A day-long summit is underway in downtown Vancouver, drawing together mayors, police chiefs, physicians, and prosecutors – among others – to discuss public safety, crime, involuntary care and treatment for those with addiction and mental illness.
The event was organized and hosted by Save Our Streets, an organization formed by businesses and community groups frustrated by street homelessness, break-ins, street violence and the lack of treatment options for affected people, as well as a justice system that appears ill-equipped to handle repeat violent offenders.
The mayors of Nanaimo and Vancouver, top police for Surrey, Vancouver and the RCMP, as well as the BC Crown Counsel association, addiction physicians and business leaders discussed those issues at panels for a limited audience at the Wosk Centre for Dialogue.
Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog pointed out that that the erosion of mental health supports, introduction of a toxic drug supply, and unattainable housing market are aggravating personal struggles, leading to homelessness and drug dependency.
“Nobody wants to touch the hard cases, and it’s not about being cruel or nasty, it’s about the ultimate compassion,” he said, noting that Canada and the U.S. have similar approaches and challenges.
“You do not see it in Europe, you do not see it in other parts of the world, you see it in North America.”
Policing leaders agree crime is actually down
The police leaders at the event acknowledged there’s a disconnect between the stats and public perception: crime is down according to their statistics, but people are feeling more unsafe.
“We’re not going to arrest our way out of this particular problem,” said Kash Heed, former West Vancouver police chief and one-time solicitor general.
“We need to look at a new model of policing.”
Focusing different strategies in different areas of Vancouver has been effective, according to Vancouver’s police chief, who said that high-visibility policing and targeting shoplifters in the downtown core, for example, is working.
“I think we all know what the problems are,” added Chief Const. Adam Palmer, suggesting involuntary care should be a bigger priority than it already is.
“We need government commitment to look at secure mandatory care and stop these people upstream from being a danger to themselves and others.”
The group also acknowledged that their profession has already changed as a result of community needs.
“As a police chief, I see the trend line that more and more we get involved in issues that are not mainstream policing, but because we’re the only ones available at two in the morning, we get involved,” said Norm Lipinski, chief of the Surrey Police Service.
“We’re had to adapt training in terms of mental health and outreach and de-escalation.” added B.C. RCMP commanding officer, Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald.
“In our communities, when people look for police they want to know, ‘Am I safe? Can I trust you?’”
Inadequate training positions at the police academy was cited as an ongoing issue, and Lipinski added that he often hears from the public that they want to see more officers in uniform on the street.
Provincial involvement
The speaker list was predominantly composed of those critical of government responses to the public safety challenges that have accelerated since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The minister of state for community safety and integrated services acknowledged that there are visible problems on downtown streets, but emphasized the human tragedy involved.
“We have to separate the consequences of crime from drug addiction. Drug addiction is a health issue,” said Terry Yung, who said his priorities are poverty reduction and connecting people with services, and listening to speakers and delegates at the event.
The newly-elected MLA insists the NDP heard public concerns “loud and clear,” but pointed out there are now 3,700 treatment beds in the province among other responses, insisting they are making progress and that “Vancouver’s not dead; we’re not dying.”
The role of the courts
A former judge and one-time attorney general at the first panel on justice issues acknowledged his own views have changed based on the situation that is currently frustrating many British Columbians.
“There are cases now where the interests of that person have to be set aside for the public interest and involuntary care, probably, is the right way to go,” said Wally Oppal.
But Oppal and others pointed out the stage when an offender is facing sentencing is the end of a long road of personal struggles and falling through the cracks in the social safety net. Krog noted the over-burdened health-care system is unable to provide the kind of diagnosis or long-term treatment people need.
Adam Dalrymple, president of the BC Crown Counsel Association, said that prosecutors are “under-resourced.”
“We need more people to reduce the number of files and we need to reorient the prosecution service to the front line and to the communities,” he said.
