ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

TO:

Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

FROM:

Chief Constable

SUBJECT:

2003 Police Sworn Staffing Request for the Downtown Eastside

 

RECOMMENDATIONS

B. THAT the Vancouver Police Department provide a report to Council in the Fall of 2003 on the effectiveness of its enforcement initiatives in the DTES, and provide its recommendations for staffing this initiative in the long term.

CHIEF CONSTABLE'S COMMENTS

In 2003 the Chief Constable has made it an organizational priority to deal with the crime and disorder associated with the drug problem in Vancouver. Though the epicentre for this problem resides within the Downtown Eastside, it is also expanding to other locations in the City. The Chief Constable is proposing a three stage response to deal with this problem:

Staff are being lent from the Traffic Section, community policing centres, property crime investigations, and the Investigation Division and several other areas of the VPD. Reallocating staffing to this Team will negatively impact the Sections that are lending staff and will reduce the level of policing provide elsewhere in the City. However, VPD has worked to minimize the impact as much as possible.

To maintain the enforcement strategy, the medium term strategy, which this report recommends, proposes the use of overtime to assist staffing for the remainder of 2003. This will allow VPD assessment on the effectiveness of the recommended approach and confirm the overall staffing levels needed to maintain this program. Further, it is acknowledged that VPD is unable to hire and train officers to staff this project in 2003 even if Council approved that today. Therefore, an overtime staffing strategy, in conjunction with a core team that would maintain the focus of the initial task force, would be an effective way to staff this initiative for the duration of the year.

CITY MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The recommendation from the Vancouver Police Department is in response to the need to develop a comprehensive enforcement strategy as part of the City of Vancouver's Four Pillar Approach. The strategy is meant to complement the work of the Vancouver Coastal Health Authority's harm reduction and treatment plan for the City of Vancouver as well as the other initiatives in the areas of prevention, social and economic development undertaken through the Vancouver Agreement.

As of April 7, 2003, the VPD will be establishing a special enforcement team to deal with the drug problem in the City of Vancouver consisting of 60 officers. Rather than requesting funding on a permanent basis, the VPD would like to obtain temporary overtime funding for 2003 so they may assess the effectiveness of this visible policing approach and report back to Council prior to the 2004 Operating Budget as to the on-going staffing needs for this program.

The City Manager recommends that Council receive this report for information and defer the decision on Police staffing request for the Downtown Eastside Initiative to April 8, 2003, in conjunction with the 2003 Interim Budget Report.

COUNCIL POLICY

It is Council policy that changes in service levels, either expansions or reductions be approved by Council. This includes the creation and deletion of regular positions and the allocation of funding from revenues or taxation.

PURPOSE/SUMMARY

The purpose of the report is to request Council approval for an increase of $2.3 million to the VPD overtime budget to fund a interim staffing strategy to address the crime and disorder problems in the Downtown Eastside.

The Downtown Eastside is a community in crisis primarily due to the crime and disorder arising from the drug abuse epidemic in this Community. The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority is developing and implementing a harm reduction and treatment plan and have requested that VPD develop a complimentary enforcement plan that will allow the two agencies to jointly to not only address this issue but assist in the dismantling of the open drug market. Therefore, as part of the Four Pillar approach to addressing and resolving the problem, the Vancouver Police Department believes there is a compelling need to significantly increase the current level of staffing resources assigned to this issue. With these resources the Police Department will be able to:

(a) Assist in dismantling the open drug market;
(b) Restore order to the streets of the Downtown Eastside; and
(c) Provide an environment where Supervised Injection Sites can succeed.

BACKGROUND:

Staffing Requirements for VPD
In 2000, the Vancouver Police Department completed a major study into the historical changes affecting workload in the VPD: "Status Report: Workload Changes 1993-2000" (the "Workload Report"). The Workload Report provided comprehensive information on the historical decreases in police authorized strength and the numerous influences on workload. The report recommended an increase of 123 new positions to the VPD's authorized strength, and that 20 temporary positions provided for the Downtown Eastside in 1998 be made permanent, in order to maintain historical levels of service to the community. The report recommended that the 20 temporary positions and 30 of the 123 new positions be approved for 2001 with consideration of the remainder deferred. Council approved this recommendation and in 2002, approved a further 30 positions effective January 2003.

