Latest news with #TaskForceBarrage
Global News
5 days ago
- Global News
VPD's Task Force Barrage will run beyond 6 months and residents say they feel safer
The VPD's 'Task Force Barrage,' a $5-million initiative to flood Vancouver's troubled Downtown Eastside with patrol officers and crack down on gangs and violent crime, will continue to operate past a tentative deadline of Aug. 13. 'We feel comfortable saying that it will surpass that timeline just because we've been very fiscally responsible with the funds,' the project's commanding officer Insp. Gary Hiar said at a July 24 news conference announcing more than $2 million in cash and drugs seized during a July 17 raid at 339 East Hastings St.. Police said they initially estimated the city's funding commitment would last approximately six months but with some fiscal prudence, they've been able to stretch that budget to sustain the primarily overtime operation through the next several weeks. When he announced the program in February, former Vancouver Police Chief Const. Adam Palmer said the geographically tiny Downtown Eastside was responsible for 30 per cent of the city's violent crime and 48 per cent of all shootings. Story continues below advertisement 3:54 VPD's Task Force Barrage seizes $2M in cash, drugs in Downtown Eastside bust In the first five months of Barrage, the VPD said it seized 1,145 weapons, made 740 warrant arrests and submitted 492 reports to Crown counsel for potential charges. 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 The Hastings Crossing Business Improvement Association said members have seen notable reductions in serious crime with additional officers present in the neighbourhood, and it looks forward to the task force's continuation. However, executive director Landon Hoyt said the local BIA will 'continue to push for stronger coordination with mental health and addictions teams, better communication with the community at large on policing strategies, and a move toward more relationship-oriented policing with consistent officers in the neighbourhood'. Downtown Eastside resident Ann Crosby said she's noticed more police officers on the streets since Feb. 13, and likes it because she feels safe. 'I was always nervous when there (weren't) cops around,' Crosby said in an interview Monday. Story continues below advertisement Ravinder Kumar, who works in downtown Vancouver, said he witnessed a recent stabbing near East Hastings and Carrall Streets. 'This is not a good street here,' Kumar said. 'All these cops here is good.' 1:50 Violent crime in DTES dropped in first months of Task Force Barrage, police say When asked if he would like to see Barrage continue and if a new funding request will be put forward, the Vancouver mayor's office said Ken Sim was not available for an interview. In a statement provided by his office, Sim said the task force is making 'tangible progress toward a safer community'. 'We need to build on these achievements, ensuring lasting safety and stability for residents and businesses in the Downtown Eastside and surrounding areas,' stated the mayor. When asked if the province would step up to keep Barrage going, B.C.'s Minister of State for Community Safety said it's his job to work with communities across the province to ensure that violent crime is down and build safer neighbourhoods. Story continues below advertisement Terry Yung added that all municipalities can apply for targeted enforcement funding. 'We've created SITE (Specialized Investigation and Targeted Enforcement) and C-STEP (Community Safety and Targeted Enforcement) programs to work with all municipalities to create new initiatives that are going to be effective,' Yung told Global News in an interview. 'As my understanding talking to residents of the Downtown Eastside, Task Force Barrage has been effective at addressing some of those issues.' Kumar and Crosby, who said she doesn't let her granddaughter come to the Downtown Eastside after her son was found dead in his room here, said they would like to see the increased police presence continue. 'I just don't feel comfortable since I lost my son, with the safety and issues and stuff like that,' Crosby said. The VPD said it is working on policing plans and long-term operational strategies to continue improving public safety in the Downtown Eastside, and should have more to say on this in the weeks ahead. The mayor's office confirmed it will be providing a joint update in September regarding next steps for Task Force Barrage.
Global News
24-07-2025
- Global News
Downtown Eastside raid nets $2M in cash, drugs, Vancouver police say
See more sharing options Send this page to someone via email Share this item on Twitter Share this item via WhatsApp Share this item on Facebook The Vancouver Police Department's task force targeting the city's Downtown Eastside says it seized a trove of cash and drugs worth more than $2 million during a recent raid. In a media release, police said Task Force Barrage began probing a group of drug dealers believed to be running drugs out of a building near East Hastings and Gore Avenue earlier this spring. Officers raided the building at 339 East Hastings St. on July 17, where they seized more than 14 kilograms of drugs, along with $141,000 in Canadian and U.S. cash. 1:50 Violent crime in DTES dropped in first months of Task Force Barrage, police say Among the drugs were 5.5 kilograms of cocaine, 5.3 kilograms of crystal meth, 3.2 kilograms of fentanyl and almost 1,600 pills, including methadone and dilaudid. Story continues below advertisement Police arrested 19 people at the scene, who have been released pending charges. Vancouver police say they have seized 1,145 weapons and 127 real and replica guns and forwarded 492 cases to prosecutors for consideration of charges since Task Force Barrage began in February.
