POLICY REPORT

FINANCE

Date: October 7, 1997

Dept. File No. PR96\049

CC File No. 1376

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: Chief Constable

SUBJECT: Vancouver Police Department - Staffing Requirements for

Assuming Vancouver Port Policing Responsibilities

RECOMMENDATION

THAT Council approve an increase in the authorized sworn strength of the Vancouver Police Department by one Sergeant position and 14 Constable positions, effective immediately, to provide twenty-four hour preventative patrols, initial and follow-up investigations, and community-based policing for the port community.

CHIEF CONSTABLE’S COMMENTS

The Chief Constable RECOMMENDS approval of the foregoing.

COUNCIL POLICY

Council has supported the proposed port legislation which would provide greater autonomy for the Port of Vancouver and lead to the elimination of the Ports Canada Police, subject to a number of conditions. Those requirements include arrangements to ensure that additional costs are not incurred by municipalities and that there is no reduction in revenue presently received through grants-in-lieu.

PURPOSE

The purpose of this report is to summarize the events leading to the dissolution of the Ports Canada Police, the subsequent assumption of policing obligations by the Vancouver Police Department, and to seek Council approval for the necessary increase in sworn staffing levels.

BACKGROUND

The Canada Marine Act was passed by the House of Commons in April, 1997. However, the Act failed to become law before Parliament was dissolved. Although the Act was silent on "public policing" issues, the effect of the bill would have been to repeal the Canada Ports Corporation Act, which established and authorized the Ports Canada Police. Although the Canada Marine Act had not come into law, the Federal Government followed through on its intention to disband the Ports Canada Police. The last day of service by the Ports Canada Police in Vancouver was July 24th, 1997.

On July 23, 1997, the Vancouver Police deployed a "waterfront" patrol team, on a project basis, to assume policing responsibilities for the port area within the city. The team consists of one Sergeant and 10 Constables drawn from the existing police strength of other areas of the City. This interim project team will continue pending the authorization of permanent positions.

DISCUSSION

The Canada Ports Police (PCP) was established as the National Harbours Board Police in 1969 and was renamed in 1983. The authorized staffing level of the Vancouver PCP detachment has been as high as forty-three members historically, and in July, 1997, was comprised of twenty-five personnel.

In the past, the PCP had responsibility for the protection of port property in addition to it’s "public police" responsibilities. A number of reports have examined the function of the PCP and have separated the functions of "corporate property protection" (private security) and "public" policing issues (i.e., requiring peace officer status).

With the announcement by the Federal Government that the Ports Canada Police would be disbanded, negotiations began with the British Columbia Ministry of the Attorney General to ensure that an adequate level of policing was available on port property throughout the province.

On July 2, 1997, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed by the Province of British Columbia (Attorney General) and the Vancouver Port Corporation (VPC). The MOU allowed for payments by the VPC to provide for an orderly transition of public policing responsibilities by the City of Vancouver.

A second MOU between the Attorney General and the City of Vancouver, relating to transition funding for policing the port within the City, was signed on July 2, 1997.

The MOU provides that the Attorney General will receive payments from the Vancouver Port Corporation in trust for the City and will forward that funding to the City. The City will apply the funds received from the Attorney General to the budget of the Vancouver Police Department to offset the costs associated with policing the Port of Vancouver. The agreement provides for inflation adjustments over the seven year period based on the Canadian Consumer Price Index.

Staffing Requirement

A departmental review has concluded that it may be possible to provide a baseline level of public policing for the port community, to include response to "calls for service", preventative patrols and initial investigation, and a degree of community-based policing. Those tasks may be accomplished with fewer than the previously referred to twenty-five PCP officers due to:

-the delegation of some property protection responsibilities to private security; and

-the organizational support services already in place within the Vancouver Police.

It has been generally agreed that ten police officers would be adequate to provide the required level of service that those duties demand.

What may not have been adequately addressed in previous studies is the potential investigative role for the team. Given the unique environment of the port, an on-site investigative capability, with emphasis on partnerships with other enforcement and regulatory agencies in joint forces operations, is required.

In the past, the Ports Canada Police had seven officers assigned to four "joint forces operations" (JFOs) in concert with a number of enforcement agencies. These JFOs provided a coordinated strategy in addressing criminal activity which is hidden in, and takes advantage of, the port environment. These partnerships address property crimes as well as drug trafficking and organized crime. It is essential that they continue through this transition and into the future.

As a result, the Police Department is recommending the following addition to its authorized strength:

Baseline public policing 10 constables

Additional investigative and JFO work 4 constables

Waterfront Patrol Command 1 Sergeant

The requested increase in strength will enable the Police Department to provide police services, comprising response to emergencies and calls for service, uniform preventative patrol, and investigative activities without affecting other areas of the city.

On September 24th, 1997, the Vancouver Police Board passed the following Resolution:

THAT the Board receive as information the Staffing and Resource Requirements for Assuming Vancouver Port Policing Report from Chief Constable, dated September 15, 1997;

AND THAT the Board support an increase in the authorized sworn staffing of the Vancouver Police Department by one Sergeant position and fourteen Constable positions, effective immediately to provide twenty-four hour preventative patrols, initial and follow-up investigation, and community-based policing for the port community.

SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS

There is no direct relationship between the contemplated staffing changes and families or children.

PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS

The Vancouver Police Union has been provided with a copy of this report.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS

The agreements between the Port Corporation, Ministry of Attorney General and the City require the Port Corporation to provide funding totaling $4.0 million over the next seven years. The payments and costs associated with the additional responsibilities being assumed by the City are summarized in the following table:

YEAR	VPC PAYMENT 1997 Dollars	POLICING COSTS	(SURPLUS)DEFICIT
JULY 1997/1998	1,000,000	902,727	(97,280)
JULY 1998/1999	857,143	804,340	(52,803)
JULY 1999/2000	714,286	854,560	140,274
JULY 2000/2001	571,429	1,044,640	473,211
JULY 2001/2002	428,571	1,139,900	711,329
JULY 2002/2003	285,714	1,054,900	769,186
JULY 2003/2004	142,857	1,174,900	1,032,043
TOTAL	4,000,000	6,975,967	2,975,967

The funding provided by the Port Corporation is for transition purposes only and is not intended to provide for the ongoing costs associated with policing port property. The City Manager has advised Council that it is anticipated that increasing areas of tenancy on the port property will increase city taxation revenues to offset the declining port contributions.

CONCLUSION

Assuming the responsibility for providing policing services to the port is a unique opportunity in the recent history of policing in Vancouver. In order to provide an adequate standard of police service for the port area and to avoid drawing on existing police resources from other areas within Vancouver, it is essential that the Police Department is provided with adequate resources to fulfill these newly acquired responsibilities.

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APPENDIX "A"

Page 1 of 3

POLICING COSTS

Vancouver Port Corporation Property

First Year July 97 thru July 98

Probationary constable, salary and benefits = $43,428 annually

- 11 constables hired in September, 1997 $437,899

- 4 constables hired in December, 1997 $115,808

Difference between sergeant (level 1) and

1^st class constable (10 year qualified) salary

(establishing the waterfront team’s sergeant position) $10,020

Outfitting Costs:

three patrol cars, and maintenance @ $45,000 $105,000

($135,000 minus $30,000 trade in on ex-PCP cars)

four investigative cars, and maintenance @ $35,000 $140,000

uniforms and equipment @$3,100 x 15 $46,500

portable radios @ $2,500 x 15 $37,500

office equipment, cell’ phones, computers $10,000

TOTAL $902,727

Second Year July 1998 thru July 1999

4^th class constable, salary and benefits = $50,088 x 15 constables $751,320

Difference between sergeant and 1^st class constable salary $10,020

Outfitting Costs:

vehicle maintenance @ $5,000 x 7 vehicles $35,000

uniform and equipment @ $200 x 15 $3,000

phones, office supplies $5,000

TOTAL $804,340

APPENDIX "A"

Page 2 of 3

Third Year July 1999 thru July 2000

3^rd class constable, salary and benefits = $53,436 x 15 $801,540

Difference between sergeant and 1^st class constable salary $10,020

Outfitting Costs:

vehicle maintenance @ $5,000 x seven cars $35,000

uniforms $3,000

phones, office equipment $5,000

TOTAL $854,560

Fourth Year July 2000 thru July 2001

2^nd class constable, salary and benefits = $60,108 x 15 $901,620

Difference between sergeant and 1^st class constable salary $10,020

Outfitting Costs:

vehicle replacement, three patrol cars, and maintenance

($135,000 minus $30,000 trade in) $105,000

vehicle maintenance @ $5,000, four investigative cars $20,000

uniforms & equipment $3000

phones & office equipment $5,000

TOTAL $1,044,640

Fifth Year July 2001 thru July 2002

1^st class constable, salary and benefits = $66,792 x 15 $1,001,880

Difference between sergeant and 1^st class constable salary $10,020

Outfitting Costs:

vehicle replacement, four investigative cars and maintenance

($140,000 minus $40,000 trade in) $100,000

vehicle maintenance @ $5,000, three patrol cars $20,000

uniforms & equipment $3,000

phones, office equipment $5,000

TOTAL $1,139,900

APPENDIX "A"

Page 3 of 3

Sixth Year July 2002 thru July 2003

1st class constable x 15 $1,001,880

Difference between sergeant and 1^st class constable salary $10,020

Outfitting Costs:

vehicle maintenance @ $5,000 x 7 $35,000

uniforms and equipment $3,000

phones, office equipment $5,000

TOTAL $1,054,900

Seventh Year July 2003 thru July 2004

1st class constable x 15 $1,001,880

Difference between sergeant and 1^st class constable salary $10,020

Outfitting Costs:

vehicle replacement, three patrol cars and maintenance @ $45,000 $135,000

vehicle maintenance, four investigative units $20,000

uniforms and equipment $3,000

phones, office equipment $5,000

TOTAL $1,174,900

TOTAL COST OVER SEVEN YEARS $6,975,937

Note:Police salaries are based on the 1996 Salary Schedule of the Vancouver Police Union Collective Agreement, 1995-1996.

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(c) 1997 City of Vancouver