Lisa Helps is a lame duck and should have no say in this matter.
Greater Victoria police forces issues and news
#2201
Posted 21 July 2022 - 03:47 PM
#2202
Posted 21 July 2022 - 03:57 PM
#2203
Posted 21 July 2022 - 03:59 PM
Edited by Victoria Watcher, 21 July 2022 - 04:00 PM.
#2204
Posted 03 August 2022 - 05:27 AM
Why crime severity score is Victoria 148, Oak Bay 29. Hint: partying
Victoria police chief says workload is not being shared fairly. Regional force makes sense, says criminology professor.
https://www.timescol...artying-5652258
Nor does the article come close to explaining that headline.
Edited by Victoria Watcher, 03 August 2022 - 05:28 AM.
#2205
Posted 03 August 2022 - 05:36 AM
#2206
Posted 04 August 2022 - 09:01 AM
#2207
Posted 04 August 2022 - 10:33 AM
“The disparity in the crime severity index and the fact that the city of Victoria continues to face the highest crime severity index of any community in B.C. with a municipal force, goes to show that a small police agency of our size can’t continue in the way that it is without having a regional approach and a regional lens,” he said.
“Imagine if, as a region, we had the resources to scale up and scale down, instead of the huge urban area that the Victoria police have to deal with — the protests, the capital city issues, the social disorder, the temporary and supportive housing units, all of the disorder that we see, the drug addiction, the treatment facilities, the majority of the liquor seats — they are all located in the city of Victoria.
Here's the thing: we've been hearing this same story for our entire lives (old dudes like Sparky have been hearing it for even longer). I've always been sympathetic to the Vic PD's situation, but for how many decades can we tolerate the same excuses?
Downtown Victoria's "huge urban area" isn't any bigger today than it ever was (the population has increased, yes, but very gradually over a long time). And that "small police agency" is right near the top re: the largest forces per capita in the country (not to mention its close relationship with another large force right next door in Saanich).
Many of the items highlighted in red above are either no worse today than they ever were, or they're no worse today than we would predictably expect because of population growth.
Some of the items highlighted in red are obviously much worse today than ever before. Nobody can argue against that. But it still rubs me the wrong way when they paint routine things as if they were not routine by lumping them in with the more exceptional things.
I'll use the analogy of a landscaper's job: mowing the lawn and trimming the hedge are his fundamental responsibilities. I should expect him to be able to manage staffing, costs, supply issues, etc. related to those responsibilities. Now those bear traps and rattlesnakes that the CoV puts in the yard in order to make my mowing and trimming more difficult... yes, I can complain all day about the bear traps and rattlesnakes because that's a ridiculous situation. But I shouldn't extend those complaints back around to my fundamental responsibilities. You get my meaning on this? And yet the Vic PD has been making regular complaints about its fundamental responsibilities for decades.
Once again we've got talk of a "regional police force". Standardized jargon tends to indicate a scripted narrative, as we all know. But the actual issue here is Vic PD's budget and staffing. Are we saying there's absolutely no way Vic PD could possibly ever have adequate resources under the Vic PD umbrella? Why are we so eager to say that? How could a "regional police force" ever make a significant difference to downtown policing unless taxpayers in the other municipalities start paying a lot more for policing than they're paying now? It's not as if Oak Bay has dozens of officers and vehicles just sitting around. It's not as if Vic PD is constantly begging Oak Bay for assistance and they're constantly hanging up the phone.
Any "regional police force" would surely be making the same old excuses in short order. "Downtown is too big, it's too much of a burden, we need more funding and more officers", etc.
Victoria eyes early closing for bars
Times-Colonist
23 Feb 1994
Closing cabarets earlier and at staggered times might help police cope with the flood of people who pour on to city streets in the early hours, says Victoria's mayor. "Instead of worrying about increased costs of dealing with the problem, let's go to the source of the problem and let's see if we can do anything about that," Mayor Bob Cross said...
The city has long been concerned about problems created when bars close and people pour on to downtown streets. Police say their resources are stretched to the limit. "This has been discussed before and we have never been able to reach a good consensus on it."
Cross will ask the city's liquor licensing committee and staff to look into the matter and make recommendations prior to contacting nightclub operators. The number of licensed seats should likely be examined as well...
Victoria Police Chief Doug Richardson hammered home his point at the budget meeting with council, after working downtown at night recently. "It was almost fire-hose policing from one call to another." He witnessed "violence and destruction. It was just amazing."
---
Daily Colonist
January 4, 1963
Too Many Thefts
Too Few Constables
"Can the Police Stop This?"
