Has a new police task force helped reduce crime in the Downtown Eastside?
Some business owners in the Downtown Eastside say a new dedicated Vancouver police task force appears to be helping to reduce street disorder and crime. As Leanne Yu reports, it comes as the VPD touts early success on its Task Force Barrage.
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Vancouver Sun
17 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Changing safety measures no barrier to a good time at Italian Day on Commercial Drive
Vancouver police used cars, trucks and newly purchased vehicle barriers Sunday to block nearby roads at Italian Day on the Drive, an annual street festival that draws thousands of people to the iconic east Vancouver street. The portable anti-ram barriers, called 'Archer' barriers, replace heavy vehicles like dump trucks used by VPD as barricades at large-scale events like the Celebration of Light fireworks or the Taylor Swift concerts last year. 'I think it's so much better,' Cynthia Richardson, who was out with her husband and friends, said of the new barriers. 'You can see across, you don't have these big (trucks) blocking the view. It's friendlier.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'Before they used to have dump trucks,' said Jim Richardson. 'They used to have cops posted with assault rifles next to the dump trucks. I thought that was overkill,' Richardson said. Neither of the Richardsons, who live just off Commercial Drive, were worried about a repeat of the Lapu Lapu Day tragedy, though both said it was on their minds. Daniel Malbas, who was attending the festival for the first time, said he didn't expect anything to happen but was curious to see how safety measures would change following Lapu Lapu Day. 'I was definitely interested to see how they put different (security) measures in place, given the tragedy,' Malbas said. Malbas's friend Jerome said he wanted to make a point of coming out to the festival following the Lapu Lapu Day tragedy. 'I want to make sure that it is successful,' he said. The VPD ordered 16 of the anti-ram barriers from U.S.-based Meridian Rapid Defense Group soon after the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans, where a 42-year-old man used a pickup truck to ram into a crowd on historic Bourbon Street, killing 14 people. The devices arrived last month. Each barrier weighs about 320 kilograms and they are linked with heavy steel cables specifically designed to stop unauthorized vehicles at roadways, construction sites and public events. The barriers 'can be deployed and moved around as needed,' Sgt. Steve Addison, a VDP spokesperson, previously told Postmedia. 'When they're set up, they're designed to prevent vehicle incursions into large crowds.' Corinne Lea, owner of the Rio Theatre located at Commercial and Broadway, said in the 10-plus years the theatre has had a booth at the festival, safety has never been an issue. Her booth was at the southern entrance to the festival, at the corner of Commercial and Grandview Highway, north of the SkyTrain station. The intersection was blocked by a police cruiser and a row of the newly purchased anti-ramming barriers. The barriers were a popular subject for photography. 'I think it's on everybody's mind,' Lea said of the Lapu Lapu Day tragedy. 'But I feel like we're in good hands.' 'It's really well organized. So I always feel safe,' Lea said of the festival. 'But you know, just the state of the world right now. You know you can never be too safe.' Each trailer load of Meridian barriers costs about USD $125,000, and includes eight mobile barriers and a rapid VPD ordered two trailer loads. With a file from Cheryl Chan. @njgriffiths ngriffiths@
The Province
3 days ago
- The Province
'A smack on the hand:' Current, former Vancouver police officers upset suspended cop keeps his job
The VPD's decision not to participate in Const. Keiron McConnell's sexual misconduct hearing has upset several officers, who believe he should have been fired. The department says the case has led to the creation of a new sexual harassment policy. Vancouver police officer Keiron McConnell is seen outside provincial court in Vancouver in a 1998 file photograph. Photo by Mark van Manen / Vancouver Sun The pending return to work of one of the Vancouver Police Department's longest-serving officers, after his suspension last month for sexually harassing several women, has been a hot topic among many of his colleagues — and not all of them look forward to seeing him back on the job. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors It's unclear when Const. Keiron McConnell will return to active duty and what role he will fill. But 11 current and former VPD members, women and men ranging from rank-and-file members to senior management, spoke with Postmedia News in recent weeks, eager to express frustration that the former sergeant is still a member of the force at all. Five are current officers and six retired from policing between 32 years ago and last year. They say they're also dismayed that VPD leadership didn't take a stand during McConnell's disciplinary proceeding to argue the officer's established pattern of sexual harassment made him unfit for the job. 'In what other industry does that happen? And when it comes to light, this person's allowed to keep his job, and have a smack on the hand?' said former VPD constable Anja Bergler, who retired last year after 23 years with the department. 'You can get your position of authority back? What the hell?' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Former VPD officer Anja Bergler, who experienced a culture of sexism and harassment during her 23 years on the job, in North Vancouver. