518 replies to this topic

[Mike K.]

Could someone please stop this broken record? How many times is the local media going to report on how some expert thinks integration is great and criminals know no boundaries?

Jeez, just get on with it and quit the lallygagging!

[aastra]

...criminals aren't restricted by municipal boundaries...

I think we need an expensive study to confirm this. Yes, they're criminals, but surely they're also keenly aware of municipal boundaries? And surely they're decent and respectable enough to restrict their criminal activity to their home municipalities? Surely they realize they'd be unfairly burdening taxpayers in other municipalities if they were to go further afield?

[gumgum]

I have committed numerous criminal offences in Oak Bay, but I wouldn't so much as litter in Victoria proper.

[sebberry]

Probably not something you want to admit on a public forum

[VicHockeyFan]

And surely they're decent and respectable enough to restrict their criminal activity to their home municipalities? Surely they realize they'd be unfairly burdening taxpayers in other municipalities if they were to go further afield?

On the contrary. Most criminals I know are also taxpayers. So they choose to commit their crimes in other municipalities, provinces, states or countries.

[sebberry]

Most criminals I know are also taxpayers

Due to the beauty of the English language this can be read one of two ways:

"Most criminals I know" implying that you know several criminals, in which case time to find a new group of drinking buddies...

OR...

Most criminals I know are also taxpayers, with the emphasis on the "I know are taxpayers" part, indicating you don't hang out with crooks and that you simply know that they are probably taxpayers.

I'm hoping it's the latter.

[gumgum]

Probably not something you want to admit on a public forum

It was a joke.

[sebberry]

I know it was, hence the ":p"

[Mike K.]

This thread is going to get flagged by the Central Saanich internet investigative crack team if gumgum keeps up his littering talk and if VHF continues to speak of buddies with ill gotten gains.

[Sparky]

Central Saanich internet investigative crack team

[manuel]

Right. I admit it. It was me how was watching the submarine races with a blonde 7 years ago at the Oak Bay Marina.

Yes, we walked away faster than the cop could run, but we were young and scared then. Sorry for all of the problems that our living in Victoria caused.

Look what happened to us Now we're married and have a blond curly haired daughter. All because of those submarine races....

[Sparky]

Everybody knows that the submarine races are held south of Dallas Road.

I think that blonde tricked you.

[Anders]

After reading some of the comments on this forum regarding policing, I have to say I agree with Bernard's comments - there should only be one police force for the entire province. I'm reminded of a recent article in the Times Colonist where Jack Knox pointed out that Australia's states all have a single police force each (in addition to the federal police for crimes involving federal jurisdiction) - no municipal forces at all.

Quick example:

Queensland
Gov't: Constitutional Monarchy under HM Queen Elizabeth II of Australia
Popluation: 4.52 million
Geographic Area: 1.85 million square kilometres
Police Forces: 0 municipal, 1 state and AFP for federal crimes

British Columbia
Gov't: Constitutional Monarchy under HM Queen Elizabeth II of Canada
Population: 4.51 million
Land Area: 0.944 million square kilometres
Police Forces: 11 municipal, 1 transport (South Coast), 1 tribal, 0 provincial, and RCMP (96 detachments for local policing and federal crimes)

My question is, what did the our Commonwealth cousins do right that they were able to keep policing so streamlined and efficient (as opposed to BC and Canada's fractured and dysfunctional system)?

[Sparky]

I could not find a CRD thread where this topic should be, so here it is. The CRD is now becoming the final approval body in some growth related developments.

So a developer that plows his way through all of the necessary municipal procedures now has to get the approval of the CRD. The member electoral areas have banded together with a regional growth strategy. If a particular municipal body wants to amend the growth strategy to accommodate a particular development, then it must present this amendment to the CRD for approval.

Geezus!!!

I don't think very many people were aware of, or had input to this new procedure, were you?

To add to this, the Provincial Government and the CRD do not agree on what each of their boundaries are when it comes to development approval, like the proposed resort near the Juan de Fuca trail. (feel free to chime in on this one Zoe, as I think you probably have more information on this than most)

Add to all of this some more, the CRD is now thinking of changing their voting rules as to who can vote on what development.

I must admit that I am not much of a fan of amalgamation because I enjoy the uniqueness that of each of our distinct areas provide us (politically speaking) Metchosin vs Oak Bay kind of differences.

But this new gag of regional growth approval........I haven't thought this all the way through yet...... I don't think I like it, but some may think it is the answer to our prayers.

http://www.timescolo...4896/story.html

[Holden West]

The bill for last week’s Defend Our Coast protest is in: $32,000.

That’s how much the Victoria Police Department spent on the protest against the proposed Enbridge Northern Gateway pipeline

VicPD has been advocating for a single police force covering all 13 municipalities in the Capital Region. The integrated force was a cornerstone of the department’s most recent strategic plan.

“We’re still a long way away,” acknowledged [Mike] Russell. “But all we can do is advocate. The provincial government holds the key with the Police Act.”

VicPD: pipeline protest shows the need for an integrated force | Metro

[Mike K.]

Apparently Lower Mainlander's just recently voted 57% in favour of a unified police force covering the lower mainland.

I just heard this in passing this morning but I have no direct link to an article. Would anyone have any additional details?

[Jill]

I'm not aware of a recent vote on this issue. Wally Oppal included a regional police force in the recommendations in his Pickton report, and that's been getting some attention in the Vancouver press. None of the articles I've read have referred to a vote.

[Linear Thinker]

Apparently Lower Mainlander's just recently voted 57% in favour of a unified police force covering the lower mainland.

I just heard this in passing this morning but I have no direct link to an article. Would anyone have any additional details?

Not a vote, an Angus Reid poll.
"In Metro Vancouver, a majority of respondents (57%) support creating a single police force that would oversee the entire Lower Mainland"

The poll questions related to recommendations from the Missing Women Inquiry.

[Mike K.]

Ah, poll. Thanks. It was communicated to me as "vote" and which explains why I couldn't find an immediate article or reference.

I wonder what the results of such a poll would be on the south Island. We certainly don't have the sort of violence that occurs with frequency on the mainland so the issue of policing and public safety isn't as hot a topic in every municipality as it must be in Metro Vancouver's municipalities.

[Holden West]

Jamie Graham, 2009:

As he finishes his first year as Victoria's police chief, Jamie Graham has seen enough uncertainty over who's policing what to predict that Greater Victoria's six forces will merge into one department.

"There's not much question we're moving down the road to a regional police solution for the whole southern peninsula, from the ferry terminals to Oak Bay to the West Shore," he said during an interview.

Jamie Graham, 2013:

“A common sense examination of the patchwork quilt of police departments in this region suggests there may be a better alternative, and the people I talk to tend to agree,” Graham told the News. “But there are different views and we respect them.”

Graham hopes to eventually see one municipal force from North Saanich to Victoria, and from Oak Bay to the West Shore. In the short-term, he hopes a regional communications centre can be established, but admits it’s a “tough sell.”

[...]



I'll leave that space blank so one day I can insert a similar article in 2018.