Latest news with #HowardChow
Global News
2 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.
CTV News
2 days ago
- CTV News
Vancouver police install Downtown Eastside safety cameras in bid to curb crime
Security cameras to improve safety have been installed in the Downtown Eastside by the Vancouver police. Police in Vancouver are ramping up safety measures with the installation of new surveillance cameras in the Downtown Eastside. Eight cameras have been installed in the area, with four at the intersection of Main and East Hastings streets, and four at the intersection of Carrall and East Hastings streets, the Vancouver Police Department said in a release issued Friday. '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,' said Deputy Chief Howard Chow in the statement. 'Despite significant progress, there's still ongoing and imminent risk to residents and police officers. Now is not the time to let up.' They will replace two public safety trailers that were installed after a spate of concerning incidents in April, among them a knife attack on a VPD officer, an incident in which two officers had their uniforms set on fire, and a fatal assault on a 92-year-old man. '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,' said Chow. 'We've spoken to more than a dozen organizations, residents and advocates about this initiative, and we're confident it has widespread community support.' According to the VPD, the Downtown Eastside accounts for 30 per cent of all violent crime in Vancouver despite representing just three per cent of the city's population and two per cent of its geographical area. The areas around the intersections where the new cameras have been installed have the highest crime rates in the entire city, with 225 violent crimes – including 14 robberies, 115 assaults and one homicide – taking place within a one-block radius of the camera locations so far in 2025.
