VANCOUVER POLICE DEPARTMENT
Vancouver City Council |
ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: January 2, 2003
Author/Local: Mario Lee/604-871-6034
Max Chalmers/604-717-2840
RTS No. 3140
CC File No. 3703CS&B: January 16, 2003
TO:
Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets
FROM:
Chief Constable and Director of Social Planning
SUBJECT:
Community Policing Funding - 2003
CONSIDERATION
A. THAT in light of the Provincial Government's funding withdrawal from the joint Community Safety Funding Program, Council terminate its participation in the program, effective immediately.
OR
RECOMMENDATIONS
B. THAT Council approve 18 transition/terminating grants for a total of $150,000, for crime prevention and community safety activities for a six month period ending June 30, 2003, as listed in Appendix A, including conditions on the grants. The source of funds to be the 2003 Other Grants Budget, to be approved in advance of approval of the 2003 Operating Budget; and
C. THAT Council reiterate its support of the Vancouver Police Department's ongoing efforts to develop a community policing model to facilitate the implementation of crime prevention initiatives in partnership with residents and businesses at the neighbourhood level; and
FURTHER THAT the Chief Constable report back to Council, before April 30, 2003, with a proposal for a new community policing model which clearly identifies the future City, Police and community roles.
CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS
The City Manager presents A for CONSIDERATION and RECOMMENDS approval of B and C.
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.
· On September 28, 2000, Council approved the continuation of its participation in the joint City of Vancouver and Ministry of Attorney General (later through the Ministry of the Solicitor General) Community Safety Funding on an ongoing basis.
Approval of grants requires eight affirmative votes.
PURPOSE AND SUMMARY
This report recommends that City Council continue to support the efforts of the Vancouver Police Department and the City of Vancouver to further enhance a community policing approach in support of crime prevention initiatives at the neighbourhood level. The report also recommends the allocation of $150,000 for transition/terminating grants for crime prevention and community safety activities to be implemented by 18 Community Policing Centres (CPCs), as listed in Appendix A. The transition/terminating grants are to provide a transition period for the ongoing crime prevention initiatives of the Community Policing Centres for a period of six months.
This is the first year that the City is asked to provide funding to the Community Safety Funding Program on its own. The City's involvement was always conditional on the Province contributing their share of the funding. The termination of the Province's participation has left the City with the option of either pulling out of the funding program entirely, or the challenge of continuing to provide financial support for the positive workbeing carried out by the Community Policing Centres without the Provincial financial contribution.
In order to develop a new model, the Chief Constable will be engaging all stakeholders, including members of the different Community Policing Centres and sponsoring Societies in a discussion that will eventually allow the Police to formulate a new model for Community Policing that is more sustainable and effective. The Chief Constable will be reporting back to Council before April 30, 2003 with a clear delineation of the community, Police and City roles in the new model.
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
The Community Safety Funding Program has been a jointly funded program between the City and the Provincial Government since 1996. The program has relied on a budget of $300,000 a year, with each partner contributing half of the amount. The request to contribute to this joint program first came from the Province via the Ministry of the Attorney General. The partnership, which existed with the provincial government since 1996, was terminated by the Province on December 11, 2002, when City staff received a letter from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General indicating that the provincial government would no longer provide the funding. The fact that the Province has terminated its participation, leaves the City with the option to either consider withdrawing from the program entirely, or provide transition/terminating grants while a new model is developed.
Staff is recommending the allocation of $150,000 as listed in Appendix A. If approved, the money will be distributed in two installments.The existing model of Community Policing in Vancouver is based on a partnership between the Police, the City, and 18 Crime Prevention Societies which sponsor Community Policing Centres. There are five CPCs located in City-owned or City-leased facilities, while the others are located in privately-owned premises where quite often, the Sponsoring Society has to pay rent. Over 700 volunteers support the CPCs. Each of the CPCs has signed an Operating Agreement, which delineates the roles and responsibilities for all of the partners. All CPCs have representatives in the Community Policing Advisory Committee (CPAC), which provides advice to the Chief Constable on crime prevention and public safety issues throughout the city.
