Latest news with #CommunitySafetyandTargetedEnforcement
Hamilton Spectator
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Hamilton Spectator
B.C. launches public safety program aimed at stopping non-violent street crime
VANCOUVER - British Columbia has launched a new public safety program aimed at reducing shoplifting, property damage and other non-violent street crimes in business areas. Terry Yung, minister of state for community safety and integrated services, says the program is a 'direct result' of feedback from police and the business community. Yung says B.C. officials 'heard loud and clear' their need for support in cracking down on street-level theft, vandalism, mischief and other crimes that undermine businesses, sometimes making it 'untenable' for them to operate. He says the initiative will help police address repeat offenders, building on an existing program aimed at stopping those who commit violent crimes. The minister says the B.C. RCMP is administering the new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement program and police departments across the province may apply for funding by submitting proposals for reducing non-violent street crime. The province has allocated up to $5 million to launch the initiative, though Yung says the money is 'a start,' and the B.C. government would continue to support policing while waiting for results from the program before deciding the next steps. 'But that doesn't preclude other investments the province is making in terms of housing, in terms of health care, mental health, drug addiction treatment, poverty reduction and other social service agencies that we're funding,' he said Friday. 'We can't just arrest our way out of crime ... We have to look at the undercurrents of what (is) causing this to happen.' B.C. public safety officials are 'watching carefully' as the federal government considers bail reform to address repeat offending, Yung added. 'We are looking forward to seeing what concrete changes are coming from the new government,' he told the news conference held in Vancouver. A statement from the province says the program will provide police with 'enhanced tools, technology and investigative resources to curb property crimes.' It will also support police as they develop co-ordinated operational plans that involve businesses, outreach teams and social services, the statement says. RCMP Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat told the news conference the new program is 'a step forward' and another tool for police to use in combatting street-level crime by repeat offenders that is 'eroding a sense of safety' in communities across B.C. She said police departments may seek funding to increase patrols in areas with high levels of retail theft or to address drug trafficking in downtown areas. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Winnipeg Free Press
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
B.C. launches public safety program aimed at stopping non-violent street crime
VANCOUVER – British Columbia has launched a new public safety program aimed at reducing shoplifting, property damage and other non-violent street crimes in business areas. Terry Yung, minister of state for community safety and integrated services, says the program is a 'direct result' of feedback from police and the business community. Yung says B.C. officials 'heard loud and clear' their need for support in cracking down on street-level theft, vandalism, mischief and other crimes that undermine businesses, sometimes making it 'untenable' for them to operate. He says the initiative will help police address repeat offenders, building on an existing program aimed at stopping those who commit violent crimes. The minister says the B.C. RCMP is administering the new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement program and police departments across the province may apply for funding by submitting proposals for reducing non-violent street crime. The province has allocated up to $5 million to launch the initiative, though Yung says the money is 'a start,' and the B.C. government would continue to support policing while waiting for results from the program before deciding the next steps. 'But that doesn't preclude other investments the province is making in terms of housing, in terms of health care, mental health, drug addiction treatment, poverty reduction and other social service agencies that we're funding,' he said Friday. 'We can't just arrest our way out of crime … We have to look at the undercurrents of what (is) causing this to happen.' B.C. public safety officials are 'watching carefully' as the federal government considers bail reform to address repeat offending, Yung added. 'We are looking forward to seeing what concrete changes are coming from the new government,' he told the news conference held in Vancouver. A statement from the province says the program will provide police with 'enhanced tools, technology and investigative resources to curb property crimes.' It will also support police as they develop co-ordinated operational plans that involve businesses, outreach teams and social services, the statement says. RCMP Chief Supt. Wendy Mehat told the news conference the new program is 'a step forward' and another tool for police to use in combatting street-level crime by repeat offenders that is 'eroding a sense of safety' in communities across B.C. She said police departments may seek funding to increase patrols in areas with high levels of retail theft or to address drug trafficking in downtown areas. This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 30, 2025.
Global News
30-05-2025
- Politics
- Global News
B.C. launches $5M public safety program to crack down on street crime
The B.C. government has unveiled $5 million in new funding for an initiative to crack down on property crime and street disorder. The province says the new Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement (C-STEP) program will give police more tools to respond to street crimes, including shoplifting, theft and property damage. Minister of State for Community Safety and Integrated Services Terry Yung, a former Vancouver police officer, said the program was a result of listening to communities and police around the province. 1:49 Vancouver police hosts forum on retail crime 'We heard loud and clear what they wanted, and street-level crime such as theft, robbery, undermining businesses and making it sometimes untenable for them to be around. For so long it has been going on and this is not acceptable,' he said. Story continues below advertisement The initiative comes as concerns about street crime and disorder make headlines around the province. 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 Earlier this week, the City of Williams Lake said it was considering declaring a state of emergency to deal with the problem, while residents of Nanaimo have staged repeated rallies over what they say is spiralling public disorder. Retailers have also reported upticks in violent shoplifting incidents, with London Drugs recently saying it was considering shuttering its location on the edge of Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. The program is being administered by the RCMP, which opened to funding applications from police agencies around the province two weeks ago. 1:50 Williams Lake considers state of emergency over crime, disorder The province says C-STEP funding will be available to support increased police patrols targeting street crime like open drug use and trafficking, disturbances and public intoxication, and to work with businesses and social services on co-ordinated plans to pre-emptively address street disorder. Story continues below advertisement 'We are not going to be prescriptive in where the funding is going to go, We want the police agencies to come up with operational plans, requests, and expect a matrix to find out where this money is going to address the most pressing challenges facing them on the street level,' Yung said. He said the program will supplement the existing Specialized Investigation and Targeted Enforcement, which targets repeat violent offenders. The program is being welcomed by business groups and the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police. 1:49 Maple Ridge safety concerns following baseball bat assault 'This initiative reflects a clear recognition of the urgent public-safety challenges facing downtown cores, including the growing impact of non-violent and repeat offenders on small businesses,' said Jane Talbot, president and CEO of the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association. 'Any step forward is important, and we see this as a significant and encouraging move in the right direction.' Story continues below advertisement Asked if the money would be enough to tackle property crime across the province, Yung described the $5 million as a 'beginning investment.' He added that the province continues to advocate for 'meaningful bail reforms' promised by Prime Minister Mark Carney's new Liberal government.
