Neighbourhood Watch go to
Or if you’d like to sign up or volunteer to be a Block Captain you can call Constable Randy Ward at 403.330.5020. Get Vocal! So, you’ve signed up for Neighbourhood Watch and they’re going to be putting signs up on your block…now what? Police Officers can only intervene against drug dealers and drug houses if they have enough information to get a search warrant or make an arrest. This is where community action comes in. The Lethbridge Regional Police Service complaint line is 403.328.4444. If you are awakened by shouting, have your driveway obstructed by an unknown vehicle, see persons who appear to be driving under the influence, or believe you are witnessing a drug buy, etc. you can call this number. The more people that call, the more likely there will be a response. In speaking with members of the Lethbridge Regional Police Service I have learned that ‘the squeaky wheel gets the grease’. In other words, if you want something done you have to ask for action to be taken and not assume that others will do it for you. However, you should know before you call that you will be asked for your name, address and telephone number. This information is not for public record, but a record is made of the complaint for police purposes. If you have questions about revealing this information don’t hesitate to ask the person on the complaint line for details. If you are more comfortable with making an anonymous tip about criminal activity you call Crimestoppers (1-800-222-8477) or go to
where you can submit an anonymous tip online. You can also set up a file number and continue to collect information about a particular residence. If, for example, your Neighbourhood Watch group shares a Crimestoppers file number on a specific address then any suspicious activity, vehicles or persons can all be reported to the same file by various people. The richer the file, the more likely that action will follow. However, while Crimestoppers is anonymous, it is less likely to bring an immediate response to a complaint and it is not the place for complaints about noise disturbance, etc. London Road Neighbourhood Association has set up a method of contacting the area constable to report ongoing crime . The email address for this is: Take Action! People may be frustrated by the way Police Officers seem to have their hands tied by the heavy burden of proof required for criminal proceedings. However, there is another way to approach the activities of drug dealers and the existence of drug houses. A community in West Lethbridge embarked on what has been termed a Nuisance Neighbourhood Action Suit against a drug house that has negatively impacted them for some time. This is a civil class action suit by all people directly affected by the property complained of and is essentially a suit for damages incurred as a result of the loss of enjoyment of property. This option allows complainants/plaintiffs to sue for the damage that the nuisance of the drug house’s unreasonable use of the property creates, without needing to make any criminal allegations (or be subject to the criminal law’s stringent burden of proof).Taking Back the Neighbourhood We are all interested in improving our neighbourhood…for the sake of our children, our families, our friends and ourselves. Who wouldn’t want to live in a peaceful, character neighbourhood, close to downtown with friendly neighbours and strong community ties? The very existence of drug houses in the London Road area poses a tangible obstacle to this goal. Drug houses replace trust with suspicion, comfort with fear, and inevitably destroy the value of neighbourhoods. By getting involved, getting vocal, and taking action these threats to our community can be minimized. A strong community is not a place where criminals want to be. Neighbourhood Watch Coordinator Telephone Contacts:
Email Contacts:
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