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO / 10108237A Bergler, who is a plaintiff in an proposed class-action lawsuit filed in 2023 alleging systemic sexism at different B.C. municipal police departments, said she has heard from current officers who are 'disgusted' by the McConnell case's outcome. In April 2022, B.C.'s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner ordered an investigation into McConnell, who was then the VPD's most senior sergeant, after complaints of sexual harassment. McConnell initially denied any discreditable conduct in relation to the allegations by seven women. But in April of this year, on the first day of a scheduled public hearing, he admitted to discreditable conduct involving sexual harassment of five women between 2015 and 2019. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The admitted misconduct is described in an agreed-upon statement of facts. McConnell sent repeated unsolicited and unwelcome sexual messages to younger female VPD officers, as well as students at post-secondary institutions where he taught classes on criminology. He admitted to making sexual comments to a younger officer about her sexual preferences and his own sexual fantasies. One night in 2016, while a then-47-year-old McConnell was at a pub with his former students, he asked a 25-year-old woman questions about her underwear and what colour it was. When she left the pub and flagged a taxi, McConnell followed her into the cab where he leaned over and tried to kiss her against her wishes, before she exited the vehicle. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Some of the women didn't report the incidents about McConnell because of fear about potential affects on their careers. At least one student said the experience contributed to her abandoning her planned career in policing. The adjudicator, retired provincial court judge Carol Baird Ellan, wrote that McConnell 'capitalized on his superior position' over the women, and that 'while the misconduct must in that respect be considered predatory, it is toward the low end of the scale in terms of that particular characterization.' The adjudicator agreed that the penalty, jointly proposed by lawyers for both McConnell and the OPCC, was within the appropriate range. This included a 20-day unpaid suspension, a demotion from sergeant to constable for at least a year, and mandatory training. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. During these kinds of proceedings, the police department's leadership can seek to make submissions about what discipline seems appropriate. In a recent OPCC case involving a New Westminster police officer who made inappropriate sexual advances toward subordinates, the department's chief argued in favour of dismissal. Baird Ellan described the New West file as more serious than McConnell's because it involved more physical contact, but 'comparable,' and noted that in that case, the chief's evidence contributed to a finding of dismissal. In McConnell's case, however, the VPD decided not to intervene. 'In the absence of an assertion on the department's part that the proposed terms are not workable, despite what I consider having been an adequate opportunity for them to raise the issue, I have no basis for concluding other than that they are workable,' Baird Ellan wrote. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The department's decision not to intervene has upset several current and retired officers, who believe any penalty short of dismissal would bring the department into disrepute. 'You would've thought the department would have stepped in. You're running a business protecting people,' said Dave Dickson, a 28-year VPD veteran who retired in 2003. 'You allow a guy like that, that's got a problem like that, back on the job, that just destroys the confidence people have in the police department.' One current VPD officer said the situation is 'causing a lot of morale issues' inside the department. 'Why didn't VPD take a role in this? They sat back when they had an opportunity to get involved,' he said. Retired VPD member Dave Dickson at his home in Surrey. Photo by Jason Payne / PNG The current officers and some of the retired ones spoke on the condition they wouldn't be named. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Not every VPD member agrees. One current officer said based on their experience, the department's decision not to seek standing in McConnell's hearing was 'likely intended to preserve neutrality and ensure the case was assessed solely on its merits' and to respect the independence of the process. Deputy Police Complaint Commissioner Andrea Spindler said police departments often participate in these kinds of hearings, as the VPD has in previousproceedings. 'This is their most senior sergeant with multiple allegations of sexualized misconduct against their female officers. And chiefs are responsible for setting the tone for their workplace cultures and ensuring appropriate standards,' Spindler said. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'I'm not opining what position they should have taken. … But it would have been an opportunity for the adjudicator, the public, and VPD members to hear their perspectives on these issues and their leadership's expectations,' she said. 'It's important for police departments to be at the table.' Mike Carr, a former VPD officer who retired as a sergeant in 2003, said he worried how this outcome would be viewed by younger officers. As a police officer, 'you know if you make a mistake, you could be gone. There's no guarantee that your position is forever,' Carr said. 'It keeps you in line. This just sends the totally wrong message. 'Twenty days (suspension), … a reduction in rank, big deal. He should be fired.' The VPD confirmed this week that McConnell is on leave and hasn't yet returned to work. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. A source said that McConnell's leave means he hasn't yet begun serving the unpaid suspension announced last month. It wasn't clear when that might happen. In an emailed statement, the VPD said: 'We acknowledge that there is always room for improvement when it comes to strengthening workplace culture, especially when it involves the safety and well-being of our employees. In a large organization, like the VPD, with over 2,000 employees there will be incidents of unacceptable behaviour. A single incident of sexual harassment is one too many. 