Our fractured forces: Is it time to overhaul B.C.'s police system?
After decades of jurisdictional squabbling, and three deadly tragedies, is it time to overhaul B.C.'s police system?
By Lindsay Kines, Katie Derosa and Jack Knox, Times Colonist September 22, 2010
I have added some personal comments on the article last posted from the TC as follows (my comments are capitalised):
A subsequent coroner's inquest recommended the "continued unification of the various police departments" in Greater Victoria.
ONE REASON THIS HAS NOT OCCURRED IS THAT THERE IS NO WILL AMONG THE ELECTED COUNSELLORS TO PURSUE THIS AS IT WILL UNDOUBTEDLY LEAD TO A REVIEW OF THE EXISTENCE OF MULTIPLE MUNICIPALITIES.
Now, growing numbers of current and retired police officers, criminologists and politicians say it's time for B.C. to put public safety ahead of politics, shed the province's fractured policing model, and establish regional forces in major metropolitan areas.
CLEARLY GREATER VICTORIA IS A MAJOR METROPOLITAN AREA WHICH IS ENTITLED TO THE BENEFITS OF A COMPREHENSIVE AND INTEGRATED ORGANISATION WHICH MINIMISES ANY CHANCE OF JURISDICTIONAL CONFLICT.
"And the reason that it will continue is there are just too many bosses," he says. "The RCMP have bosses that are beholden way back to Ottawa. You have municipal bosses that have their own little kingdoms. Albeit, I was one of them and you're only concerned about your area. You're only accountable to your police board. You only care, really, what happens within the boundaries of your jurisdiction."
THIS IS OBVIOUSLY TRUE AS NOTED BY THE QUOTES LATER ON IN THE ARTICLE FROM MUNICIPAL OFFICERS. DEPARTMENTS ARE ALWAYS LOOKING AT THEIR INTERNAL SUCCESS IN ADDRESSING CRIME IN THEIR AREA REGARDLESS OF WHAT OCCURS NEXT DOOR.
On the Lower Mainland alone, there are at least 15 RCMP and municipal police jurisdictions delivering service to two million people. In Greater Victoria, four municipal departments, three RCMP detachments and three 911 dispatch centres serve just 350,000 people.
By contrast, Toronto's 2.6 million population is policed by a single force, as are all other major metropolitan areas in Canada.
"It's now subject-matter based as opposed to based on a geographical area," says Pecknold, who is deputy chief of Central Saanich police. "That's why the border doesn't matter anymore."
IF THIS IS TRUE , WHY HAVE NUMEROUS POLICE CHIEFS AND INSPECTORS WITHIN THE SAME AREA?
But critics say the integrated units only highlight the problems. With so many chiefs trying to find consensus on key crime-fighting issues, the units often take months to establish. They add more layers of bureaucracy, and attempt to blend the different RCMP and municipal cultures -- sometimes with mixed results.
WHILE I DO NOT HAVE THE DETAILS, I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT THERE HAVE IN THE PAST BEEN REGIONAL UNITS DESIRED BY SOME DEPARTMENTS BUT WHICH ARE NOT SUPPORTED BY OTHERS, OR UNITS THAT HAVE BEEN STARTED BUT THEN HAVE SOME DEPARTMENTS PULL OUT.
Greater Victoria has more than a dozen integrated units, ranging from the 18-officer Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit to a single officer working with exploited youth. Yet there are only two locally developed teams with participation from all capital region departments: the new domestic violence unit, and mental health mobile crisis response team.
THIS REFLECTS THE COMMENT ABOVE.
"These type of incidents will continue to happen no matter how often these police leaders get out there, and say, 'No, we've fixed it. It'll never happen again. Integration is the way to go,' " he said. "That's just a Band-Aid approach. A complete Band-Aid approach to policing here in British Columbia."
Saanich police Chief Mike Chadwick, a 35-year veteran of the force and a staunch defender of the status quo, argues that individual municipalities have the right to "direct the level of service ... from their police department" and that municipal taxpayers should have a say on the type policing they want.
"I'm not so sure if you had a regional department that would be the case," he says. "In Saanich, people pay for a service that we have provided for over 100 years now and they come to expect that.
"Saanich taxpayers don't expect to pay for what goes on downtown."
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO CHIEF CHADWICK, WHOM I KNOW TO BE AN EXCELLENT OFFICER, AS A TAXPAYER IN SAANICH AND A FORMER MEMBER OF THE SAANICH POLICE BOARD, I FOR ONE AM WILLING TO PAY FOR WHAT GOES ON DOWNTOWN AND SO ARE MANY OTHERS IN SAANICH. REMEMBER, OUR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES GO DOWNTOWN AND I WANT THEM TO FEEL AND BE SAFE. TO SUGGEST WE SHOULD NOT PAY FOR IT, IS SIMPLY WRONG.
