3317 replies to this topic

[pontcanna]

MLAs might offer flicker of hope on police merger

• Times Colonist
• 19 Feb 2022 -
• Les Leyne

Hope still flickers in the minds of people who look at Greater Victoria’s policing structure and ponder what might happen if there was an outbreak of common sense. There’s a lot working against that dream.

 

People have come to accept that five separate municipalities with four separate police departments and three RCMP detachments serving eight more municipalities under various contracts is just the way it is.

 

The optimism created when Saanich and Victoria residents voted to create a citizens’ assembly to study amalgamation is sputtering now. It stalled during the pandemic and is now hung up on the issue of whether the B.C. government will chip in funding. The start of the municipal election season could further delay it.

 

More: https://www.timescol...-forces-5083034

 

[Mike K.]

The amalgamation discussion stalled well before the pandemic.

[Barrrister]

Unless someone untangles the mess that has become Victoria the chances of anyone wanting to amalgamate with Victoria is low. 

[Victoria Watcher]

Police ask those who live, work and play in Oak Bay to take 5-minute survey

Responses inform police department priorities for 3-year strategic plan

https://www.vicnews....minute-survey/#


It’s a simple survey. But I’m not sure that a survey should guide police activities or even priorities. There are two specific questions that ask about priorities. I don’t think that’s appropriate. Systems or even some procedures might be suitable for debate, I’m not sure prioritising some criminal investigations over others should be the outcome of a poll. Especially a very unscientific one.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 20 February 2022 - 06:41 AM.

[todd]

^But they can check off the box for community feedback


I point this out every year when I do the survey 

Edited by todd, 20 February 2022 - 03:00 PM.

[pontcanna]

@vicpdcanada

 

There is an opportunity every day to choose kindness. Stand up to bullying in all forms & make our community a safer, healthier & more inclusive place.  #PinkShirtDay

 

[pontcanna]

VicPD Officers And Staff Receive Trauma Resiliency Training  

 

Date: Friday, February 25, 2022

 

Victoria, BC – Wounded Warriors Canada (WWC) is proud to begin the delivery of Trauma Resiliency Training (TRT) in Victoria today to officers and staff with VicPD.

 

Developed at the University of Victoria by Dr. Tim Black and Alex Sterling, the WWC Trauma Resiliency Training is designed to teach organizations that trauma resiliency is the result of individuals and organizations working together in an ongoing effort to manage the effects of trauma exposure. Participants learn that traumatization is not an inevitable consequence of exposure to trauma but rather an ongoing risk of the job that, when managed, reduces the likelihood one will be injured.

 

TRT is a train-the-trainer program whereby selected officers and staff from VicPD will receive three days of clinically facilitated training to form a TRT Peer Team. Once trained, the peers will lead the manualized training to their colleagues across the organization. Ultimately, through members receiving TRT training, the objective is to have VicPD staff receive the most recent and relevant trauma education, have opportunities to learn, practice and hone trauma-management skills, and work to ensure trauma-informed social support becomes the organizational standard.

 

“Trauma Resiliency Training is an innovative program that helps organizations make trauma-exposure management a new professional standard,” said Scott Maxwell, Executive Director of Wounded Warriors Canada. “We continue to see that once members better understand trauma, they want increased education and tools to manage post-trauma responses. We commend VicPD for bringing TRT into their organization and want to thank the members who will form the TRT Peer Team for going above and beyond their duties in their desire to bring additional mental health support to their colleagues.”

 

“We recognize the intense burden that our officers carry in responding to crises of all kinds, and we see the effects of that trauma on our staff every day,” said VicPD Chief Del Manak. “The Trauma Resiliency Training by Wounded Warriors Canada provides our officers with skills to manage post-trauma response, and to empower them to better understand some of their own experiences. Our officers and staff selflessly and tirelessly focus on the safety and well-being of the community, and this training is an important opportunity for them to turn that focus on themselves to improve their own well-being and resiliency.”

 

“Trauma-exposed professionals, such as police officers, work under conditions where both physical and psychological injury are accepted and well-understood risks of the job,” said Dr. Tim Black. “TRT is designed to provide individuals in trauma-exposed organizations with knowledge, skills and tools to help mitigate the risk of on-the-job exposure to traumatic events leading to traumatization. Simply put, exposure to trauma in these professions is inevitable but traumatization doesn’t have to be.”

 

 

[pontcanna]

Victoria Police Department

 

 

 

Chief Manak, Inspector Jones, & Cst. Moretto are proud to represent VicPD at the @ourplacesociety Coldest Night of the Year walk. An important opportunity to raise awareness & funds for those experiencing homelessness & living in poverty.

