SUPPORTS ITEM NO. 2  
                                                      CS&B COMMITTEE AGENDA
                                                      OCTOBER 26, 1995     


                              ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT


                                                    Date:  October 10, 1995


     TO:       Standing Committee on City Services and Budgets

     FROM:     Director of Finance, in consultation with the
               Chief Constable

     SUBJECT:  Grant Request - Community Crime Prevention Office




     CONSIDERATION

          THAT  a one-time  grant of  $6,000 be  approved to  the Down-town
          Eastside   Residents  Association   for  the   Downtown  Eastside
          Neighbourhood Safety Office;   source of funds  to be Contingency
          Reserve.


     GENERAL MANAGERS' COMMENTS

          The General Manager of Corporate Services and the Chief Constable
          submit the foregoing for CONSIDERATION.


     COUNCIL POLICY

     Approval of grants requires eight affirmative votes.


     BACKGROUND

     City  Council,  on  September 27,  1994,  considered  and  endorsed an
     information   report  from  the  Chief  Constable  on  community-based
     policing.    The  report dealt  with  ten  strategies in  implementing
     community-based  policing  and  advanced   the  preferred  model   for
     community-based  policing   as   storefront  operations   staffed   by
     volunteers, with minimal financial support from the City.

     Since November 3, 1994,  City Council have approved nine  (9) one-time
     start-up grants of $6,000 each to community crime prevention offices.



     DISCUSSION

     In  co-operation with  the  Police Department,  the Downtown  Eastside
     Residents  Association  (DERA)   has  opened  the   Downtown  Eastside
     Neighbourhood  Safety Office at 12 East Hastings. Although there are a
     number  of police  storefront operations in  the immediate  area, this
     office is the first one that is run by  a resident association.  It is
     hoped  that over  time, this partnership  will lead to  a reduction in
     crime in the  neighbour-hood and mobilize  the neighbourhood to  solve
     their own problems.

     The  office  is  staffed  by  a   DERA  staff  coordinator,  community
     volunteers  as well as police officers  assigned to the neighbourhood.
     B.C. Housing  has agreed to fund the renovation cost of the office and
     a reduction in rent.  The  Association has submitted a one-time start-
     up grant request of  $6,000 to the City to fund  the cost of furniture
     and equipment for the office.

     The Director of Finance submits the $6,000 grant request for Council's
     consideration.   The source  of fund  for the  grant, if approved,  is
     Contingency Reserve.


     REVIEW OF PROGRAM

     The grant request from Downtown Eastside Residents  Association is the
     tenth one-time start-up grant request considered by City Council since
     1994.    If  the  grant  request  is  approved,  the  City  will  have
     contributed $60,000 towards this  program together with a considerable
     amount of City  staff resources  in assisting the  operation of  these
     offices.  Staff believe it would be appropriate to conduct a review of
     the City's  involvement in  the program before  further resources  are
     allocated  to  the development  of other  offices.   This  review will
     involve staff from Police  and other departments, with input  from the
     community.   A  report on  this subject will  be submitted  to Council
     before year end.



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