At the start of this year, Victoria welcomed a new police chief and a new police board, and we are working toward a new policing agreement for Victoria and Esquimalt.
As we move forward, we have an opportunity to reflect on how far community safety has come in Victoria in the last five years and the steps we are taking to build on our success.
Five years ago, late-night public disorder in the downtown core was a serious, growing problem, the mental-health crisis on our streets was getting more severe and the overall crime rate in our region was above the national average.
Thanks to the dedication of the women and men on our police force, the combined efforts of mental-health professionals and social-service agencies, and a city council committed to lasting and constructive solutions, we are making good progress on every one of these fronts. Crime in the region is down well below the national average, our downtown core is cleaner and safer, and we are making significant strides in helping to get treatment for people who struggle with mental illness and addictions. Moreover, we have a plan to build on our progress.
In the early 2000s, downtown disorder in the entertainment district was a top concern for businesses and residents. Stories of late-night fights and vandalism were common. In 2009, we launched a Late Night Task Force, resulting in the introduction of late-night bus service and late-night taxi stands, the BarWatch program, downtown public washrooms and late-night downtown police patrols.
Since then, police calls for service downtown between Thursday night and Sunday morning have dropped by 26 per cent. From 2010 to 2013, there has been a 50 per cent decrease in property crime downtown. Disturbances, drug offences and violent crimes have fallen by a third. This frees officers for calls for assistance, which is where we really want their attention to be.
We also realized that we could not police our way out of issues of mental illness and addiction. Police officers have daily contact with individuals with chronic mental illness, and many police departments recognize that they can play a significant role in the care of people who are mentally ill. We do this in Victoria through integrated multi-agency teams to great success, the best examples of which are the Assertive Community Treatment teams and the Victoria Integrated Community Outreach Team.
Clients who receive support from ACT and VICOT place fewer demands on emergency and health services. VICOT reports great progress working with the hardest to house: 70 to 80 per cent reduction in visits to hospital emergency wards, and police calls reduced to 250 from 1,000 a year.
Following the lead of Victoria’s ACT and VICOT teams, which were formed in 2007, the Vancouver Police Department became involved with Vancouver’s support teams in 2012.
Individuals with unstable housing and substance abuse or mental disorders can also place significant demands on the justice system. In 2010, the Victoria Integrated Court was introduced to address the criminal activity of these individuals. The integrated court process differs from traditional criminal court in a number of ways, to work with the specific needs of this population.
Preliminary results indicate that the offenders who appear in the integrated court use fewer police and health services and are committing fewer new criminal offences than previously. Community court has shown a 20 per cent reduction in recidivism. Through these efforts and the continued dedication of the Victoria Police Department and community agencies, Victoria has seen significant changes over the past five years.
Overall, the Crime Severity Index for the metropolitan region of Victoria, last measured in 2011, is below the national average and represents a decline of 17 per cent from the previous year. A recent report notes that the combined region had a crime rate below the B.C. average, and, moreover, the decline over the past five years is almost entirely due to the falling crime rate in Victoria.
We look forward to the future, building on these successes with our new police chief, and soon, a new policing agreement between Victoria and Esquimalt. There is always more that we can — and must — do.
We will continue building on the progress we have made. We will continue to provide a safe city and deliver the high quality services our community deserves. We will continue to improve quality of life for all our citizens.
Dean Fortin is the mayor of Victoria.
