Agenda Index City of Vancouver

ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM:

Director of Social Planning and Chief Constable

SUBJECT:

Community Safety Grant - Mount Pleasant

 

RECOMMENDATION

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

COUNCIL POLICY

On October 25, 1996, Council approved the establishment of a joint City of Vancouver and Ministry of Attorney General Community Safety Funding Program. Council also approved a three year commitment (1997-1999) of an annual grant budget of $150,000, to be provided in its annual Operating Budget without offset.

On December 14, 1999, Council approved the continuation of its participation in the joint City of Vancouver and Ministry of Attorney General Community Safety Funding Program for the year 2000, and consequently, on February 22, 2000, Council approved 19 grants totalling $300,000, with costs to be shared on a 50/50 basis between the City and the Province.

On September 28, 2000, Council approved the continuation of its participation in the joint City of Vancouver and Ministry of Attorney General (now through the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Public Safety) Community Safety Funding on an ongoing basis. The annual cost for the year is $150,000, subject to negotiating matching funding from the Provincial Government. The Provincial Government provided funding for 2001 and 2002. The source of the City funding to be the Other Grants Budget.

Approval of funding requires eight affirmative votes.

PURPOSE

This report recommends the rescindment of a $10,500 grant allocated to the Mount Pleasant Safer Community Society, which sponsors the Mount Pleasant CPC as part of the year 2002 grants allocation for the Community Safety Program. It is also recommended that a grant for the same amount be given to the Vancouver Crime Prevention Society for volunteer training activities to be implemented in the Mount Pleasant neighbourhood.

BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION

On March 7, 2002 Council approved 18 grants as part of the Community Safety Funding Program. One of these grants, for the amount of $21,000, was given to the Mount Pleasant CPC for the implementation of Block Watch, Foot and Bike Patrols, Education and Awareness, and Child ID programs. The grant was approved with the following condition: "Office open to the public a minimum of 20 hours a week with volunteer support. A written report regarding volunteer activities is to be submitted by June 15, 2002."

The Mount Pleasant Safer Community Society has not implemented crime prevention programs with sufficient volunteer support and, therefore, has not met the conditions of the grant. They did not provide a written report as per the condition and, furthermore, they were not able to provide a mid-term report, which was required from all CPC's in the City.

The Mount Pleasant Safer Community Society was therefore informed on July 9, 2002, that the grant was being suspended. Staff has been in contact with representatives from the Ministry of the Solicitor General and Public Safety throughout the process and they support the recommendation. Staff is recommending that the $10,500 grant to the Mount Pleasant Safer Community Society be rescinded.

The Police Department continues to assign a Neighbourhood Police Officer (NPO) for Mount Pleasant to work with members of that community. The officer is very active with NIST, and groups such as the Mt. Pleasant BIA, Friends of Robson Park, the Boys and Girls Club, and Kingsgate Mall. Community Policing continues to be a priority in Mount Pleasant.

The Community Policing program is a strong communications vehicle between Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and local residents engaged in conducting crime prevention activities. The Community Policing program enjoys the participation of approximately 800 volunteers city-wide. Unfortunately, there are some areas in the city where volunteer participation still needs further encouragement. The Mount Pleasant area could benefit from the availability of more volunteer training programs.

Initial conversations with some Mount Pleasant-based community organizations indicate that there is a tremendous amount of interest in seeing the implementation of crime prevention activities in that neighbourhood. The VPD will continue to work with these community organizations and interested citizens in search of a permanent home for anchoring future crime prevention programs. Having volunteers who are appropriately trained is an important first step.

In order to address some volunteer recruitment and volunteer training needs, staff is recommending that a grant of $10,500 be given to the Vancouver Crime Prevention Society, which, in coordination with the VPD, will implement the following training activities for volunteers in the Mount Pleasant area:

(1) Volunteer Management Workshop: This is a course that gives CPC coordinators tools to recruit, train, mentor, and deploy volunteers through effective volunteer management techniques. The course teaches assessment of volunteer activity, the importance of volunteer recognition, and principles of volunteer termination.

(2) Basic Volunteer Orientation: This course is a must for all volunteers entering service at a CPC. The course subjects include: introduction to the VPD, role of the CPC volunteer, powers of arrest and liabilities, description of services offered at CPC's, 911/ECOMM presentation. Included in this course is the photo identification of all volunteers. This course is taught by VPD personnel, and experts from the various CPC's and outside agencies.

(3) Courses on defusing hostile situations and Conflict Resolution: These two courses are designed to address the situations that CPC volunteers may find themselves in when working at a CPC or when participating in a CPC activity. Skills taught include: recognizing a developing hostile situation, alternatives and actions, negotiating skills, and "verbal karate". These courses are taught by VPD personnel with augmentation by professionals in conflict resolution.

(4) There are also several other training programs that cover such topics as volunteer management, fund-raising, board roles and responsibilities, and police operations. All of these courses are taught by VPD personnel and experts from various CPC's and other agencies.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There are no financial implications to the City since the new grant to the Vancouver Crime Prevention Society is in the same amount as the rescinded amount from the Mount Pleasant Safer Community Society. The source of funding is the Other Grants Budget (Community Safety Program).

CONCLUSION

Community Policing continues to be a priority of the VPD and is supported by the City. The allocation of a $10,500 grant to the Vancouver Crime Prevention Society will further facilitate the recruitment and training of volunteers, with a focus in the Mount Pleasant area.

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