21591 replies to this topic

[rmpeers]

If the Chief has indeed been taking a hands off approach to drug dealers -and god knows a stroll downtown on any given day will suggest that the drug trade is openly thriving - then where is that direction coming from?

[Midnightly]

If the Chief has indeed been taking a hands off approach to drug dealers -and god knows a stroll downtown on any given day will suggest that the drug trade is openly thriving - then where is that direction coming from?

 

 

more news stories about youth overdoses and shocked saddened parents

[Victoria Watcher]

^ some of that is because we have normalized drug use. just this week island health told festival goers how to use drugs more safely. abstinence was not mentioned. is there a safe way to play Russian roulette?

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 June 2019 - 01:45 AM.

[Cassidy]

I'm rather enjoying this hardball the new Chief is playing.

It's looking more and more like a childish temper tantrum than anything resembling hardball.

 

Although the anti-cop COV Council certainly doesn't help the situation, VicPD has received substantial increases in budget every year, year in and year out, for decades now ... and to suddenly not be able to do their job unless they get another major increase seems not only disingenuous, but also reeks of incredibly bad senior management, one that's unable to budget for the realities of the VicPD's actual funding.

 

And then there's the optics of having the Chief's temper tantrum result in citizens receiving less policing on all fronts.

When all the above is examined through a critical eye, it really makes it look like it's time for Del to get the boot.

Edited by Cassidy, 27 June 2019 - 05:39 AM.

[Mike K.]

How much has the CoV’s budget increased since 2011?

[Victoria Watcher]

I can agree with the most of that cassidy.

but I also know a lot of the increased police calls is also the result of council welcoming so many low barrier shelters.

i’d also like to examine each one of those 46 911 calls on hold. and sort wheat from chaff there. how many were immediate threat to life and safety calls and how many were “there’s some cracked out zombie in centennial square” type calls.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 27 June 2019 - 05:43 AM.

[spanky123]

How much has the CoV’s budget increased since 2011?

 

Went from $41M to $55M from 2011 to 2018.

 

This is EXACTLY what I said would happen a couple of weeks ago. VicPD, at what I am sure is the urging of the board and Mayor(s), is manufacturing one crisis after another to put pressure on council to incrementally raise their budget. The broader battle is between Helps and Isitt with each one using this issue to undermine the other.

Edited by spanky123, 27 June 2019 - 05:51 AM.

[spanky123]

and to suddenly not be able to do their job unless they get another major increase seems not only disingenuous, but also reeks of incredibly bad senior management, one that's unable to budget for the realities of the VicPD's actual funding.

 

I realize that the police are different, but in general, if a private sector company had 15% of its staff off sick then the board would be taking a hard look at senior management.

[Mike K.]

Do we know the CoV’s budget, but not just VicPD’s budget over that timeframe?

[spanky123]

Do we know the CoV’s budget, but not just VicPD’s budget over that timeframe?

 

Total expenses

 

2011  $167.9M

2018  $198.9M

 

About 2.6% a year which is about 1.5% less per year than the VicPD budget.

[Mike K.]

So we can correlate the police budget increases with the arrival of Helps as mayor and her policies towards populations known to require increased police interaction and enforcement.

Helps told us we would be saving money on policing by providing housing. Hundreds of low barrier units have been provided and police resources are in greater demand than they have ever been.

Why is the media not holding the elected officials who promised lowered policing costs as a result of their policies to account?

[Cassidy]

but I also know a lot of the increased police calls is also the result of council welcoming so many low barrier shelters.

 

But that's been going on for years now, some would even say well over a decade.

 

Senior Management's job in any organization is to "manage", and in Del's case that's simply not happening. 

Playing devils advocate, I'd point out that none of this stuff related to Victoria's ever deteriorating street scene happens quickly ... senior managers like Del have years in advance to plan departmental activities as required by the residents of the COV.

 

In general terms, you elect your local City Council, so you can't fire them (you made your bed as it were).

But the Police Chief is an employee of the City, and things obviously aren't going well currently in terms of law enforcement (for whatever reason), so you replace current questionable management with potentially new and better management.

 

Del's behaving less and less like a senior bureaucrat and more and more like a high profile political operative with a "more money" agenda ... never a becoming combination for a Police Chief.

Edited by Cassidy, 27 June 2019 - 06:19 AM.

[Mike K.]

To be fair to Del, he inherited the job during the most turbulent time in the force’s recent history.

And while he’s trying to build the force back up council decided they wouldn’t cover his $600,000 (or whatever it is) medical plan expense that they covered for all other municipal employees.

He’s also having to tip toe around Esquimalt’s position that it doesn’t care for additional funding as they perceive that money as being headed to Victoria.

He has a tough job and he’s being exceptionally cordial, all things considered. He’s trying.

[spanky123]

Bear in mind that half of the health tax costs are only for one year. This year both the Government and employee pay for MSP (the employee at 50% of last year's rate). Next year the employee portion drops to $0 and since the Government pays the employee portion they will all see a recovery. Want to bet that they forget to mention that in next year's budget?!

[Cassidy]

To be fair to Del,........... He’s trying.

Oh I agree ... it's not an easy job, rather it's a brutally difficult job (and not one I envy in the COV currently).

 

But he's a well compensated senior manger in a major taxpayer funded bureaucracy, and he's not succeeding in his assigned tasks currently.

Unfortunately, senior managers who either can't, or don't fulfil their assigned duties are usually obliged to hit the bricks.

 

Del may be making changes, but he's not making effective changes as they relate to the money he has available to work with. He's also not demonstrating effective long term planning ... rather he's simply asking for more money every year and claiming that if he doesn't get it, he'll have to majorly cut existing police services.

 

HIs actions don't demonstrate good, or more importantly - effective management ... even though he's very likely a really "nice guy who's trying".

[Mike K.]

He is making effective changes. He’s pulled school liaisons, he’s disbanded the CRU and he’s investing copoious amounts of time trying to educate the public and bureaucrats about the reality of the situation.

[spanky123]

Lets not forget that between Del, the police board and the mayors, a decision was made (and stated) not to enforce street level dealing or drug use unless it was tied to organized crime. Pot shops were allowed to flourish and nobody batted an eye when they sold shatter and other high THC processed processed derivatives. As Mike pointed out, the Mayor told us that by creating and no barrier shelters and free housing we would save $60K a year per person as well.

[spanky123]

He is making effective changes. He’s pulled school liaisons, he’s disbanded the CRU and he’s investing copoious amounts of time trying to educate the public and bureaucrats about the reality of the situation.

 

Are those really changes or just levers he is pulling to try and squeeze more money from the taxpayer?

[Mike K.]

With 30 officers unable to work, which is about 15% of the force, I can see why he's redistributing roles to frontline positions.

 

The issue is, though, that the shortcuts the force is taking today may not be felt for years into the future. Creating a sense of entitlement among those who are on the brink of criminality won't bode well for the community when they become full-fledged criminals because while in high school their older buddies told them "there are no repercussions for this stuff. It's easy money."

[Victoria Watcher]

Are those really changes or just levers he is pulling to try and squeeze more money from the taxpayer?

fair to ask right? not every police staffing decision requires a press release. unless you decide it does.