Vancouver's mayor is joining the rising tide of groups pressuring the province to call a public inquiry into the city's missing women.
Gregor Robertson said he fully supports a comprehensive look at the circumstances around the disappearances of dozens of women and why Robert Pickton was able to kill for so long.
After appearing with Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu Monday to announce most crimes, except sex assaults, have dropped in the city, Robertson said he'd like an inquiry to get going as early as this fall.
"I think what nobody wants to see is a lot of pain and anguish and a long, drawn out process of inquiry, which can happen," he told reporters. "So I think the scope of it needs to address that and make sure that we get to the bottom of what happened here and ensure it never happens again."
Robertson said he discussed this wish with Premier Gordon Campbell a few weeks ago.
"(I want) to ensure that when there are trends and disturbing -- very, very troubling signals -- that all of the various police forces and detachments are working together in concert, to ensure any kind of serial killer ... is stopped in his tracks."
Bringing the Vancouver Police Department, RCMP and province together could help give answers to families of the victims, Robertson added.
When Pickton's legal saga ended in July, the Crown said it would not proceed with charges on a further 20 murder allegations.
Police also announced after Pickton was convicted that charges wouldn't be pursued in the cases of six women whose DNA was found on the Pickton pig farm.
Vancouver Police released a report earlier this month blaming poor management, lack of communication with RCMP and bias against sex workers for slowing the investigation's progress.
Police Chief Jim Chu, women's advocates, a variety of sex worker support groups and others are asking for an inquiry.
The provincial government has said it would have an answer on a possible inquiry after cabinet meets in September.