 

 

[Victoria Watcher]

When it comes to fashionable police vehicles, one Canadian magazine is rolling out the red carpet for the Saanich Police Department.

As part of its annual Best Dressed Police Vehicle Awards for 2022, Blue Line — a national law enforcement magazine — has given top honours to Saanich Police Department’s regular patrol vehicles.

Blue Line says the awards recognize vehicles that showcase innovative, sustainable and effective designs that have “clear identification, graphic designs that enhance visibility, elements that show directionality of travel and effective integration of equipment and controls.”

The publication says it also takes in green and environmentally-friendly vehicles as part of the grading rubric.

https://www.cheknews...agazine-958980/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 February 2022 - 01:37 AM.

[pontcanna]

Oak Bay Police Board Announces New Chief Constable  

District of Oak Bay
News Release

February 28, 2022

The Oak Bay Police Board is pleased to announce that current Oak Bay Deputy Chief Mark Fisher will be appointed as the new Chief Constable effective September 6, 2022. Oak Bay’s Chief Constable Ray Bernoties announced his retirement, which will become effective September 5th, earlier this year. Mr. Fisher’s appointment followed work by the Board to review the position needs and undertake an interview process. The transition period will allow for a selection and onboarding process of a new Deputy Chief Constable this spring and summer.

“We are thrilled to have Deputy Chief Fisher step into the role of Chief Constable,” stated Oak Bay Police Board Chair, Mayor Kevin Murdoch. “He has demonstrated exceptional leadership during his time in Oak Bay and has brought great insight from his diverse policing and leadership experience across Canada. As you may know, Mr. Fisher was the Chief Constable of Oak Bay from 2011 to 2014 and was responsible for initiating many positive changes within the department. He has continued that positive contribution in his current Deputy Chief role and has a great vision for community policing, so we are very happy to have him as Chief Constable once again.”

“I am looking forward to taking on this new role and continuing to build on the strong community policing model we deliver in Oak Bay. We have a dedicated team of civilian employees, volunteers, and police officers that I am proud to serve alongside. Oak Bay residents have always been very supportive of our department. Oak Bay is a fantastic place to serve as a police officer,” stated Deputy Chief Fisher.

Deputy Mark Fisher was appointed as the Deputy Chief of the Oak Bay Police Department on Sept 1st, 2020. Mr. Fisher brings 31 years of policing experience, including service as Officer in Charge of the Westshore RCMP, Officer in Charge of the Nanaimo RCMP, RCMP Liaison Officer to the Province working on justice reform initiatives, and was most recently the Commanding Officer of the Saskatchewan RCMP.

[todd]

^ He seems OK, as did Ray.

[Victoria Watcher]

I had to read three different news releases / stories until I found out why he left Oak Bay before.

TC had it.

[todd]

I had to read three different news releases / stories until I found out why he left Oak Bay before.

TC had it.

“officer in charge of the Nanaimo RCMP“

[pontcanna]

West Shore Mounties going electric with Tesla and Mustang

 

Mounties at the West Shore RCMP detachment will be the first in Canada to start regular patrols and front-line police work in marked Tesla electric cars.

The detachment will also introduce a Ford Mustang ­Mach-E GT into its fleet at some point this year for testing.

Todd Preston, officer in charge of the detachment, said two Tesla Model Y vehicles are being outfitted in Ottawa and will be on the streets of Langford, Colwood, Highlands, View Royal, Metchosin and the Esquimalt and Songhees First Nations within a few months.

“They are super-peppy vehicles and can go 500 kilometres on one charge,” Preston said Thursday in Langford, where the city unveiled plans for the Island’s first Tesla sales, service and delivery centre — a 35,000-square-foot facility that is expected to be completed by June 2023.

“Our officers couldn’t be more excited about this,” Preston said of the electric cars.

He said while West Shore RCMP is the first force in Canada to use Teslas for front-line policing and day-to-day use, about 30 departments in the U.S. are already using them.

The RCMP, which has just over 10,000 police vehicles, with a turnover of about 1,500 per year, has pledged to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050.

Preston said the Tesla Model Y is roomy and powerful and will be outfitted with all the equipment officers will need, including special bumpers and attachments to affix the light bars over the vehicle’s glass roof

Tesla said its Model Y has all-wheel drive with two independent electric motors that digitally control torque to the front and rear wheels for better handling, traction and stability control, adding the vehicle can function off-road.

Heather Kellington of the Tesla Owners of Vancouver Island — who drives a new Model Y — was asked if the cars are powerful enough for police pursuits.

“If you’re a passenger, hold onto your cup of coffee,” she said. “[The acceleration] does throw you back in your seat.”
 

