Canadian Press

p. A5.

Edmonton mails Dear Johns letters to cut prostitution

EDMONTON — About 70 customers of prostitutes from across Western Canada have received letters asking them not to bring their business to Edmonton streets.

Deputy Edmonton police chief Jim Henderson said police sent letters to the homes of about 70 men who had been stopped or arrested on city streets this year.

Some of the men live in B.C. and Saskatchewan, Henderson said.

For the first quarter of 1992, prostitution arrests in Edmonton are down by almost 30 per cent compared with the same time last year.

Henderson credited the activities of inner-city residents who have mounted a vigorous campaign to harass prostitutes and their customers.

So far this year there have been 167 prostitution-related offences recorded by police.

The figures are down by 71 from last year when there were 238 during the same period.