3323 replies to this topic

[Nparker]

Before investing too much time and resources into creating a regional police force, perhaps it would be wise to look at the cause - rather than the symptoms - of Victoria's disproportionately high policing needs: the actions and inactions of the the city's governing body.

[pontcanna]

Patrol Officers De-Escalate Armed Man In Crisis

March 11, 2020 - File: #21-9595

Victoria, BC – Patrol officers successfully de-escalated an armed man in a mental health crisis at a medical facility late this morning.

Shortly before 11:30 a.m. Patrol officers were called to a Victoria medical facility for a report of a man in a mental health crisis armed with a knife and threatening people. Several officers attended immediately and located the man outside of the medical facility, holding the knife to his own neck.

Officers worked for several minutes to de-escalate the man, using crisis intervention and de-escalation training. The man dropped the knife and surrendered to officers.

The man was brought to the hospital for a mental health assessment. No one was physically injured in the incident.

[Nparker]

I guess there were no social workers available.

[LJ]

I was thinking the 911 call takers should offer more, "911, what is your emergency, do require fire, police, ambulance or social worker?"

[pontcanna]

Waiting with mental-health patients at hospital taking too much police time

• Times Colonist
• 12 Mar 2021

Coun. Stephen Andrew says police have to remain with patients, sometimes for hours, until they can be assessed by a doctor.

 

Victoria police officers are still wasting too much time at Royal Jubilee Hospital waiting to hand over people who have been apprehended under the Mental Health Act as a danger to themselves or others, Coun. Stephen Andrew says.

 

Police have to remain with the patients — sometimes for hours — until they can be assessed by a doctor, and that’s taking officers off the streets and putting a strain on the department’s resources, Andrew says.

 

He wants the provincial government to reinstate special constable status for hospital security guards so they can take custody of patients upon arrival and let officers get back to their regular duties.

 

More: https://www.timescol...llor-1.24293451

 

 

 

[Victoria Watcher]

sounds like the average officer spends 4 hours per year waiting at the hospital.  is that a lot?

[spanky123]

Police have to remain with the patients — sometimes for hours — until they can be assessed by a doctor, and that’s taking officers off the streets and putting a strain on the department’s resources, Andrew says.

 

He wants the provincial government to reinstate special constable status for hospital security guards so they can take custody of patients upon arrival and let officers get back to their regular duties.

 

Aren't hospital security folks one step up from mall cops in terms of pay and training? 

[Mike K.]

I think the hospital security teams are far better trained, but I can't speak to their pay rates. Mall cops can only observe situations and call 911. The hospital security guys are trained in taking people down, physically holding them for police, de-escalating dangerous situations, etc.

[Kilo95]

Aren't hospital security folks one step up from mall cops in terms of pay and training? 

 

Depends on the hospital/health authority. VIHA hires and trains its own security, who I thought had special constable status, but perhaps that changed in the past few years. From what I've heard VIHA security is quite good and are not just "mall cops". In Vancouver on the other hand, St Pauls and Vancouver General use Paladin security guards, where the pay and training is often questionable, at best. 

Edited by Kilo95, 12 March 2021 - 01:23 PM.

[pontcanna]

Officers facing more threats, says police union

• Times Colonist
• 14 Mar 2021

If you don’t feel safe in downtown Victoria, Matt Waterman wants you to speak up.

 

The Victoria police staff sergeant has been patrolling the streets for 30 years and has never been more concerned over the violence downtown.

 

More: https://www.timescol...ence-1.24294163

 

 

 

[Victoria Watcher]

Officers facing more threats, says police union

• Times Colonist
• 14 Mar 2021

If you don’t feel safe in downtown Victoria, Matt Waterman wants you to speak up.

 

The Victoria police staff sergeant has been patrolling the streets for 30 years and has never been more concerned over the violence downtown.

 

More: https://www.timescol...ence-1.24294163

 

 

“If I had a wish, it would be that anyone who lives, works or even visits downtown Victoria and doesn’t feel safe talks to the politicians — and not just Victoria council. If you don’t feel safe, you should say something.”

 

In recent weeks, police have responded to a murder, a fatal van fire and an assault of a female Pizza Hut employee, who was punched repeatedly by two men.

 

They arrested a man who poured gasoline on an occupied tent in Cecelia Ravine Park and threatened to set it on fire with a blow torch.

 

They disarmed a man at gunpoint who had assaulted bylaw officers with a shovel. A bylaw officer’s vehicle was smashed with a sledgehammer. Police also seized a baseball bat with nails ­embedded in it at an ­encampment.

 

 

https://www.timescol...ence-1.24294163

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 March 2021 - 06:35 AM.

[kitty surprise]

Here's VCPU press release mentioned in T-C:

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Police Union Raises its Concerns Over Escalating Violence in Community Members feeling strain with violent crimes, property damage and priority calls

 

March 4, 2021 (Victoria, BC) – The Victoria City Police Union (VCPU) was disturbed to learn that one of its members was accosted by a male brandishing a metal pipe after leaving the Victoria police station after a shift last weekend. Unfortunately, this is not an isolated situation where members have reported being confronted with this sort of behaviour that threatens personal safety, when leaving the workplace.

 

This recent event is just one of several in the last two-week period where significant property damage, weapons seizures, and violent crimes have transpired in or near a homeless encampment. “We are sympathetic with the people of Victoria and Esquimalt who have been seriously impacted by the recent influx of anti-social behaviour. If our officers can’t feel safe walking to their own cars after shift, then how is the general population expected to feel right now?” said Len Hollingsworth, VCPU President.