Until March 15, 2001, there had not been an increase in sworn staffing in the Vancouver Police Department since 1992/1993, other than 15 positions added when the VPD took over "Ports Policing," and the 20 temporary positions added in 1998 for the Downtown Eastside.

In fact, since 1993, the VPD had lost 42 positions due to Council-mandated budget reduction programs (this does not include the positions civilianized or eliminated due to transfer of responsibilities, such as the jail and Communications Centre). These positions are summarized in Appendix A.

External Influences:
An even more significant factor affecting frontline service was a variety of external influences that resulted in the creation of 89 new positions, at the expense of uniformed Patrol officer positions. These influences were not reported to Council until distribution of the Workload Study in 2000. The research found that since 1993, there had been increases in workload in many areas of the Police Department, for a variety of reasons, summarized below.

Impact of Redeployment on VPD
The external influences required the creation of 89 new positions since 1993 - but only by re-deploying staff from other areas - while the Department was losing sworn positions and the population of the City was increasing. The Patrol teams and the Traffic Section had been most significantly affected, losing a total of 98 positions since 1993 due to urgent needs in other areas. The increasing complexity of investigations resulted in thetime required to complete them increasing, but the number of staff was decreasing because of numerous positions transferred to other areas. Despite many initiatives to increase efficiency, the result of reduced frontline staff and increased workload had been reductions in service levels; increased overtime to meet minimum safe staffing levels; and a response time for emergency incidents that had increased by 14 percent by 2000, and has continued to increase since then. For example, response to emergency calls climbed from an average of 7.2 minutes in 1993 to 8.5 minutes in 2000, and has reached almost 10 minutes in 2003.

The impact of the reduction in police positions combined with significant new demands also drove up overtime in many areas and resulted in reduced service to the public.

In terms of other medium to large police departments, it is clear that the Vancouver Police Department's workload per member is considerably higher than, for example, that of police departments in Toronto, Montreal, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Edmonton. For example, in the Calgary Police Service investigates a similar number of Criminal Code Cases and dispatched incidents, but has 291 more authorized police positions; Calgary Council increased the police department's authorized strength from 1156 to 1387 sworn positions between 1994 and 2001. In 2001, Edmonton attended about 124,000 dispatched incidents with an authorized strength of 1176, while the VPD attended over 199,000 dispatched incidents with an authorized strength of 1096.

Council Approvals Related to the Workload Study
As described earlier, on March 15, 2001, Council considered the Workload Report that called for an incremental addition of 123 new positions to the VPD's authorized strength. As requested, Council approved 30 new police positions, and made permanent 20 temporary three-year positions dedicated to the Downtown Eastside in 1998.

In April of 2002, Council considered a follow-up report from the VPD and approved 30 additional sworn positions, effective January 2003. These two increases leave the VPD with 63 positions remaining from the original request. It should also be noted that the original request was focussed almost exclusively on "frontline" police positions, and not support or investigative positions, which are also insufficient to meet the workload. Further, the report didn't seek to achieve sufficient increases to deliver new services, only to provide sufficient officers to meet the requests for service that come through the 9-1-1 system.

DISCUSSION:

The Downtown Eastside

The Current Scene

The Downtown Eastside (DTES) is a community in crisis. Although this has been the case for a number of years, despite a lot of good work being done by many agencies, the situation continues to decline. Unfortunately,, without dramatic changes, the situation in the DTES is expected to get much worse in the near future. Two significant factors impacting the situation in the DTES are changes in patterns of drug usage and cuts to social programs.

The Vancouver Coastal Health Authority (VCHA) estimates that 15,000 or more people inject drugs in British Columbia. Ten to twenty percent of those people are in the DTES. It is believed that only 30% open drug users are injecting (most of those both inject and smoke crack cocaine). The majority of the open drug use is now people smoking crack cocaine. The pattern of drug use associated with an addiction to crack cocaine has greatly added to the frenzy of activity and sense of chaos and disorder in the DTES.

