Latest news with #Enforcement
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.
New Straits Times
30-05-2025
- New Straits Times
KL RTD officers may face disciplinary action over undeclared asset disposals
KANGAR: Road Transport Department (RTD) officers who fail to declare the disposal of assets in the department's Human Resource Information Management System (HRMIS) may be referred to the Disciplinary Committee if elements of non-compliance are found. This follows a report from the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) today, which found that several vehicles registered under the names of Kuala Lumpur RTD officers had not yet been declared as disposed of in the HRMIS, as required by the department. RTD director-general Datuk Aedy Fadly Ramli said the department is aware of the incident but will review the EAIC report before taking appropriate action. "We will monitor officers who fail to declare the disposal of assets, as required under the Public Officers (Conduct and Discipline) Regulations 1993. From our side, every disposed asset must be redeclared in the HRMIS system. "In this matter as well, we will first study the EAIC report before taking appropriate action against the Kuala Lumpur RTD officers concerned, as reported by the media," he told reporters after presenting MyLesen (B2) driving licence to 800 recipients comprising students and underprivileged youth at Dewan Warisan today. Present was Perlis RTD director, Noraini Mohd Nawi. Aedy Fadly said the department will consider various aspects to determine whether there has been a breach of the existing regulations. "If there is a breach of the rules set by the government, then the officers involved may be referred to the Disciplinary Committee, which is a standard process implemented by RTD. "This declaration is an obligation not only within RTD but applies to all civil servants," he said. Earlier today, the EAIC, in a statement said it had received a complaint against the Federal Territory RTD involving several vehicle registration numbers, and an investigation was carried out under subsection 27(4) of the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act 2009 (Act 700). EAIC's investigation found that several vehicles registered under the names of Kuala Lumpur RTD officers had not been declared as disposed of in the HRMIS system, even though those vehicles had not been in the officers' possession for a significant period of time.
Powys County Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Powys County Times
Asylum applications hit new high while backlog falls
The number of asylum applications in the UK has hit a new high, though the backlog of cases waiting for a decision has fallen to its lowest level since 2021. A total of 109,343 people applied for asylum in the year to March 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001. The number is up 17% from 93,150 in the year ending March 2024, according to figures published by the Home Office. The previous record was 108,138 in the 12 months to December 2024. Migrants who arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats accounted for 33% of the total number of people claiming asylum in the year to March. Pakistani was the most common nationality among asylum applicants in 2024/25, accounting for 11,048 people or 10.1% of the total. This is up from 7,003 in 2023/24, when it was the third most common nationality (7.5% of the total). Afghan was the second most common nationality among people claiming asylum in the year to March (8,069 people, 7.4% of the total), down from 9,738 (10.5%) in 2023/24 when it was the most common nationality. Along with Pakistan, the largest increase in asylum claims in 2024/25 came from Syrian nationals, which stood at 6,175 (5.6% of the total), up from 4,232 (4.5%) in 2023/24. The figures also show there were 109,536 people waiting for an initial decision on an asylum application in the UK at the end of March 2025. This is down 12% from 124,802 at the end of December 2024 and is the lowest number since December 2021. The total peaked at 175,457 at the end of June 2023, which was the highest figure since current records began in 2010. The number of people waiting more than six months for an initial decision stood at 67,373 at the end of March, down from 73,866 at the end of December and well below the recent peak of 139,961 in June 2023. Separate figures published by the Home Office on Thursday show the number of quarterly enforced returns of people who do not have a right to stay in the UK fell slightly from 2,365 in October-December 2024 to 2,312 in January-March 2025. Both of these figures are higher than for any other quarter since 2018. The Home Office is responsible for returning people to their country of origin if they do not have a legal right to remain in the UK. There are three types of returns: enforced returns, which are carried out directly by the Home Office; voluntary returns, who are people who were facing deportation but left of their own accord, sometimes with support from the Home Office; and port returns, who are people refused entry to the UK and who have subsequently departed. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: 'We have substantially increased immigration enforcement, taking strong action to return more foreign criminals and failed asylum seekers who have no right to be in the UK. 'The work of Immigration Enforcement teams to substantially increase illegal working raids, returns and deportations is an important part of strengthening our border security. 'As part of the Immigration White Paper reforms, we will strengthen the rules so that more foreign national offenders can be returned.' There were 482 enforced and voluntary returns in the three months to March of migrants who arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel in small boats. This is down from 558 in the previous quarter. Some 2,240 migrants who arrived in small boats were returned during the year to March, down from 2,316 in the previous 12 months. Of the 2,240 returns in 2024/25, 80% were Albanian nationals, a similar proportion to 2023/24 (88%). There were 5,154 returns of foreign national offenders in the year to March, the highest for any 12-month period since the year ending June 2019.
New Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Politics
- New Straits Times
EAIC: Whistleblower disclosures should strengthen integrity, not be feared
KUALA LUMPUR: The Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission (EAIC) said enforcement agencies should not regard whistleblower disclosures, including those made through unofficial channels such as Telegram, as threats or adversaries. Instead, EAIC chairman Tan Sri Dr Ismail Bakar said such revelations should be regarded as an opportunity for the respective agencies to strengthen their integrity and public confidence. Citing the Telegram channel 'Edisi Siasat' which exposes alleged misconduct within enforcement bodies, Ismail said the commission takes all complaints of power abuse seriously. Ismail said that the EAIC would act upon complaints, regardless of whether they were submitted via official or unofficial channels. "Although platforms like 'Edisi Siasat' on Telegram are not categorised as official complaint channels, the information shared can trigger preliminary investigations if it contains credible and reasonable elements. "In certain situations, such information can serve as a catalyst for initial investigative action. "Under the Enforcement Agency Integrity Commission Act 2009 [Act 700], the EAIC is empowered to initiate investigations on its own initiative if it is satisfied that the matter holds significant public interest or is necessary in the public interest," he told Berita Harian today. Commenting on the response of enforcement agencies towards revelations made by such Telegram channels, Ismail said that investigating such claims, whether true or false, reflects a commitment to transparency and institutional reform. "If the allegations are baseless, investigations can help clear the agency's name," he said. Ismail, however, said if misconduct is proven, appropriate action can be taken against those involved. "This approach aligns with the principles of accountability and good governance," he added.
Hans India
22-05-2025
- Hans India
AP to be ID liquor-free by September 30: Excise PS Mukesh Kumar
Vijayawada: Principal Secretary (Excise) Mukesh Kumar Meena has set a state-wide deadline of September 30 to eradicate illicitly distilled (ID) liquor from Andhra Pradesh under Navodayam 2.0. Chairing a review meeting at Prohibition & Excise Commissioner's Office in Mangalagiri on Wednesday, Mukesh Kumar Meena issued comprehensive directives to Excise officers across the State, calling for intensified enforcement. Focusing on high-incidence districts such as Kakinada, East Godavari, Srikakulam, and Parvathipuram Manyam, Mukesh Kumar instructed the officers to build on previous enforcement experience and launch aggressive, targeted operations to eliminate ID liquor completely. He emphasised that performance will be monitored closely and timelines must be met without exception. In addition to ID liquor, the review covered efforts to curb non-duty paid liquor (NDPL). While acknowledging that the introduction of Rs 99 liquor brands has helped reduce NDPL inflows, he urged the officials to maintain vigilance, especially in districts like Sri Sathya Sai, Anantapur, Kurnool, Nandyal and Annamayya. Emphasising retail regulation, he directed that liquor sales must strictly follow MRP norms and official timings and stressed the importance of preventive action to avoid untoward incidents. Reinforcing administrative discipline, Mukesh Kumar ordered all officers to remain in their headquarters, ensure swift grievance redressal, and implement mandatory night patrolling by senior officers. Director of Excise Nishant Kumar called upon the district officials to respond promptly to public complaints and maintain round-the-clock enforcement readiness. He reiterated the need for strong field presence and quick operational response. Director of Enforcement Rahul Dev Sharma presented a detailed review of ongoing ID liquor cases, NDPL seizures, and pending arrests. He instructed officers to speed up investigations, file charge sheets without delay, and identify suitable cases for invoking the Preventive Detention (PD) Act to deter repeat offenders. Principal Secretary Mukesh Kumar Meena also launched the Diary-cum-Handbook of the AP State Excise Executive Officers Association, reinforcing his focus on coordination and professionalism within the department.
