Homeless community will not be the focus of crime crackdown in Vancouver's downtown core: VPD
Officers say an increased presence in Vancouver's downtown core prompted by a rise in crime will not be focused on residents of the area who are experiencing homelessness.
The Vancouver Police Department says it plans to redeploy officers to the area "in response to commercial crime and disorder in the business district."
Those crimes include things like window breaks. VPD says these incidents have gone up 100 per cent downtown between June and mid-September this year compared to last.
The department made a similar move earlier in the pandemic following an increase in property crime when businesses were shuttered.
In a news release Thursday, the VPD said it planned to increase the number of patrols immediately in areas it described as hardest hit: Granville Street and the West End.
Officers will also be in the area on foot and bikes to increase the VPD's general street-level presence.
"We're hearing loud and clear from business owners and residents who don't feel safe and are frustrated by rising crime," Sgt. Steve Addison said in the news release.
He said officers in the area will work directly with those who live or work there to address specific concerns, while at the same time working to identify "chronic offenders" and solve crimes that have already occurred.
"We know that many of these crimes are committed by a small number of career criminals and we're going to make life uncomfortable for them," Addison said.
"We also know there are a lot of people facing homelessness, addiction and mental illness in the downtown core. We want to assure the community that these vulnerable people will not be the focus of our attention."
John Clerides, who owns Marquis Wine Cellars, says the redeployment of VPD officers is a start.
“It’s about time,” he said. “Beat cops are maybe a thing of the past but they certainly did work.”
Clerides is one of many business owners frustrated by what’s happened on Davie Street.
Last week, thieves smashed the front window of his business and stole an e-bike worth about $6,000. He says the criminals, captured on video surveillance, only needed about 20 seconds to get the job done.
He says it’s just one example of what’s been happening in the neighbourhood. He says businesses have seen “storefront break-ins, windows being smashed, jewelry taken, bikes stolen, product taken.”
Mel Smith is a long-time resident who says he’s scared at the changes in the community.
“It’s just become so violent,” Smith said. “There’s so much garbage and trash everywhere.”
“I’m disabled. I don’t feel safe here at night or anytime.”
Ron Moore, who is homeless, says he stays away from crime but knows it’s how others survive.
“When you’re out on the street, you got no food, you got no money, you got no dope. So then you start kicking in windows," he said.
Similar measures were put in place downtown last fall. During that 42-day period, according to police, there were 1,400 calls and 210 weapons seized.
Earlier this year, officers launched another crackdown following a 260 per cent increase in violent shoplifting incidents, which resulted in 130 arrests in about 40 days.
As the latest initiative rolls out, officers are reminding the public that any in-progress incidents or those that put someone's health and safety at risk should be reported to 911.
If there are no safety concerns and the suspect has left the scene of a less serious crime, those incidents can be reported online or through the VPD's non-emergency line.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Appeals court overturns Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction from landmark trial
New York’s highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein’s 2020 rape conviction, finding the judge at the landmark #MeToo trial prejudiced the ex-movie mogul with improper rulings, including a decision to let women testify about allegations that weren’t part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.