Currently, a Police Sergeant is assigned to co-ordinate the program and work with the community groups. Each of the 18 Community Policing Centres in Vancouver has a dedicated Neighbourhood Police Officer (NPO) attached to it. There are also some Neighbourhood Police Officers assigned to offices that are not part of the Community Safety Program ( Downtown Eastside, Dunbar and Musqueam). For a complete list of all CPCs, please refer to Appendix B.
The number of CPCs has grown over the years, from four in 1995 to the existing 18. There are many examples of positive initiatives in which the CPCs have been involved, including the following examples from 2001 and 2002:
· volunteer bicycle patrols in South Vancouver, where 45 trained volunteers spent a total of 718 hours last year, patrolling the streets of Sunset, Fraserview, Victoria and Kensington neighbourhoods. In 2001 these patrols assisted in the recovery of 11 stolen vehicles, reported 251 abandoned autos, and issued 4,500 Parking Audit tickets;
· implementation of a "business watch" program in the Grandview-Woodland neighbourhood, that allows for better communication between various Commercial Drive shops and other businesses. A protocol, developed by the GWCPC and distributed to neighbouring businesses, allows neighbours to contact each other when a known shoplifter is working in their area or if other fraudulent activities are occurring;
· a crime prevention fair held last summer by the Chinese Community Policing Centre. The fair was held at the Chinese Cultural Centre and had 12 information booths, 3 safety workshops, games and lucky draws. Hundreds of citizens, many of them seniors from the neighbourhood, attended;
· a very successful grow-op identification and information project has been coordinated by the Collingwood CPC. This program teaches citizens both how to recognize grow operations and how to report them. Workshops have been organized for Real Estate agents, as well as for visiting councillors from eastern provinces;
The Community Safety Funding Program has been able to provide support to the activities listed above and many others. Historically, grant applications are received at the end of December of each year, and staff from the VPD and the funders review the applications and make recommendations to Council to disperse the funds for crime prevention activities and associated costs. The recommendations for funding have always considered the merit of the application, community needs for activities, and effective outcomes arising from the crime prevention programs. There is however, some unevenness and disparity in the performance of individual CPCs, which over two years ago led Council to approve the following detailed evaluation criteria for CPCs:
· number of active volunteers
· operation of an office with consistent hours of operation
· positive and dynamic rapport between NPO and volunteers
· delivery of effective crime prevention programs
· engagement of local residents and business community
· positive community feedback
· diverse funding sourcesWhen evaluated against the described criteria, not all CPCs measure up at the same level of functionality. For a detailed explanation of these items, please refer to Appendix C.
Community Policing Centres do not receive core funding, plus many of them have substantial overhead costs (rent, salaries, hydro, supplies, etc.), which has led to many volunteers, and in some instances paid coordinators, having to expend a tremendous amount of time and effort in fund-raising activities, sometimes to the detriment of program delivery. The ability to recruit volunteers is also very different depending on which part of the city the CPC is located. The need for some of the sponsoring Societies with paid staff, to engage time and effort in labour relations activities has also meant a drain on volunteer capacity.
The related stress associated with these issues, together with the withdrawal of provincial funding, plus the need to better assign the limited resources of the VPD, has led the Chief Constable to view this situation as an opportunity to develop a new vision and a new model for the delivery of community policing in Vancouver. A new model for community policing will have to be developed with the full participation of all partners involved. There are, however, some basic principles that need to be considered, including:
· clearly defined roles and responsibilities for volunteers, Police and City
· optimization of limited financial resources available
· maximization of partnerships with local business and resident groups
· rationalization of Police resources
· concentration of volunteer efforts in the delivery of crime prevention programs
· continuation of established successful crime prevention programs and activities
· access to City-owned facilities and/or free office space
· avoid redundancy and overlap of Community Policing CentresIn terms of immediate actions, the Chief Constable is organizing a workshop early in February, with representatives from Police, City and sponsoring Societies being invited. The purpose of this workshop is to start a process that will lead to a new model for community policing in Vancouver. Once this model is envisioned and articulated, the Chief Constable will report back to City Council, no later than April 30, 2003, with recommendations on the new model.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
The source of funds for the recommended grants is the 2003 Other Grants Budget, to be approved in advance of approval of the 2003 Operating Budget.