A mounting wave of burglaries and safecrackings has district merchants asking: "Can the police stop this?"
Recent victims and police alike blame lack of manpower for the problem.
W.J. Clark, insurance manager of Hagar and Swayne, said burglary claims against insurance had increased over the past few years.
More Than Ever
"Before 1958 or 1957 we didn't have a burglary claim of any kind for 10 years. (aastra says: give me a break) I think there were 18 last weekend. There were a great many more claims in the past 12 months than there had ever been before in Victoria."
There have been more than a dozen major safecrackings in the area since early last year with a total haul of almost $70,000, together with dozens of minor burglaries and many unsuccessful safecracking attempts.
Most recent safe job happened yesterday morning when more than $2,000 in cash and cheques was taken from a city store.
Most of the victims said police were doing the best they could, but almost all felt police forces are understaffed.
"In business circles it has been questioned, 'How come there have been mighty few arrests.'"
"We are satisfied the police give us the attention we require but we are disappointed that nobody is caught."
Mr. Davies is manager of the city store hit by safecrackers yesterday.
Mr. Davies' store has lost $7,000 in three robberies in the past three years. None was recovered, he said.
City Police Chief John Blackstock said flatly that his force is understaffed.
"There is no question the force is short of men. Victoria now has 98 men and we need more. The business area is stretching out, there is more work to be done, the population is bigger."
"We have good ferries now and they can take the 7 a.m. ferry and be pretty well across the water before we know about a job."
Leave Lights On
"Have the safe where it can be seen from the street. Have windows on back alleys barred. Leave lights burning inside and in the alley."
"Leave a number of marked bills in the safe at all times. Make sure premises are securely fastened. We get an average of about 90 insecure premises a month."
"Trying, But--"
"They don't seem to be able to catch anybody. Nobody gets caught. We could have more police in Oak Bay. They are all in cars. They would catch you if you went through a stop sign. There should be some beat constables walking around."
Need More
"The police are doing the best they can with a huge territory (Saanich)... We do need more police in Saanich but I don't think Saanich can afford it. The whole thing would be more efficiently run if there was amalgamation."
"After a while you wonder what is going to stop it. I would like to see beat policemen increased.
- Nparker likes this
#2208
Posted 04 August 2022 - 10:39 AM
In the past we didn’t have 25% absenteeism though. That is encouraged now, under the banner of mental health.
Edited by Victoria Watcher, 04 August 2022 - 10:39 AM.
#2209
Posted 04 August 2022 - 02:13 PM
Who was the longest serving Victoria police chief?
#2210
Posted 04 August 2022 - 04:05 PM
#2211
Posted 04 August 2022 - 04:19 PM
Oak Bay mostly polices with their reputation. Some people think they’re tough and they’re intimidated..It's not as if Oak Bay has dozens of officers and vehicles just sitting around...
#2212
Posted 04 August 2022 - 05:07 PM
No, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. The extra level of government gives me comfort. …. Now that the pot shops are legalJesus.
Edited by todd, 04 August 2022 - 05:24 PM.
#2213
Posted 05 August 2022 - 05:51 PM
August 5, 2022
Looking through photos of her beloved son Sean on Friday, Shirley Brown took in a deep breath and got lost for a moment seeing her family in happier times.
Her brown-haired boy pictured smiling, soaking up childhood, and recorded in photos right up to his recent birthday, before he was shot and killed by Nanaimo RCMP on July 23.
54-year-old Sean Brown, had been diagnosed with bipolar disorder years ago, and had been living independently on a disability benefit, until he started experiencing episodes of extreme paranoia a few months ago.
His dad was still waiting for a counselling appointment he called Island Health about for Sean, and he texted his mom, just hours before his death.
His parents knew that Sean’s best friend was picking him up from his Nanaimo apartment, and according to his parents, the two were in her black Kia travelling down Haliburton Street when they began arguing and Sean punched her.
That’s when she called 911 and told Sean to get out of the car.
According to witnesses CHEK News has spoken to, a woman was waving at traffic saying ‘Help me’, as cars passed...“They shot and killed Sean and it seems that there were several shots,” said Shirley.
#2215
Posted 08 August 2022 - 10:26 AM
Holy moley! Where's the rest of the car?
#2216
Posted 08 August 2022 - 10:28 AM
In a media release, police said patrol officers found a 1991 white Acura Integra in the area of Livingston Avenue and Maclure Road at 3:02 p.m.