Many of the people addicted to drugs in the DTES are also dealing with mental illness. It has been estimated that 40% of the persons in the DTES who are addicted to drugs also have a mental illness making the issues in the DTES all the more difficult and complex. Yet it is tragic that these people, who have few tools to care for themselves, find themselves in the midst of this chaotic and dangerous environment. Ensuring these people are safe and do not harm others provides another very significant drain on scarce policing resources in the DTES.

The drug trade is driving the property crime problem in Vancouver. Although not empirically based, a conservative estimate places the percentage of property crime that is driven by drug abuse at 60% in Vancouver. The theft from auto problem that plagues the DTES and the downtown core is almost exclusively driven by this problem.

The issues of poverty, alcohol, drugs and mental illness combine to create a large public safety and order problem in the DTES. To add to this, many of the businesses in the area (hotels, licenced premises, 24-hour stores and pawnshops) cater to the cycle of crime and drug use and become a significant part of the problem. For example, there are over 40 pawnshops and second-hand stores in the DTES. If this type of business only catered to the legitimate re-sale of property, only a few stores would be viable. To help in addressing this issue, the Anti-Fencing Unit in the VPD has been working with City Staff to implement the Extract program. Pawn shops and second hand stores must now register property they receive on-line where it can be searched to see if the owner has reported it stolen. The system automatically checks the national police computer system (CPIC). The cost of this program is being born by increased licencing fees for these businesses. Recently a pawn shop was closed based in part on the effectiveness of this system. The next significant step forward in the program will come when it is linked to the property database in our PRIME records management system.

It is key to note that with change in drug usage to injecting or smoking cocaine over the past few years, the nature and size of the problem has grown dramatically and this trend is continuing. The drug abuse patterns we see are dynamic and rapidly evolving. There are now hundreds of people out on the streets of the DTES at any given time involved in this cycle of crime and drug abuse. On nearby Granville Mall, the drug of choice has now become "crystal meth" (Methamphetamine). This drug is much longer lasting than crack, and even more addictive. It causes more brain damage and leads to very aggressive behaviour. If this drug becomes popular in the DTES, the kind of disorder and violent conduct we see will likely significantly increase.

The members of the Vancouver Agreement agree that dismantling this open drug market is a key "next step" in addressing the drug abuse problem. It is one of the four goals set out in the Vancouver Agreement strategic plan. The VCHA has prepared a plan for providing the desperately needed treatment and harm reduction measures for this community and is pursuing funding for implementation. They are asking for the VPD's corresponding policing and enforcement plan to work in concert with their contribution to dismantling the current cycle on the street. Increased enforcement is an important component in the City of Vancouver's "Four Pillars" approach to addressing the drug problems in the DTES.

The strategy of arresting and charging both the drug traffickers and users have not been as effective as might be assumed. It is also understood that an addicted drug user is primarily a person with a health problem in need of help. Traffickers are generally not jailed. Users committing numerous property crimes to support their habit are not usually incarcerated. Nevertheless, over 600 trafficking arrests were made last year in the DTES. We will continue to use strategic enforcement to maximize our impact on reducing open trafficking on our streets. However, it is clear that just using an arrest strategy alone will not end this market.

Current DTES Policing Strategy

The factors that create the synergy of crime and drug activity in one location have to be dismantled and diluted. Problem businesses must be closed or regulated so they no longer act as supports for illegal activity.

We require a much greater visible police presence in the DTES. Police officers currently find they are driving from one crisis to another. Our plans to conduct projects that focus on the known problems are limited by inadequate resources and the requirement that we must ensure a safe response capability.

In order to have the resources to engage in sustained projects aimed at the illegal business support infrastructure, and to have police officers whose assignment is to deter open drug trafficking and disorder by maintaining a high physical presence, we require a significant increase in the staffing resources for the DTES. Having some beat officers visible on the streets some of the time is not good enough. The current number of beat officers is far from sufficient, given the size of the problem we now face. The experience gained from New York's policing initiatives have shown that a constant police presence in areas of concentrated crime and disorder has a dramatic positive effect.