TO SUGGEST, WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE, AND THERE IS NONE THAT I AM AWARE OF, THAT THE RESIDENTS OF SAANICH DO NOT EXPECT TO PAY FOR WHAT GOES ON DOWNTOWN OR THAT IMPLICITLY THEY DO NOT SUPPORT AMALGAMATION, IS NOT HELPFUL TO A FAIR REVIEW OF THE ISSUE.
Saanich Insp. Bob Downie says he's puzzled by arguments in favour of a regional force.
"You rarely hear people talk about what it is they're fixing," he said. "This whole conversation is around solutions that are looking for a problem. But you never really hear any specific problems that are being remedied.
"In this area, we have traditionally brought people together when we've identified a need to do that. There haven't really been examples of where that hasn't been the case."
WITH ALL DUE RESPECT TO INSPECTOR DOWNIE WHOM I ALSO KNOW TO BE AN EXCELLENT OFFICER, WE ARE FIXING A RISK OF HARM. IF THE LEE CASE WERE TO OCCUR AGAIN, MIGHT A BLEEDING VICTIM BE SAVED IF A COORDINATED DEPARTMENT WERE TO BE ABLE TO ACT AND ENTER THE HOME MORE QUICKLY THAN OCCURRED? THE POINT IS NOT THAT LIVES WOULD HAVE BEEN SAVED IN THE LEE CASE WITH AMALGAMATION. THE POINT IS THAT THE PUBLIC WOULD NOT WONDER IF THE SYSTEM WAS AT FAULT. THAT CONCERN SHOULD NOT EXIST AND IT DOES.
WHEN I CALL ANY OFFICE IN GREATER VICTORIA I SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEEK HELP REGARDING ANY ISSUE IN THE CITY. THAT IS NOT THE CASE NOW.
THERE SHOULD BE NO TIME WASTED ON DEPATEMENTS BEING IN CONFLICT ON DECIDING WHICH RECORDS OR COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEM TO BE USED.
OFFICERS SHOULD NOT HAVE TO APPLY TO MOVE FROM VICTORIA TO SAANICH. OFFICERS SHOULD HAVE OPPORTUNITIES FOR ADVANCEMENT THAT A REGIONAL FORCE CAN PROVIDE.
OFFICERS SHOULD HAVE EASY ACCESS TO INFORMATION ON ALL AREAS OF THE CITY AND THE CRIMES WHICH ARE OCCURRING THERE.
Graham, who also served as chief of Vancouver police, said it simply makes sense to have a regional force chasing and apprehending criminals who don't respect political boundaries.
"This isn't about cost," he says. "This is about the ability to deploy more effectively."
OF COURSE THE POLICE SHOULD BE ABLE TO DEPLOY MORE EFFECTIVELY BY USING A REGIONAL FORCE EFFECTIVELY. WILL SOME PROBLEMS BE OVERLOOKED IN THE PROCESS? I EXPECT YES, HOWEVER THE COMMUNITY BENEFIT TO DEAL EFFECTIVELY WITH ISSUES THAT AFFECT US ALL IS OF GREATER BENEFIT.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
Another Relevant TC Article
Our fractured forces: Is it time to overhaul B.C.'s police system?
After decades of jurisdictional squabbling, and three deadly tragedies, is it time to overhaul B.C.'s police system?
By Lindsay Kines, Katie Derosa and Jack Knox, Times Colonist September 22, 2010
An in depth article on policing including the problems in the Peter Lee case where his wife bounced among three police departments while trying to get help for spousal abuse. On the night of the murders, the grandmother's 911 call was handled by a maze of dispatchers, while dozens of police officers from Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay responded to the call.
A Victoria police officer could be heard saying over the radio: "This is ugly. It looks like there isn't anyone taking control at all."
The coroner's inquest recommended the "continued unification of the various police departments" in Greater Victoria.
"It mystifies me," former Ottawa police chief Vince Bevan says of B.C.'s balkanized system. "It's beyond me how they can have these series of smaller departments, and think that they're meeting standards."
Greater Victoria has more than a dozen integrated units, ranging from the 18-officer Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit to a single officer working with exploited youth. Yet there are only two locally developed teams with participation from all capital region departments: the new domestic violence unit, and mental health mobile crisis response team.
"This isn't about cost,"
"This is about the ability to deploy more effectively."
Read the TC article for the full story
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/fractured+forces+time+overhaul+police+system/3560864/story.html#ixzz10ybcxGp9
After decades of jurisdictional squabbling, and three deadly tragedies, is it time to overhaul B.C.'s police system?
By Lindsay Kines, Katie Derosa and Jack Knox, Times Colonist September 22, 2010
An in depth article on policing including the problems in the Peter Lee case where his wife bounced among three police departments while trying to get help for spousal abuse. On the night of the murders, the grandmother's 911 call was handled by a maze of dispatchers, while dozens of police officers from Victoria, Saanich and Oak Bay responded to the call.
A Victoria police officer could be heard saying over the radio: "This is ugly. It looks like there isn't anyone taking control at all."
The coroner's inquest recommended the "continued unification of the various police departments" in Greater Victoria.