CONCLUSION
Community Policing in Vancouver has been a successful initiative, but in light of the Provincial withdrawal from the joint funding program, and the fact that there are some opportunities for improvement and rationalization of the program, the Police Department and the City will be re-evaluating the appropriate structure for future activities. In the meantime, approval of the grants outlined in this report will ensure a smooth transition to a new, and hopefully improved, model for the delivery of community policing in Vancouver.
* * * * *
2003 Community Safety Grant - Funded Activities, CONDITIONS and Comments
| |||
|
Sponsoring Society &
|
Activities |
Grant Recommend. |
CONDITIONS/Comments |
CHINESE COMMUNITY POLICING CENTRE for
|
Direct Services; Crime Prevention Edu.-Outreach; Graffiti Removal; Chinatown Foot/Bike Patrol
|
$11,000.00 |
|
DAVIE STREET COMMUNITY POLICE CENTRE SOCIETY for
|
Educational Seminars; Anti Graffiti; Block Watch; Community Awareness & Outreach* |
$7,000.00 |
|
DENMAN COMMUNITY POLICING SOCIETY for
|
Apartment Security; Foot Patrol; Clean Sweep; Apartment Watch; Business Watch; Community Awareness
|
$4,000.00 |
|
FRASER STREET COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION SOCIETY for
|
Block Watch; Community Outreach Child/Youth/Seniors; Education Outreach-Residents & Business; Bike Patrol; Newsletter; Speed Watch; Property Engraving; Neighbourhood Cleanups/Graffiti Removal; Safety Fair
|
$15,000.00 |
|
GASTOWN COMMUNITY SAFETY SOCIETY for
|
Gastown Foot Patrol/Bike Patrol; Crime Stoppers; Community Awareness & Outreach; Volunteer Outreach* |
$5,000.00 |
|
GRANDVIEW-WOODLAND COMMUNITY POLICE OFFICE SOCIETY for
|
Block Parent; Park Watch; Community Outreach; Child ID; Anti-Graffiti; Homes Project |
$15,500.00 |
|
GRANVILLE DOWNTOWN SOUTH CRIME PREVENTION SOCIETY for
|
Graffiti Removal; Community Awareness; Child Find/Meal Ticket* |
$9,500.00 |
|
HASTINGS COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION for
|
Block Watch; Graffiti & Litter Clean-up; Outreach; Citizen Patrol; Apartment Bldg. Database; Business Safety Program; Speedwatch
|
$8,000.00 |
|
JOYCE STATION AREA PLANNING ASSOC. for
|
Block Watch; Grow Busters; Drug & Alcohol Project; Volunteer Bike Patrol; Bike Roadeos; Community Outreach
|
$16,000.00 |
|
KERRISDALE OAKRIDGE MARPOLE CRIME PREVENTION SOCIETY for
|
Block Watch; Seniors' Safety; Community Outreach; Child Find |
$6,000.00 |
|
|
NORTH FALSE CREEK CRIME PREVENTION SOCIETY for
|
Community Awareness/ Outreach |
$3,500.00 |
|
LITTLE MOUNTAIN/RILEY PARK CRIME PREVENTION SOCIETY for
|
Back Alley Numbering; Block Watch; Community Awareness; Graffiti Clean-up; Merchant Liaison; Seniors/Youth Outreach
|
$5,000.00 |
|
QUEEN ALEXANDRA SAFER NEIGHBOURHOOD SOCIETY for
|
Education & Outreach; Citizen Patrols; Anti-Graffiti; Bike Safety |
$11,000.00 |
|
STRATHCONA AREA SAFETY SOCIETY for
|
Block Watch; Community Outreach & Safety Seminars; Newsletters* |
$3,500.00 |
|
VANCOUVER CRIME PREVENTION SOCIETY |
Training activities for CPAC/CPCs volunteers, and Emergency. |
$9,000.00 |
EMERGENCY NEEDS TO BE DEFINED IN CONJUNCTION WITH VPD AND SOCIAL PLANNING. |
VANCOUVER POLICE AND NATIVE LIAISON SOCIETY for
|
Reality Check (Youth Program) |
$5,000.00 |
|
|
WATERFRONT COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION SOCIETY for
|
Tourist/Hospitality Industry Crime Prevention; Foreign Students Safety Project; Community Events |
$5,750.00 |
|
WESTSIDE COMMUNITY CRIME PREVENTION SOCIETY for
|
Bike/Foot Patrol; Block Watch; Senior's Safety; Combat Auto Theft; Schools Outreach; Community Communications; Speed Watch* |
$10,250.00 |
Crime prevention activities to include Kitsilano neighbourhood. |
Total |
*Based on 2002 programs |
$150,000.00 |
|
N.B.: Cheques will be payable to the SPONSORING SOCIETIES once the above grants are approved by Council.
