Recent search warrants executed by Powell River RCMP, the subsequent media release from police and a Peak article detailing the arrest of a resident at a supportive housing complex resulted in a flurry of negativity on social media about the facility.
Responses are unfortunate and paint an unfair picture of what is happening overall at the complex, and efforts of multiple organizations providing support for people in need.
There is no denying the negativity related to charges of illicit drug trafficking, stolen property and prohibited weapons, but the facility where these items were found should not shoulder the blame for all illegal activity in Powell River.
The individual arrested is unlikely to be the only person allegedly trafficking drugs in the region, or involved in the other illegal activities highlighted in the investigation and seizures.
Is the supportive housing complex in question perfect? No. Will it ever be? Not likely. But neither will Powell River as a whole, despite efforts of police and agencies tasked with dealing with problems that won’t be going away anytime soon.
After a year in operation, by all accounts, positives outweigh the negatives at the Joyce Avenue facility. Thwarting illegal activity is another positive. Police officers are doing their jobs, now it’s in the hands of the court system to address one problem, allegedly created by one person.
Let a judge determine the fate of the individual arrested, and let’s not judge Lift Community Services or others providing a safe haven for people who aren’t engaged in illegal activities. They should not all be painted with the same brush.
