City of Victoria
Community Safety Report Card, third quarter (July, August, September) of 2024
Overview
The busy summer period of July through September sees Victoria welcome visitors from around the world, with an expected increase in calls for service, and an opportunity for proactive work with foot and bike patrols. While Patrol was busy on the streets, our Investigative Services Division received a conviction of 48 months and 3 years probation for a violent sexual assault file (stranger/public related) with several other resource-intensive ongoing Major Case Management investigations going through disclosure or charge assessment processes.
The Community Services Division (CSD) worked collaboratively with BC Housing, the City of Victoria and many service providers to alleviate the number of individuals experiencing homelessness on Pandora and Ellice Street, and, with Patrol, led the Pandora and Ellice Safety Plan. There has been significant improvement in the density of encampments and criminality in this area thanks to the presence and visibility of officers in that area.
Our Human Resources Division ensured that we had a new cadre of excellent candidates to train, while delivering on our Roadmap for a Healthy & Inclusive Workplace, including annual wellness checks and short and long-term reintegration.
Welcoming New Faces
In Q3, VicPD hired six Recruit Constables, one Experienced Officer, and two civilian staff.
Departures
Over the third quarter, five officers and one civilian staff member moved on to retirement. We celebrate retirements in February of each year.
Bike and Beat Deployments
In the Spring and Summer of 2024, Patrol Division made a concerted effort to dedicate resources to bike and beat patrols in Esquimalt and the downtown core in Victoria when call volume permitted and capacity existed. The Bike and Beat Deployment pilot project in Patrol Division has been deemed a successful demonstration of integrating these functions into regular Patrol work and will repeat in 2025. Read more about this pilot project here: Success In Summer Bike And Beat Pilot – VicPD.ca
Clarifying Rules on Open Drug Use
The Patrol division has seen an uptick in calls for service in relation to open drug consumption; this is reflected in the increase in calls for Social Order in Q3. The problem of public consumption of drugs is a challenging and complex social issue that our officers are confronted with daily, and is the number one concern identified by residents in our 2024 VicPD Community Survey.
The recent amendments to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) exemption have caused some public confusion on what officers can lawfully do to enforce the CDSA.
Although the changes made in May 2024 have been described as the re-criminalization of drugs, that is not actually the case, and the overall intent is still harm reduction. Arresting people for simple possession or use is the last option for our officers, given the amendments, and there is no support for police proceeding with possession charges through the court process. In most cases, officers have little option except to move them along and work to connect them with information and other supports.
Relationships between the five Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams and VicPD have continued to strengthen. Over this period, VicPD officers have collaborated closely with ACT doctors, nurses, and team members, engaging with 119 documented calls for service from July to September. These ranged from home visits and medication witnessing to more complex interventions, excluding additional support provided outside ACT coverage hours (Saturdays and Sundays).
An increase in police involvement has been observed, with officers assisting with client background checks, attending team and doctor meetings, and locating clients alongside ACT team members. The move to EMP has slightly impacted the rapport and interaction frequency due to geographic distribution, as teams are now split between the city core and EMP on the city’s outer east. Officers continue to maintain connections with ACT teams by frequenting EMP during downtime and lunch.
VicPD’s relationship with probation officers and integrated court remains strong, with effective communication and collaboration on shared reports and integrated court meetings. This quarter, the department celebrated UVic’s recognition of police officers’ role within ACT teams, highlighting the positive impact of VicPD’s ongoing support in maintaining safety within the community.
Back to School Safety Campaign
In September, VicPD Traffic officers, Reserves and Volunteers visited every school across Victoria and Esquimalt to raise awareness of school zones now being enforced, and the increased pedestrian and bike traffic in school areas. In September, more than 400 drivers were documented going 41 km/hr or more in school zones by Crime Watch volunteers.
Police departments across the CRD, including VicPD, Saanich Police, Oak Bay Police, and West Shore RCMP “teamed up” to collaborate on a back-to-school safety message. The video, coordinated by VicPD, received close to 80,000 views and local media coverage.
On August 13, VicPD presented Halifax resident Adam with a Civic Service Award for assisting a man who had been hit by a vehicle. Adam was vacationing in Victoria when the incident occurred and we were happy to be able to present this award to him in his home town.
July 1 – Canada Day
On Canada Day officers were deployed to the inner harbour to keep everyone safe, the Community Engagement team handed out stickers and met with people enjoying the Canada Day festivities. It was a family-friendly environment with a lot of red and white and true Canadian spirit on display.
At the end of the third quarter of 2024, the net financial position is approximately 75.9% spent of the total budget. This financial position is reasonable, given that the spending target based on payroll is 74.4% and integrated units include some costs that will be shared with other police agencies at year end. Expenditures for retirements, building operations, and uniforms/protective clothing are over the approved budget, but offset by other expenditures that are under budget year-to-date. Recoverable overtime is 176% spent due to continuing protest activities but the impact on the net financial position is nil due to funding received or receivable. Retirement expenditures of approximately $774,000 do not have an approved operating budget. If there is insufficient surplus to cover these costs at year-end, they will be charged against the employee benefit liability fund. Capital expenditures are 45.7% spent.