More: https://www.timescol...mustang-5124821

 

[pontcanna]

Police watchdog probes arrest after traffic stop in Cobble Hill
 

​British Columbia's police watchdog is investigating after a woman allegedly sustained a serious injury during a traffic stop in Cobble Hill, B.C. 

 

The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) says the incident happened at 10:55 p.m. on Feb. 11. 

 

An RCMP officer stopped the woman in a grey Mazda 3 near Shawnigan Lake Road and Mile End Road. 

 

The woman reportedly did not obey police direction and was taken into custody and transported to the Duncan RCMP detachment, according to the agency.

 

On Feb. 16, the woman reported to police that she had sustained a serious but non-life-threatening injury during the arrest, the IIO said. 

 

More: https://vancouverisl...-hill-1.5805819

 

[pontcanna]

Seems like just yesterday when Constable Kerrilee Jones was pulling a less than coherent woman out of my van one morning downtown...woman had broken a window and settled down for a nice sleep...

 

Victoria Police Department

Inspector Kerrilee Jones is a key VicPD leader. With 24 years of service, she has served in roles ranging from Patrol, Investigative Services Division, Human Resources, the Community Services Division and many years as a Crisis Negotiator with the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team. As the Inspector of the Community Services, Division she leads a key team of officers who support many of the most at-risk people in our community. Happy International Women's Day to women of all ranks and roles in the VicPD team. You inspire us!  #internationalwomensday 

 

[pontcanna]

40 seconds of bland reassurance from Chief Del about this weekend's planned "occupation". As a companion piece to the cut and paste job that was VicPD's news release on the subject, I hope that they're playing possum

 

 

https://www.youtube....h?v=02RpIrvrww4

[pontcanna]

Police investigating sudden death of infant at Saanich mall

Saanich Police Department called to Tillicum Mall at 2:30 p.m. March 10

Mar. 11, 2022

Saanich police are investigating after an infant died suddenly at Tillicum Mall Thursday (March 10).

The department was called to the mall around 2:30 p.m and is calling the death sudden and tragic, but isn’t releasing any details at this time.

The BC Coroner’s Service is also conducting its own investigation.

 

https://www.saanichn...t-saanich-mall/

[Victoria Watcher]

The Esquimalt Council has voted down supplemental budget requests from the Victoria Police Department, citing that the township is in the midst of the budget process and is evaluating departmental requests for additional funds.

Council says it has declined requests for additional funding to support specific sworn officer and civilian roles with the exception of funding for restorative justice.

According to a review of the budget allocation formula for policing in Esquimalt and Victoria carried out by the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General in 2020, the portion of VicPD’s budget Esquimalt was responsible for—14.7 per cent—did not align with the demand for policing services in Esquimalt.

https://www.cheknews...funding-993079/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 22 March 2022 - 12:13 PM.

[Mike K.]

Press release:

Esquimalt council has voted down supplemental budget requests from VicPD for the 2022 budget. The township is in the midst of the budget process and is evaluating departmental requests for additional funds.

Esquimalt council has declined requests for additional funding to support specific sworn officer and civilian roles with the exception of funding for restorative justice.

In late 2020, the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General held a review of the budget allocation formula for policing in the Township of Esquimalt and the City of Victoria. The report looked at available data—including figures from VicPD—and determined that the portion of VicPD’s budget Esquimalt was responsible for—14.7 per cent—did not align with the demand for policing services in Esquimalt.

The review cited Esquimalt’s declining calls for service and low crime rate as part of the data considered. In essence, the report stated that the municipality was paying a disproportionately high amount relative to the actual demand for services. It’s important to note that per legislation, the township does not make operational decisions about how the budget is used within the department.

“We made further budget decisions this year—including the supplemental requests—that we believe are more in line with our use of resources from VicPD”, said Mayor Barbara Desjardins. “For instance, we know that overtime and other costs are increasing due to the number of protests we’re seeing downtown. While police presence is important for these types of events, Esquimalt should not be the only municipality in the region contributing to these costs simply because VicPD provides policing in our township.”

The township paid $8.4M for policing in 2021, or approximately $479 per capita. As a result of recommendations in the Ministry’s report, the township’s budget allocation was reduced from 14.7 to 13.67 per cent this year. However, this leaves 22 per cent of the township’s spending earmarked for policing services in the 2022 budget.

“Public safety is top of mind, as is appropriate spending for our services. Our goal is to be adequately policed while fiscally responsible to our residents and businesses,” the mayor stated.

This decision comes as the current Police Framework Agreement, which governs the Victoria and Esquimalt amalgamated service delivery, nears its expiry and the township is approaching the renewal deadline this July. Staff will be reaching out to the Esquimalt community over the next two months to help determine the level of satisfaction with the current combined policing model.