ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT
Date: July 4, 1995
Dept. File No.: PRA95058
TO: Vancouver City Council
FROM: Chief Constable
SUBJECT: Enhanced CounterAttack Enforcement Project
INFORMATION
The Chief Constable submits this report for Council's information.
COUNCIL POLICY
There is no applicable Council policy.
DISCUSSION
The objective of the CounterAttack Enforcement Project is to reduce
impaired driving by 12.5% in designated pilot project areas through
increased enforcement from July 6 through December 7, 1995. This
project intends to validate the impact of concentrated police drinking
driver road checks combined with a public information campaign. The
program will reduce impaired driving by increasing the perceived risk of
apprehension by high visibility police road checks. Research
consistently has demonstrated that high visibility checks are an
effective deterrent to drinking and driving. In Vancouver one third of
the fatal and serious vehicle crashes have alcohol as a contributing
cause.
The crash reduction rate will be accomplished with police CounterAttack
road checks funded by ICBC paying police overtime. Funding from ICBC
permits the police department to assign personnel to two road check
crews, for eight hour shifts, five nights per week. Each crew is
staffed by a supervisor and seven constables, voluntarily assigned on
overtime. Generally, police personnel are deployed to conduct drinking
driving road checks twice each year in the Spring and Christmas
CounterAttack programs. During the
remainder of the year, drinking driver enforcement is one of the many
responsibilities of patrol and traffic constables. The traffic section
deploys two constables full time to a drinking driver detail.
The police department has worked cooperatively for many years with ICBC
on a variety of projects including traffic safety, theft from and theft
of vehicle. Traffic safety projects include seat belt, speeding,
intersection and drinking driving campaigns through a combination of
education and enforcement. ICBC has also worked
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with the department on new reporting programs to reduce fraudulent
reports for hit and run crashes, the Crime Stoppers stolen vehicle
recovery program as well as with Citizens Crime Watch to supply
computers to enhance the C.C.W. volunteer's stolen vehicle recovery
efforts. Vancouver is one of ten police departments selected to
participate in the project, five municipal departments in Greater
Vancouver and five in the Victoria area.
An evaluation criteria is part of the project. This includes a pre and
post evaluation of the levels of drinking and driving on Vancouver
streets. The pre test has been completed through road side voluntary
breath testing of drivers. Crash rates will be analysed during the
project period to evaluate the level of alcohol involvement in crashes
and public surveys will question the public's awareness of the campaign
and changes in driving behaviour. ICBC and CounterAttack (Motor Vehicle
Branch) have developed a detailed media and advertising plan to support
the project. The police department is working with ICBC and
CounterAttack on the public information program to support the road
checks.
SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS
This project intends to reduce fatal and injury crashes in Vancouver,
thereby enhancing the safety of all citizens of the City of Vancouver.
ICBC predicts a 12.5% reduction in crashes; the savings to the
Corporation this represents will pay for the program.
PERSONNEL IMPLICATIONS
All personnel involved in the project are voluntarily assigned on
overtime. There is no reduction in police service.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS
This program is fully funded by ICBC. The estimated total cost of the
project is $1.3 million. Overtime, at the standard callout rate,
complies with the Vancouver Police Union collective agreement.
Administration costs, benefits and an additional 10% surcharge to cover
future court overtime costs have been agreed upon. ICBC is also
providing for additional equipment such as flares, traffic cones and
traffic vests.
CONCLUSION
This project offers the police department significant assistance in its
efforts to reduce deaths and injuries due to drinking driver crashes.
The project will demonstrate the effectiveness of concentrated police
road checks on the number of drinking drivers on the streets of
Vancouver.
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