The Carnegie Project
Prior to November 6th, 2002, on any given day and at any given time, there would be 50 to 150 people standing in front of the Carnegie Centre at Main and Hastings engaged in the open drug market. VPD placed two police officers out front, on a 24 x 7 basis. The market immediately dispersed. Most of it moved down the block to the west. This is a small example of this point: Crime will not occur if the police are there to prevent it. Obviously, to dramatically change the current pattern, we will need to place officers wherever the open drug market is or moves to. One of the tactics we would employ to affect this open drug market would be an expansion of this program.

Supervised Injection Sites
Within a very short time frame, the VCHA will implement the agreed-upon strategy of supervised injection sites (SIS) in the DTES. The VCHA is developing the protocols and will be hiring staff to make this work within the walls of an SIS. The role of the VPD will be to deal with what occurs outside of the SIS and will be equally important to ensuring this measure has every chance to make a difference and succeed. The environment needed for this to work is one where there is order and some simple rules for people to understand and follow. Ensuring that people who want to access this service can do so safely will be key to success. The rules for police will be simple: we will target the open sale and use of drugs on the street and we will work to ensure there is safety and order outside. We know what we have to do, but we must have the staff to do it.

Increasing Police Presence

A. Short Term - The City-wide Enforcement Team

As discussed in the Chief Constable's comments above, the VPD will be implementing a three month task force on April 7th to focus on the crime and disorder arising from the drug abuse problem in Vancouver. The focus of this Team will be the DTES. However, this City-wide Enforcement Team (CET) will go wherever the problem exists or displaces to. CET will start by focusing on disrupting the open drug market and the cycle of property theft, fencing of stolen property and purchase of drugs. The purpose is to deter the open sale and use of drugs and reduce the property crime driven by drug addiction. A number of tactics will be employed to accomplish these goals. One tactic will be the use of highly visible policing in areas where there is an open drug market, making this type of trafficking less viable for the trafficker. What tactics will work best as the circumstances evolve will be reviewed on a daily basis. The impact and effectiveness of CET will be evaluated at the two month mark of the project.

Staffing CET is the primary challenge for the VPD. Twenty positions are being loaned from District 2, where CET will focus a majority of its work. Forty positions will come from all areas of the Department, with the exception of patrol teams. The VPD recently completed a core services review and used this information to assist in determining where to draw on for resources. The intent was to ensure we maintained our core functions and, as much as possible draw resources from more discretionary services, or those services where a short term reduction in service would have the least impact. Taking more staff from the patrol function, given the critical shortage in this area, was not an option. These on-loan members will focus on CET goals full time. It is recognized that, to have the necessary initial impact on the current environment, a lot more resources will be needed. Other areas of the VPD will be providing additional support whenever they can be freed up. The Drug Squad will provide strategic enforcement on drug traffickers. Sections like the Emergency Response Team will be directed to utilize their unassigned time to assist CET in providing visible presence. Other members will be asked to set aside their duties for a short time and help out on the street. Taking this on will negatively impact on other services we provide. This will be minimized as much as possible. However, the need to reduce the prevalence of violence, crime and restore order to this community is the priority for the organization.

B. Medium Term - An Overtime Staffing Strategy

It takes a year to select and train a new police officer. This means that, if Councilauthorized new positions now to staff a DTES initiative, the VPD could not hire and train officers for the extra positions during 2003. However, the need for an increase in our staffing response exists now. The CET initiative provides an initial response, but does so at the cost of borrowing staffing from sections that are already pressed from all sides. Maintaining CET at the above staffing levels on a longer term and over higher staff leave periods will cripple affected sections of the Department. This report is recommending that Council approve an additional amount to our overtime budget. The additional funds would be used to maintain the CET initiative through overtime. Using overtime to staff these positions will not provide the same number of street policing hours as full time staff, but it does have the advantage of being easier to deploy strategically. (Management can set the number of hours and days of the week where the best use of the resource can be achieved.) A core group of CET members, to continue this initiate and maintain its focus, would work with members on overtime shifts to ensure that the positive gains are not lost when members have to be returned to their sections.