Vancouver Sun
24-07-2025
- Vancouver Sun
More than $2 million of cash, illegal drugs seized from DTES crime ring
More than $2 million worth of cash and illegal drugs has been seized from a violent crime ring in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside. In April, Vancouver investigators began looking into a group of drug dealers believed to be operating out of a building near East Hastings Street and Gore Avenue. On July 17, police searched a property at 339 East Hastings St. and said they seized more than 14 kilograms of illicit substances, a number of weapons, and cash. In total, there was $141,000 in Canadian and U.S. currency, 5.5 kilograms of cocaine, 5.3 kilograms of crystal meth, 3.2 kilograms of fentanyl, and 1,594 pills, totalling more than $2 million in value, police said. 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. 'This neighbourhood continues to be the epicentre for serious crime, overdoses, and toxic drug deaths in our province — and that crisis is fuelled by predatory drug dealers, gang members, and other criminals who profit off those whose life circumstances have brought them to the neighbourhood,' said Insp. Gary Hiar in a statement. 'This is just a temporary disruption in the Downtown Eastside drug trade, and other criminal organizations are already moving in to fill the void created by this major drug seizure. That means our work is not done.' A total of 19 have been arrested. All have been released pending the outcome of the investigation though police say charges are expected. Task Force Barrage was launched in February to tackle crime in the downtown area, through an increase of patrol officers and targeted enforcement. To date, the VPD has seized 1,145 weapons, recovered 127 real and imitation guns, submitted 492 reports to prosecutors, and made 740 arrests in the Downtown Eastside. sip@
CBC
24-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Vancouver's mayor says he wasn't behind push for $5 million DTES police crackdown
How the Vancouver Police Department got the green light for a $5 million campaign to reduce crime in the Downtown Eastside — or if it needed it outside approval at all — continues to be murky. "Coun. Fry's insinuations that direction for Barrage came from the mayor's office is false. To be clear, Task Force Barrage is a VPD-led initiative that I fully support," said Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim, in response to Coun. Pete Fry's filing of a freedom of information request for more transparency on the origins of the high-profile VPD campaign. Fry filed the FOI after VPD Board Chair Frank Chong said the board wasn't aware of Task Force Barrage until it was revealed in a media announcement. "We need to know that that authorization for police operations is not coming out of the back room in the mayor's office," he said. "There seems to be no paper trail." While Sim said Barrage is a VPD-led initiative, in April, the VPD characterized it as a "joint initiative by Vancouver Police and the Council". A VPD spokesperson said that was because council had committed to funding the project — but no formal vote has yet taken place. As Justin McElroy reports above, the conversation around the proposal is inherently tied to larger conversations in Vancouver around public safety and the VPD budget.
CTV News
22-06-2025
- CTV News
Vancouver police report back on allegation of arrest quotas on Downtown Eastside
Arrest quotas are not in place as part of a crime crackdown on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside but 'performance measures do exist,' according to a report presented to the police board. In March, a complaint from someone identifying as an officer with the Vancouver Police Department alleged that 'arbitrary' quotas for daily drug arrests were being set as part of 'Task Force Barrage.' A heavily redacted version of the complaint was published, and it refers to an email from 'management' sent that 'set an expectation that each team working there would arrest (redacted) on drug charges.' The complainant was concerned that this would undermine officers' discretion, saying 'I don't think this is legal or right.' B.C.'s Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner ordered the board to take action, which it did by asking for an internally produced report. Supt. Matt Hardy drafted the report and presented the findings at last Thursday's meeting. In it, he acknowledged the email the complaint referenced did exist, and did include specific numbers. 'Ideally, we'd like 2-3 drug arrests and charges a day,' the email said, according to the report. When the task force launched and beat officers were being trained, 'there was no available performance measure as to what a reasonable arrest and charge goal would be for a shift,' according to Harty's report. 'The Staff Sgt. is setting a performance measure the purpose of which is educating everyone as to what a reasonable outcome would be during a shift.' A performance measure is 'aspirational' whereas a quota is mandatory and attached to consequences – both positive and negative – for employees, Harty told the board when presenting his report. 'The VPD does not set open or hidden quotas. The VPD does set performance measures…Quotas are rigid and have formal and informal employee rewards and punishments attached potentially leading to significant ethical issues and possible police deviance,' he said. 'Quotas also negatively impact marginalized communities through disproportionate enforcement.' Officers deployed as part of Task Force Barrage – like all officers – are still expected to use their discretion, Harty continued. 'The bottom line is that the VPD expects all members to only arrest and recommend charges when they have reasonable grounds based on lawful authority and have taken everything into consideration for each set of unique circumstances – while being mindful of proportionality and using diversion where appropriate,' he told the board. Keeping those criteria in mind, officers 'should arrest and recommend charges for as many drug traffickers as they can within each shift,' Harty continued, referring to the work of the task force which he said targets 'mid-to-high level' traffickers and not drug users. None of the board had any questions for Harty, and the recommendation to conclude the complaint passed unanimously. In addition to Harty's report, the meeting package contained a letter from University of British Columbia law professor Benjamin Perrin. In it, he urges the board to order an external review of the complaint. 'Given the well-documented tendency of police leadership to deny quota systems while they operate informally within departments, and considering the particular vulnerability of the Downtown Eastside community—especially its Indigenous residents—a thorough and vigorous independent investigation is essential to determine the truth and restore public confidence,' he wrote. 'Simply put, the police investigating themselves is insufficient.' Perrin's letter was referenced at the meeting but not discussed, and the board said the professor will be advised of the outcome.