VANCOUVER POLICE DEPARTMENT
COMMUNITY POLICING CENTRES
NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICING OFFICES
COMMUNITY POLICING CO-ORDINATOR
Sgt. Bill Goddard
PHONE: 604.717.2687 FAX: 604.665.3952
DISTRICT ONE
DAVIE STREET Community Policing Centre
1135 Davie Street
Vancouver, BC V6E 1N2
604.717-2924/2925 FAX: 604.717-2926
GRANVILLE DOWNTOWN SOUTH Community Policing Centre
916 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L2
604.717-2920/2921 FAX: 604.717-2922
WATERFRONT Community Policing Centre
#4 - 900 Canada Place Way
Vancouver, BC V6C 3L5
604.717-2916 FAX: 604.717-2917
WEST END Community Policing Centre
870 Denman Street
Vancouver, BC V6G 2L8
604.717-2918 FAX: 604.717-2919
YALETOWN Community Policing Centre
1239 Pacific
Vancouver, BC V6Z 2R6
604.899-6250 FAX: 604.899-6251
DISTRICT TWO
CHINESE Community Policing Centre
18 East Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6A 3V6
604.688-5030 FAX: 604.688-5070
DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE NEIGHBOURHOOD SAFETY OFFICE
12 E. Hastings
Vancouver, BC V6A 1N1
604.717-2946/687-1772 FAX: 604.687-1776
GASTOWN Community Policing Centre
219 Abbott Street
Vancouver, BC V6B 2K9
604.717-2929 FAX: 604.717-2931
GRANDVIEW-WOODLAND Community Policing Centre
1657 Charles Street
Vancouver, BC V5L 2T4
604.717-2932 FAX: 604.717-2923
HASTINGS NORTH Community Policing Centre
2001 Wall Street
Vancouver, BC V5L 5E4
604.717-2933 FAX: 604.717-2979
STRATHCONA Community Policing Centre
1202 E Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6A 1W8
604.717-2927 FAX: 604.717-2928
VANCOUVER POLICE & NATIVE LIAISON SOCIETY Community Policing Centre
324 Main Street
Vancouver, BC V6A 2T2
604.687-8411 FAX: 604.682-2967
DISTRICT THREE
CEDAR COTTAGE Community Policing Centre
2777 Commercial Drive
Vancouver, BC V5N 4C5
604.717-2938 FAX: 604.717-2939
COLLINGWOOD Community Policing Centre
5160 Joyce Street
Vancouver, BC V5R 5T8
604.717-2935 FAX: 604.430-4955
SOUTH VANCOUVER Community Policing Centre
5657 Victoria Drive
Vancouver, BC V5P 3W7
604.717-2940 FAX: 604.717-2941
DISTRICT FOUR
GRANVILLE ISLAND Community Policing Centre
1405 Anderson Street
Vancouver, BC V6H 3R9
604.717-2944 FAX: 604.717-2945
KITSILANO Community Policing Centre
Vancouver Firehall #1
2460 Balaclava Street
Vancouver, BC V6K 4M9
(operates in conjunction with the Granville Island CPC)
LITTLE MOUNTAIN/RILEY PARK/SOUTH CAMBIE Community Policing Centre
4438 Main Street
Vancouver, BC V5V 3R3
604.717-2942 FAX: 604.717-2943
KERRISDALE OAKRIDGE MARPOLE Community Policing Centre
295-5655 Cambie Street
Vancouver, BC V5Z 3A4
604.717-3434 FAX: 604.717-3432
MUSQUEAM DUNBAR SOUTHLANDS COMMUNITY POLICING CENTRE
4747 Dunbar
Vancouver, BC V6S 2H2
604.717-3446 FAX: 604.717-3447
MUSQUEAM NEIGHBOURHOOD POLICE OFFICER
6735 Salish Drive
Vancouver, BC
263-3261
APPENDIX C - 1
EVALUATION CRITERIA FOR COMMUNITY POLICING CENTRES
Evaluating the performance of Community Policing Centres is a complex but necessary task. The evaluation of CPCs may help with future funding requests as well as with the assignment of resources. The evaluation will involve the following criteria:
Number of active volunteers
