Latest news with #DelManak
CTV News
01-08-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Alleged drug deals from chair outside Victoria consumption site ‘unacceptable,' police chief says
Victoria Police Chief Del Manak speaks during a press conference in Victoria, on Wednesday, March 24, 2021. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito Victoria's police chief says undercover operatives didn't have to look far to find evidence of criminality outside a safe consumption site in the city. A suspected cocaine dealer was selling drugs from a chair set up directly in front of the overdose prevention facility, Chief Del Manak said. The chief said in an interview on Thursday that he called senior leadership at the Island Health authority to express disappointment over the handling of the suspect, who allegedly sold the drug twice to undercover officers and was arrested. Manak said he supports an overdose consumption site in the city, but it was 'unacceptable' that a service provider from the facility on Pandora Ave. was seen to 'do nothing' about the man. 'That's disturbing, and it's extremely disappointing for me to see that a staff member would do (nothing),' Manak said. An employee at the facility had a 'rapport' with the alleged dealer, interacted with the person and turned a 'blind eye' to the alleged trafficking, the chief said. He said the service provider 'obviously' had a relationship with the alleged dealer, while a police news release said the man had 'a consistent flow of customers.' 'Officers initiated two separate purchases from the man and notably observed a service provider from the facility interacting with him without any apparent concern for the illegal activity,' the release said. Manak said Island Health told him it would be addressing his concerns through training and a policy review to make sure that the facility operates in co-operation with community partners, including the Victoria Police Department. Island Health told The Canadian Press it was aware of arrests on Pandora Ave. 'and we are thankful for the brave and tireless work our law enforcement partners do every day.' It said that mitigating street disorder could include operators 'building relationships with the community,' keeping those waiting for services calm and orderly, de-escalating aggression, encouraging people to pack up encampments in front of services, and 'asking people to not actively deal.' 'These requests are based on relationships and trust and are not enforceable,' it said. Manak said instead of interacting with the alleged dealer, the service provider should have called police. He said he did not expect the worker to confront the man. 'I'm asking, 'where is your sense of duty and responsibility for even the people accessing your site to see that there's a drug trafficker setting up shop at your front doors?'' Manak said. He added that it is the 'sole responsibility' of his department to target drug traffickers and criminality at large. But it is 'problematic' when drug trafficking is happening in front of a safe consumption site. 'Then you have a staff member connected to the location coming out and engaging with this individual,' Manak said. 'From there, the health authority cannot turn a blind eye, and they need to be responsive in phoning the police.' Everybody, including service providers, have a 'duty and responsibility' to stop street disorder, Manak said. Manak said his department has a 'very good working relationship' with Island Health, adding it supports the safe consumption site and the concept behind it. 'It offers support for individuals who are addicted to illicit drugs, and this is a much needed service,' he said. The chief said he's treating the incident as a 'one-off,' and is confident that Island Health will address this issue. The facility is located in the 900-block of Pandora Ave., in an area where homeless people have set up tents and other sleeping structures and crime has been a recurring problem. Bicycles and shopping carts loaded with belongings are parked nearby. Portable fencing has been set up to separate encampments from a nearby church and other businesses. Victoria recently announced more than $10 million for more police and bylaw officers and other measures to reduce crime, homelessness and addiction. One city councillor submitted a recent motion to shut down the supervised consumption site, but council deferred request to later this year. Manek said that would be a mistake. 'If we shut down supervised consumption sites, people are going to continue to use illicit drugs,' he said. 'We know that the supervised consumption site is saving lives, but again, to shut down is not the right step.' This report by Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press, was first published July 31, 2025.
Global News
28-05-2025
- Global News
Change law to ban, evict criminals from supportive housing, outgoing VicPD chief says
Victoria's outgoing police chief is calling for more tools to prevent crime in supportive housing buildings. It comes after a 62-year-old man was arrested in a supportive housing facility near the city's Chinatown. Police searching the property found a kilogram of fentanyl, a loaded handgun and about $40,000 in cash. Speaking at Victoria city council last week, Chief Del Manak suggested changes to B.C.'s Residential Tenancy Act that would proactively exclude known criminals from supportive housing facilities. 'We're responding after the fact, when there's a stabbing, or a major incident, or someone is exploiting individuals within a particular unit, or in a particular building. It would be great if we could get ahead of that and not allow somebody to actually get in the building in the first place,' Manak said. 'I understand the challenges around police oversight, sharing of information. But there must be a path forward, and I think it's important to put the safety of staff and the residents within our supportive housing locations as a top priority.' Story continues below advertisement 2:14 Suspected homicide prompts supportive housing operators to call for weapons ban Manak also called on the province to amend legislation to give housing providers more tools to evict criminals who become 'embedded' in supportive housing. Get weekly health news Receive the latest medical news and health information delivered to you every Sunday. Sign up for weekly health newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'That would create a level of safety, and at least there would be some consequences and some ownership, because you need a deterrent,' he said. Earlier this month, a group of B.C. non-profit housing providers called for a ban on weapons after 34-year-old father Keith Scott was killed in a Victoria supportive housing building. The group said that currently, under the Residential Tenancy Act, the only tool they have for tenants with weapons is eviction, but when a tenant refuses to leave, there is nothing more they can do. Housing advocate Fiona York agreed the safety of residents and staff in supportive housing should be the top priority. Story continues below advertisement But she said amending provincial legislation was overkill that could come with unintended consequences. 'My concern is that this becomes the go-to for any changes or concerns in supportive housing, and really I don't believe that's the place of the Residential Tenancy Act,' she said. 'I think it's more to protect people's rights, so I am concerned about an erosion of tenants' rights.' 2:12 City of Vancouver backs down on controversial Kitsilano supportive housing project York said officials should speak the people who actually live and work in supportive housing facilities to ask what would make them feel safer. She also called for more types of supportive housing, so that sober people, seniors or couples would not have to co-locate with the general population. B.C. Housing Minister Ravi Kahlon said Tuesday that the province has no current plans to amend the act. Story continues below advertisement 'We have a working group right now with police, not-for-profit providers, helping us guide what the next steps can look like, but at the end of the day we want to make sure that these facilities are safe, that the people living there are safe, that communities are safe, but they also have some basic rights,' he said. Kahlon added that the province's job is to ensure everyone has access to housing, even people who have criminal records.