Officers lost sight of the car, police said, but then relocated it at 4:11 p.m. in the area of Hillcrest Avenue and Emerson Street.
The officers knew the vehicle was involved in “a recent violent crime in another jurisdiction” police said, and that’s when a decision to pursue the car was authorized.
#2217
Posted 11 August 2022 - 05:16 PM
Saanich cop stalked ex-girlfriend for years using police computers, misconduct probe finds
A high-ranking B.C. officer used police resources to conduct at least 92 searches on his ex-girlfriend and her family while stalking her over a period of five years, according to documents exclusively obtained by CTV News.
A misconduct probe into Staff Sgt. Andrew Walsh, who was the head of the detective division for the Saanich Police Department at the time, began in April of 2021 after a woman he previously had a romantic relationship with made a report to the province's Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner.
The woman, who CTV News is referring to by her initials. T.B., made the complaint after Walsh "in uniform and out of jurisdiction" showed up at her home – where he had never been before -- nearly four years after their relationship ended, according to the finding of the discipline authority.
"It was absolutely shocking to me," T.B. tells CTV News, adding that she moved in 2020 and was relieved to live somewhere where Walsh did not know to look for her.
"When did he find me here? How did he find me here? Has he been driving by in unmarked cars? It's just such an invasion and intrusion. It was a bad relationship, not a good split up. I've created a real safe, loving environment and relationships for myself. It ripped a hole into my safe world."
The next day, she contacted the Saanich Police Department, where she had worked for 30 years. One of her primary worries was that Walsh had used police databases to get information about her. She made the formal complaint soon after.
The 2021 incident, the investigation found, was just one example of what was described as "egregiously serious misconduct" committed by Walsh after his relationship with T.B. ended in 2017.
However, Walsh was never fired. He retired before the investigation concluded.
CORRUPT PRACTICE
The investigation found that Walsh did, in fact, use a database to "query" T.B. and 13 of her family members at least 92 times. He conducted searches on at least 61 occasions – all when he was on duty. The people searched included T.B.'s children, her mother, her siblings and her nieces. They also included her ex-husband, current partner and her deceased father.
"Staff Sgt. Walsh was an accomplished and educated police officer who would have investigated or supervised countless intimate partner violence, harassment and stalking investigations, and would have understood the impact of his behavior on T.B. and her family, particularly over such a long period of time."
Neither the OPCC nor the Saanich PD would comment on this case. CTV asked Walsh for comment but did not receive a reply.
The second part of this investigation, focused on T.B.'s frustrating experience with the criminal justice system, will be published Friday.
More: https://bc.ctvnews.c...finds-1.6024059
#2218
Posted 11 August 2022 - 05:21 PM
I wish Walsh a happy retirement.
Sometimes love never works out I guess. Despite 92 attempts.
Police: we believe you / all women
Except:
Neither the OPCC nor the Saanich PD would comment on this case.
Edited by Victoria Watcher, 11 August 2022 - 05:27 PM.
#2219
Posted 11 August 2022 - 05:35 PM
Jeff Buziak is gonna love that story.
#2220
Posted 12 August 2022 - 03:32 AM
- Times Colonist
- 12 Aug 2022
A Victoria Police Department dog handler has been cleared of wrongdoing after a robbery suspect was bitten by a police dog and required 32 sutures.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C., the civilian agency that investigates all police incidents involving serious injury or death, said deployment of a police service dog under the circumstances of the arrest was “within the reasonable range of force options available.”
The IIO said the incident unfolded when two VicPD officers responded to a robbery call at a convenience store at 11:40 p.m. on Jan. 29 at Yates and Quadra streets. The call described a male suspect armed with a metal baton.
The officers, who were not subjects of the IIO investigation, located the suspect a block away still carrying the baton.
The suspect later admitted to the IIO that he was using intoxicants that day and “feeling high.”
A struggle ensued as the officers attempted to make an arrest and a third officer arrived and released a police dog, which bit the man on the head and upper leg. The suspect said he blacked out and woke up in an ambulance.
The two officers were struggling to handcuff the suspect, and unable to effectively use a taser, as he resisted them. There was a move by the suspect to try get something out of his pocket.
He was later found to have a utility knife.
“It was not unreasonable for the [canine officer] to conclude that [the suspect] who was now uncontrolled and reaching into a pocket, potentially for another weapon, posed a real risk of bodily harm to an officer,” the IIO report said.
The man was treated at the scene and taken to hospital where he received 32 sutures for cuts and lacerations from dog bites.
More: https://www.timescol...ice-dog-5688777
- Matt R. likes this
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