 

Hollingsworth also added: “I am thankful that it wasn’t one of our civilian staff members or another member of the community that was confronted by that pipe-wielding individual. That officer has advanced training in diffusing these types of incidents and the training to deal with physical threats, it concerns me that had a less capable person been in this situation the results could have been much more serious.”

 

“We believe your community should be a safe, supportive place where all people can choose to live happy, healthy, productive lives. This includes citizens, visitors, and our own members. None of us should be afraid in our own community,” said Matt Waterman, VCPU Director, in response to the latest string of violent incidents reported.

 

The VCPU remains committed to working alongside community partners on the growing and evolving homeless situation. However, the Union is also calling for more support from the Municipality and the Province to ensure the city can manage the strain associated with increased violence and priority calls related to this issue.

 

“The current solutions aren’t working. It’s time that we start having bigger conversations to bring about real change in Victoria and Esquimalt that address the challenges with housing, mental health, addiction and resourcing of local law enforcement,” said Len Hollingsworth, addressing the second death in Beacon Hill in a 48-hour period.

 

Below is a summary of recent incidences that have occurred in the last several weeks, all accessible on the Victoria Police Department website:

 

March 4, 2021: Fatal Vehicle Fire in Beacon Hill Park Under Investigation

March 3, 2021: Information Sought in Beacon Hill Park Sudden Death Investigation

March 1, 2021: One Arrested After Gasoline Poured on Tent, Occupants Threatened

February 28, 2021: One Arrested After Confronting Off-Duty Officer with Metal Pipe

February 24, 2021: Victims, Witnesses, Surveillance Video Sought After Graffiti Spree

February 24, 2021: Officers Investigating After Queen Elizabeth II Statue in Beacon Hill Park ‘Beheaded’

February 23, 2021: One Arrested After City of Victoria Vehicle Damaged in Beacon Hill Park

February 18, 2021: Man Disarmed at Gunpoint by Special Duty Officers After Shovel Assault on Bylaw Officers

February 17, 2021: Information Sought After Weapons Seizure (Bat with nails embedded)

 

Other facts and figures on police resourcing and public spend related to this issue:

 

• In February 2021, the City of Victoria approved additional funding to bring in additional police officers on overtime to accompany bylaw staff conducting their duties in the city’s parks, as they do not feel safe in these spaces.

 

• In a 6-month period between June and November 2020 the Victoria Police responded to over 4,000 priority 1 and 2 calls to 13 shelters / temporary housing facilities in Victoria. To put this in perspective, priority 1 and 2 calls are the most serious ones, usually involving violence against persons. This number represents more calls of this nature than the total number of calls the next largest municipal police service responded to throughout their municipality in the same time period.

 

• In summer 2020, two additional shelters/temporary housing facilities were purchased in Victoria for over 33 million in tax-payer dollars. Collectively, those two locations received more than 400 calls between June and November 2020.

 

• In a three-month period at the end of 2020, police saw the following increases compared to the same time period in 2019: o A 250% increase in violence in Beacon Hill Park (8 incidents in 2019 vs. 28 in 2020), and an overall 56% increase in calls for service.
  • An increase from 1 violent incident in Central Park in 2019 to 15 in 2020
  • An increase of calls for service to Hollywood Park

 

• The Burnside Gorge Community has experienced a 100% increase in calls associated to violent crime since 2017 (51% from 2019 to 2020 alone) and total increase in calls for service of over 20%.

 

More about the Victoria City Police Union:

Our dedicated members have been serving the people of Greater Victoria for more than 160 years. Today, we are 250+ members strong working in the neighbourhoods of Victoria and Esquimalt to make our community a safe, supportive place where all people can choose to live happy, healthy, productive lives.

[Victoria Watcher]

all those savings from housing first.

4,000 high urgency calls to the 13 shelters in just 6 months.

 

by-law officers that have to be accompanied by police.   so much savings.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 14 March 2021 - 07:28 AM.

[Sparky]

Oh for Christ's sake....I just divided 4000 by 6 and got 666 per month

 

That can't be a good sign

[Nparker]

That's nearly one high urgency call every hour for 6 months.

[A Girl is No one]

all those savings from housing first.

4,000 high urgency calls to the 13 shelters in just 6 months.

by-law officers that have to be accompanied by police. so much savings.

And that doesn’t include fire, ambulance and all other services offered to them (safe injection, etc etc)

Edited by A Girl is No one, 14 March 2021 - 08:57 AM.

[lanforod]

May as well station police at each one

[spanky123]

Unfortunately this is where I think Del has let the side down. He came out a while back telling us the truth about safety downtown and then quickly backed off. Whether he felt his original claim was overstated and needed to be clarified or he felt pressure from the Mayor and/or Tourism Victoria I don't know but him flip-flopping on the issue didn't help anyone and now is pitting him against his own team.

Edited by spanky123, 14 March 2021 - 12:58 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

Unfortunately this is where I think Del has let the side down. He came out a while back telling us the truth about safety downtown and then quickly backed off. Whether he felt his original claim was overstated and needed to be clarified or he felt pressure from the Mayor and/or Tourism Victoria I don't know but he flip-flopping on the issue didn't help anyone and now is pitting him against his own team.

 

or he figured handing off the bad publicity to the union would take some heat off himself.  

[kitty surprise]

May as well station police at each one

 

That would be too sensible.