"It mystifies me," former Ottawa police chief Vince Bevan says of B.C.'s balkanized system. "It's beyond me how they can have these series of smaller departments, and think that they're meeting standards."
Greater Victoria has more than a dozen integrated units, ranging from the 18-officer Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit to a single officer working with exploited youth. Yet there are only two locally developed teams with participation from all capital region departments: the new domestic violence unit, and mental health mobile crisis response team.
"This isn't about cost,"
"This is about the ability to deploy more effectively."
Read the TC article for the full story
Read more: http://www.timescolonist.com/news/fractured+forces+time+overhaul+police+system/3560864/story.html#ixzz10ybcxGp9
No Greater Victoria Police Department in Control
The following article from the Times Colonist reflects a strong reason for Amalgamation
Patchwork policing: 3 case studies
TIMES COLONISTSEPTEMBER 22, 2010
CASE STUDY 2007
PETER LEE
NO ONE FORCE IN CONTROL OF 'UGLY' CASE
The article makes a number of valid points including:
Nowhere on Vancouver Island are the failings of the fractured, multi-jurisdictional policing system more apparent than in the Oak Bay murder-suicide in 2007 that left five people dead.
At one point a 911 call, was rerouted to Victoria dispatch instead of Saanich, which covers calls for Oak Bay.
Oak Bay police did not enter the home; they waited for Saanich backup.
Two Saanich officers arrived, and they entered the house with one of the Oak Bay officers to find two bodies and a barricaded bedroom door. The three retreated after smelling gas, fearing an explosion. The Emergency Response Team, led by a Victoria officer, was called in.
There were three departments in the mix, but no one seemed to be leading the charge. Victoria police Sgt. Andy Lacon said over the radio: "This is ugly, it looks like there isn't anyone taking control at all."
The spotty CREST radio system, picking up little signal in the King George Terrace area, also hampered the various forces from communicating. As well, some officers were using Saanich's radio frequency, while others used Victoria's.
In the end, a total of 44 officers and dispatchers from three departments and two call centres had handled the case.
The coroner's inquest, which wrapped up in December 2009 recommended that "all police departments work across jurisdictional boundaries as one unit" and called for "continued unification of the various police departments."
The region still has three dispatch systems and seven police forces.
Patchwork policing: 3 case studies
TIMES COLONISTSEPTEMBER 22, 2010
CASE STUDY 2007
PETER LEE
NO ONE FORCE IN CONTROL OF 'UGLY' CASE
The article makes a number of valid points including:
Nowhere on Vancouver Island are the failings of the fractured, multi-jurisdictional policing system more apparent than in the Oak Bay murder-suicide in 2007 that left five people dead.
At one point a 911 call, was rerouted to Victoria dispatch instead of Saanich, which covers calls for Oak Bay.
Oak Bay police did not enter the home; they waited for Saanich backup.
Two Saanich officers arrived, and they entered the house with one of the Oak Bay officers to find two bodies and a barricaded bedroom door. The three retreated after smelling gas, fearing an explosion. The Emergency Response Team, led by a Victoria officer, was called in.
There were three departments in the mix, but no one seemed to be leading the charge. Victoria police Sgt. Andy Lacon said over the radio: "This is ugly, it looks like there isn't anyone taking control at all."
The spotty CREST radio system, picking up little signal in the King George Terrace area, also hampered the various forces from communicating. As well, some officers were using Saanich's radio frequency, while others used Victoria's.
In the end, a total of 44 officers and dispatchers from three departments and two call centres had handled the case.
The coroner's inquest, which wrapped up in December 2009 recommended that "all police departments work across jurisdictional boundaries as one unit" and called for "continued unification of the various police departments."
The region still has three dispatch systems and seven police forces.
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Garbage waits while different Governments ponder
Garbage waits while different Governments ponder
Saanich and Victoria are thinking of changing their garbage collection service. Yet they are waiting to decide what to do. Why? Because the CRD is making changes too and they deal with recycling while the cities deal with garbage.
Simple issues, complex decision making. Certainly the issues should be fully reviewed and decisions thoughtfully made, but clearly, having different levels of government and different municipalities in such close proximity dealing with the same issues is well, poor government.
These are important issues for municipalities. The idea that there are 14 different entities in our area all having to consider the issues and all having potentially different resolutions, is simply untenable, a waste of time and resources. Would it not make more sense for one entity to consider the issues, debate as required and implement the best model for the “city.”
Saanich and Victoria are thinking of changing their garbage collection service. Yet they are waiting to decide what to do. Why? Because the CRD is making changes too and they deal with recycling while the cities deal with garbage.
Simple issues, complex decision making. Certainly the issues should be fully reviewed and decisions thoughtfully made, but clearly, having different levels of government and different municipalities in such close proximity dealing with the same issues is well, poor government.
These are important issues for municipalities. The idea that there are 14 different entities in our area all having to consider the issues and all having potentially different resolutions, is simply untenable, a waste of time and resources. Would it not make more sense for one entity to consider the issues, debate as required and implement the best model for the “city.”
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