Earlier this month, the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service launched “Project Heat.”   It stands for “High Enforcement Action Team,” and it sees officers assigned to crack down on crime the downtown core to help make feel people safe.   They've also been arresting those profiting from drug sales and trafficking, and today, the police service showed off some of the success from this crackdown.    

"Project Heat" has been running for less than a month, but that didn't stop the Sault Ste. Marie Police Service from showing off the goods officers have seized while policing the downtown core.

"If we didn't have this material, l it would be in the hands of people today, both being victimized and utilized for violence in our community."  Said Chief Hugh Stevenson.

From a sawed off shot gun, to hand guns, rifles and thousands of dollars’ worth of illegal drugs, everything was on display.

"That has resulted in 69 individuals being arrested over the last month, and about 127 criminal charges being laid in relations to those arrests. At the same time, officers were able to seize over 18,000 dollars’ worth of narcotics right here in the Sault Ste. Marie streets." said Constable Sonny Spina

The Chief says it was important to get this material off the streets of the Sault.

"These have been seized off mid-level distributors in this community who are making money off of this industry. It's been seized off of obviously users who we try to get treated." he said.

Every day, it seems like someone in the Sault is posting online about their vehicles getting broken into. Now, the Chief says a successful “Project Heat” will have a trickle down affect all over town.

"It will have secondary impacts on the community. And those impacts will be to reduce the amount of thefts from autos and break and enters to residents and businesses where they are stealing to buy this material."

Chief Stevenson says the next goal is to target the drug bosses and the people bringing the drugs into the community. "Project Heat" is slated to wrap up in September, but he says it can be extended if necessary.