Mayor Ken Sim says opening a community policing centre in Gastown will not be “a silver bullet” to solve crime and street disorder issues in the neighbourhood — and adjoining Hastings Crossing area — but it is “a step in the right direction.”
The centre, which is expected to be located in a storefront at the Woodward’s building at West Hastings and Abbott streets, will open “as soon as possible,” according to Sim’s motion, which went before council Oct. 23.
“This neighbourhood needs a unique reimagined [community policing centre], one that meets the various needs and complexities of the area,” Sim said during debate at city hall. “This includes everything from [BC Ambulance] bikers stationed there to hosting integrated safety units, as well.”
Given Gastown and are two of four Downtown Eastside neighbourhoods, Sim said it was crucial to approach policing in these areas in a “thoughtful, sensitive and balanced manner that recognizes the complexities of the neighbourhoods.”
Respect and compassion for vulnerable populations must be central to the safety strategies implemented, according to the mayor’s motion, which received unanimous support from councillors.
Coun. Rebecca Bligh echoed the mayor’s commitment to seeking input from the wider community “to make sure that we're striking that balance that creates a net positive both for residents as well as the businesses — and to some of the more vulnerable and complex needs that can play out on the streets.”
$200,000 per year
The City of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»said in an email Monday that it is negotiating with Westbank — which redeveloped the Woodward’s building — to open the centre in a vacant storefront.
The cost to operate the facility is estimated at $200,000 per year.
“The city has been in discussions with the Province regarding start-up funding for this [community policing centre] but we cannot comment further given government has not yet formed,” said the city, referring to the provincial election results.
“Council has passed a resolution to build the ongoing operational costs of the new [centre] into the city’s budget moving forward.”
Asked for a more definite date on the centre’s opening, the city said it is aiming to have it open early in 2025.
“However, the timing will depend on a number of external factors, including securing the location, any necessary tenant repairs and hiring staff,” the city said.
The city said the Downtown Eastside continues to be impacted by homelessness, the mental health and addictions crises and “a growing predatory, criminal element” who prey on vulnerable and at-risk community members, including organized gangs.
“Neighbourhood stakeholders have identified increasing police presence and timely police response as critical for improving safety for everyone in the area, and many neighbourhood stakeholders have been advocating for a dedicated [community policing centre] to the area after an increase in street disorder issues impacting their businesses,” the city said.
Gastown patrol
Walley Wargolet, executive director of the Gastown Business Improvement Association (BIA), told council he has requested an increase in neighbourhood policing “for a long time” and supports the opening of a community policing centre.
“We have been 40 years in conversation with the city and the police with these issues that we're all facing around safety, and so we're excited about this investment,” said Wargolet, noting the BIA supplements the police department by about $300,000 a year with a private security team called the Gastown Patrol.
In addition to going after shoplifters — and achieving a 50 per cent recovery rate of stolen goods — the patrol team also conducts what Wargolet described as “wellness checks” on people in the neighbourhood.
“What that means is we've come across someone who is lying on the street, the sidewalk, a laneway and who's not moving, and we check on them to make sure that they're still alive, and try to get them the help they need,” he said, noting the team conducted 700 checks between January and August.
“This is an ongoing thing, and we've seen that increase by 138 per cent versus last year.”
Wargolet wants the centre to be staffed with neighbourhood police officers, and people trained in medical and wellness outreach as well as mental health support.
Koraleen Jarvis of the Gastown Residents Association said crime and social disorder “that plague our neighbourhood” has been the primary concern of her group. Jarvis, too, welcomed a new community policing centre for Gastown.
“Locating this new policing centre in a storefront left vacant by the TD Bank, behind the once famous Woodward’s window — which sadly has become a constant target for vandals — will not only help to rejuvenate this important corner, but also serve as a strong symbolic reminder that the City of Â鶹´«Ã½Ó³»does not tolerate crime and social disorder,” she told council.
“We fully appreciate that other programs will also be needed to further address the addiction and mental health issues in our neighbourhood. However, a community policing centre is a massive step towards better protecting us and therefore helping us bring back the vibrancy of this area.”
Unprovoked attack
The VPD doesn’t post crime statistics on its website solely for Gastown or Hastings Crossing. However, both areas fall under the central business district category, which has historically led all neighbourhoods in number of crimes.
Data from September shows 466 reports of theft under $5,000, 140 reported assaults, 25 robberies, 32 burglaries, 172 break-ins to vehicles, 170 mischief reports and 47 cases involving offensive weapons.
The VPD reported Oct. 15 that officers arrested a 30-year-old man in Chinatown following an unprovoked attack on a female tourist near the cruise ship terminal at Canada Place, a short walk from the proposed location of the new community policing centre.
Police said the 35-year-old woman was repeatedly punched and kicked in the face, and suffered multiple injuries that required medical attention at hospital.
Massimo Rosario Falvo was charged with one count of aggravated assault in connection with the attack.
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