'We continue to encourage any employee who feels harassed to come forward so that the matter can be thoroughly investigated,' the statement said. 'We strongly believe there should be meaningful consequences when someone is proven to have violated our core values of treating each other with respect and ensuring a safe and professional workplace.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The VPD didn't make anyone available for an interview and didn't respond to written questions about why it chose not to participate in McConnell's hearing. The Vancouver Police Union didn't reply to a request for comment. In Baird Ellan's decision on McConnell's discipline, she recommended that the VPD should implement a stand-alone sexual harassment policy. The VPD said it has created a new stand-alone policy on sexual harassment as 'a result of the McConnell decision.' The new policy hasn't yet been implemented and is awaiting Vancouver police board approval. Darryl Plecas, a professor emeritus at the University of the Fraser Valley and expert on police oversight, said that adjudicators in cases like this must consider disciplinary outcomes of past cases when deciding upon appropriate penalties. In McConnell's case, the adjudicator mentioned two other OPCC public hearings for sexual misconduct, both involving physical contact to varying degrees, that didn't result in dismissal. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The outcome of McConnell's case, Plecas said, will make other police leaders less likely to fire officers for similar misconduct in the future. 'In other words, going forward, we are conceding that a police officer who demonstrates a pattern of sexually harassing people will most certainly remain on the job,' Plecas said. Public trust in police depends on knowing officers will treat people respectfully, Plecas said. While isolated incidents of disrespect could be forgiven, McConnell's case shows 'a pattern of disrespect, and as such suggests that he is not someone who should be employed as a police officer.' One current VPD officer said 'the membership is very upset' about the McConnell case, and worries it illustrates a culture of sexism inside the department that isn't improving. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'For a while, the pendulum was swinging in the right direction' and the workplace culture was getting better, especially for women, the officer said. 'But we're regressing.' Bergler said this case illustrates what she calls 'the VPD way.' When people, especially men who are well-connected inside the department, are accused of this kind of misconduct the 'standard response has been to circle the wagons and insulate the problem,' she said, while whistleblowers, especially women, are 'discouraged, then discredited, discounted and ultimately discarded — that's how it feels.' dfumano@ Read More
Global News
3 days ago
- Global News
8 public safety cameras installed in Vancouver's DTES due to high crime rates
Vancouver police say public safety cameras have been installed in the Downtown Eastside to cut down on 'violent incidents targeting the community and police.' Eight elevated safety cameras have been installed in the Downtown Eastside – four at Main and Hastings, and four at Carrall and Hastings, police said. They will replace two existing public safety trailers that were deployed in April after a Vancouver Police Department officer was attacked with a knife, two others had their uniforms set on fire and a 92-year-old man was assaulted and died in a lane behind the Carnegie Centre. 'We continue to drive down crime and drive out predators through proactive, assertive, and targeted enforcement against violent criminals and prolific offenders who operate in the Downtown Eastside,' Deputy Chief Howard Chow, Operations Division, said in a statement. Story continues below advertisement 'Despite significant progress, there's still ongoing and imminent risk to residents and police officers. Now is not the time to let up.' 1:50 Violent crime in DTES dropped in first months of Task Force Barrage, police say The Vancouver police say that despite representing three per cent of the city's population and two per cent of its geographical area, the Downtown Eastside accounts for 30 per cent of violent crime in the city. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy In February, Vancouver police announced Task Force Barrage, a $5-million initiative to flood the city's troubled Downtown Eastside with patrol officers and crack down on gangs and organized retail theft. However, police said the areas around Main and Hastings, and Carrall and Hastings, continue to have the highest crime rates in the city. Story continues below advertisement So far in 2025, there have been 225 violent crimes, including 14 robberies, 115 assaults and one homicide, within a one-block radius of where the cameras are deployed, according to police statistics. 'Residents, business owners, and community advocates tell us they're still concerned about the level of violence in the Downtown Eastside, where gangs and violent criminals are endangering the community,' Chow added. 'We've spoken to more than a dozen organizations, residents and advocates about this initiative, and we're confident it has widespread community support.' Police said the cameras are intended to deter violence and capture video evidence. They will not record audio or be used with facial recognition or artificial intelligence, or for traffic enforcement. Only authorized VPD employees will have access to recordings, which will be overwritten after four days unless required for criminal investigations.