C. Long Term - A Report to Council in the Fall of 2003

The VPD estimates that to ensure safety, maintain a level of order in the DTES and not allow the rampant sale and use of drugs on the streets in the long term, we need forty more constables and four sergeants to supervise the teams they would be organized in. These teams would be supplemented by the twenty members approved by Council who are currently assigned to patrol teams in District 2, but who do already focus on the DTES. This assessment is based, in part, on the current geographical pattern of the drug market as it exists today. This is our best current estimate of the staffing need. However, in the Fall of 2003, the VPD will have had the opportunity to evaluate the CET initiative and will be able to show whether it is working in concert with other Health and other partners' initiatives to meet the needs of the community. In addition, the VPD will be better informed about the level of staffing resource needed to maintain what has been achieved. Therefore, this report recommends that the VPD provide a report to Council in the Fall with an evaluation of CET and an updated assessment of the long term staffing needs.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

Request for an Increase in Overtime Budget to Maintain CET Staffing

CET will be in place for April, May and June. It is recommended that a core staff of CET will be maintained thereafter (management and supervisory, as well as analyst support). This will require the continuation of on-loan status of ten staff for the rest of 2003. Sixteen beat officers from District 2 would also continue to be loaned to the Team. It is estimated that each of the four squads in CET would need eight additional officers on each shift to maintain the necessary presence and enforcement needed.

CET uses two 11 hour shifts to cover 22 hours of the day. Each member works 4 days on and 4 off, so four squads are needed to provide 7 day a week coverage.

Costing for this initiative uses the following estimates:

THE FUTURE

The VPD must continue to play an important role in addressing the significant problems in the DTES. In addition, there are considerable unmet policing needs in the rest of the City. To address these needs, the VPD will make yearly staffing requests for the next three years to bring the VPD's authorized strength in line with the workload and challenges it faces. In addition to the needs in the DTES, there are still 63 well-justified positions remaining from the 2000 Workload Report. Approval of these positions will address significant workload and service issues in frontline police positions. However, we must not allow the VPD to fall behind in terms of staffing levels, as it did throughout the mid- and late-1990s. To fill the 63 positions remaining from the Workload Report recommendations, and to deal with needs in other areas of the Department, most notably the Investigation Division, the VPD needs yearly increases in staff. The increases should be in the range of 40 sworn positions per year (and an appropriate number of civilian support positions), for the next three years. This would bring staffing levels in line with workload and address the public's service expectations.

CONCLUSION:

As described in this Report, in order to move forward in a meaningful way and address the disorder, crime and safety issues in the Downtown Eastside, the VPD has developed short, medium and long term staffing strategies. This report is a request for overtime funding for the medium term strategy and provides a context for a report to be provided to Council in the Fall of 2003 for a long term staffing solution.

* * * * *

 

Appendix A

Summary of Reductions in Authorized Strength

1993 - 2000

Year

Reason

Eliminated

Civilianized

Transfer of Responsibility

Total

1993

Budget Management Program

2

9

3

14

 

Jail - 12 Hour Shift

4

    

4

           

1994

Budget Management Program

11

0

0

11

 

Planning & Research

0

1

0

1

           

1995

Budget Management Program

3

0

0

3

           

1996

Planning & Research

0

2

0

2

           

1997

Budget Management Program

4

0

0

4

           

1998

  

0

0

0

0

           

1999

Eliminate Jail

0

0

24

24

 

Eliminate Com Centre

0

0

20

20

 

Budget Management Program

15

0

0

15

 

Fitness Instructor

0

1

0

1

           

2000

Budget Management Program

3

0

0

3

 

CLEU/CIS

8

5

0

13

           
 

TOTALS

50

18

47

115

           

cs20030327.htm

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