An appropriately functioning CPC should have a good number of volunteers (hopefully from the immediate neighbourhood) active in the sponsoring Society as well as in the delivery of crime prevention programs. It is difficult to establish an ideal fixed number of required volunteers, since each neighbourhood has different profiles and needs. It seems, however, that successful CPCs usually have over 50 volunteers and some have as many as 120 volunteers.
Ability to operate an accessible affordable office and consistency in hours of operation
A Community Policing Centre should be accessible to the surrounding community, and the Centre should include a physical space that ideally has a reception area, meeting space and office(s). The location of a CPC in a high traffic area seems to enhance not only its visibility and its capacity to implement crime prevention programs, but also its ability to attract volunteers as well. Consistent hours of operation throughout the week should facilitate interaction with the community.
Any new CPC must be secured within the community's resources without reliance on any City capital or additional operating funding.
Positive and dynamic rapport between assigned NPO and volunteers
A dynamic interaction between the Neighbourhood Patrol Officer assigned to a CPC and the volunteers is a key element of success. Neither the Police Department, nor the volunteers, acting on their own, could make neighbourhood safety programs work. Existing CPCs that have managed to develop positive interactive relationships are usually successful.
APPENDIX C - 2
Ability to deliver consistent and effective crime prevention programs
This is the "raison d'être" of a CPC. An evaluation process would have to look not only at whether a CPC is operating crime prevention programs or activities, but also at how consistent and effective these programs are. The consistency refers to the permanency of those programs over time, and effectiveness has to be measured both in terms of actual reduction of crime or a positive impact on the public's perception or fear of crime.
Ability to positively engage diverse local community (residents and business)
Neighbourhoods in Vancouver are very diverse. It is assumed that the success of a CPC will have to be measured, among other criteria, by its ability to engage members of these diverse communities, whether that diversity relates to ethnic background, language, age group, geography, activities or other parameters. A CPC can not appear to represent the interests of just one particular group in the neighbourhood.
Engaging the local community could take the form of volunteers joining the sponsoring society, volunteers participating in crime prevention programs or donation of free space or resources to the CPC.
Positive community feedback
The best measure of the success of a CPC has to be the feedback provided by the very same community that it is supposed to serve. This feedback could be provided to the Police Officers working in the area, to CPC volunteers, or directly to funding agencies providing support to the CPC.
Diverse funding sources
The grants provided by the City of Vancouver and the Ministry of the Attorney General, through the community safety fund is targeted for program funding only. Funding needs may go beyond the program funding, and CPCs quite often require operational and capital dollars as well. Meeting these diverse funding demands requires access to other funding sources beyond what the community safety fund has to offer. Access to these other funding sources can be a measure of success.
