First responders can't go to Victoria neighbourhood without police, chief says

A recent attack on a Victoria paramedic and the subsequent threats against cops who were called in to help mark the latest incidents of violence against local first responders, the city's police chief said in announcing emergency personnel would no longer respond to calls from a specific neighbourhood without police backup.

Chief Del Manak announced the change in a statement issued on Friday, saying the attack in the 900-block of Pandora Avenue the day before was only "one piece of the trend" of increasing aggression toward first responders.

Victoria police said members of BC Emergency Health Services had been "flagged down" in the area on Thursday evening about a man needing medical attention, and he allegedly hit and kicked a paramedic who was caring for him.

The department said about 60 people then surrounded emergency responders when police arrived, noting the group "became increasingly hostile" and officers had to call for backup.

Manak's statement said firefighters and paramedics will no longer attend calls in the 900-block of Pandora Avenue without a police escort.

"Officers and other first responders have every right to feel safe during the course of their duties, and to return home safely at the end of their shift," Manak's statement reads. "It is time we send a clear message that those who put their lives on the line to protect and to serve this community deserve our respect and support. ... It is my priority that we do all that we can to prevent this trend of aggressive behaviour from continuing.

Manak warned the move will increase officers' workloads and slow down response times, but said it's necessary to curb rising tensions.

"This will also reduce our ability to respond to other calls for service, directly impacting Victoria and Esquimalt residents when they need us most," Manak said in the statement.

Police said the injured paramedic was taken to hospital for treatment, and the alleged attacker remains in custody and now faces charges of assault, assault with a weapon and resisting or obstructing a peace officer.

Manak said police department leadership will meet next week to address what he called "legitimate safety concerns," noting there are plans to boost police patrols in the affected neighbourhood "as we rebuild relationships with our street community."

The chief said officers need to "exercise a high degree of vigilance" in the area due to violence against first responders, but noted his concerns are not unique to the neighbourhood. His statement referenced an incident in June in another part of town in which a large crowd surrounded and threw rocks at members of the force.

Manak acknowledged many of those living in the affected stretch of Pandora Avenue have complex needs and backgrounds, but said the safety of first responders cannot be compromised.

"Regardless of the circumstances or need, those who are there to save lives should not feel concerned about their own safety," he wrote.

Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto did not immediately respond to request for comment on Manak's decision, but issued a statement on Friday praising police and other first responders for their professionalism in the face of a difficult situation.

She said it is "never OK" for first responders to be attacked in the course of their work, but said help is needed from outside the city.

"I continue to urge the province to recognize the challenges facing municipalities as we respond to the urgent issues of homelessness, mental health and addictions that are impacting Victoria and the rest of B.C., precipitated by gaps in health and housing programs and services," the statement says.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2024.