Pubdate: Tue, 30 Mar 2004
Source: Tri-City News (CN BC)
Copyright: 2004, Tri-City News
Contact:  http://www.tricitynews.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1239
Author: Janis Cleugh
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/mjcn.htm (Cannabis - Canada)

DRUGS, B&E'S AMONG TOP COP CONCERNS, RESIDENTS SAY

Survey Shows Residents Think Cities Should Spend More on Policing

Port Coquitlam residents feel less safe in their homes today than when they 
first moved into their neighbourhoods, according to a study on policing 
services released by the city yesterday (Tuesday).

And they are willing to pay more in property taxes to get more police 
officers on the street.

The survey of 285 residents, conducted last November in a mail-out 
questionnaire by University College of the Fraser Valley, found there is a 
high regard for the RCMP but PoCo residents want more police patrols and 
more time being spent on traffic offences, youth crimes, drugs, break and 
enters and auto thefts.

By comparison, Coquitlam residents want the RCMP to concentrate primarily 
on dismantling marijuana grow operations, said Coun. Diane Thorne, who 
chairs the city's Livable Communities committee, which includes policing.

PoCo currently spends $7.3 million for the RCMP ($5.6 million for officers 
and $1.7 million for housing and support staff) while Coquitlam, which 
shares the detachment with PoCo, spends around $17 million.

The PoCo survey results will be part of the city's first-ever Police 
Services Strategic Plan (PSSP), which is aimed at prioritizing police needs 
in the community.

Last week, the city and the RCMP hosted a consultation with 30 business 
people and community representatives to talk about public safety and 
policing issues in PoCo; their comments also will be part of the PSSP.

Nancy Gomerich, the city's corporate services director, said PoCo's 
policing interests can sometimes be short-changed because it shares a 
detachment with a larger municipality. But she said city council wants to 
make sure its residents' concerns on policing are heard.

The RCMP also has had a change in perspective to work closer with cities 
that contract the federally-governed force, she said.

"They've been looking internally about how they can improve," Gomerich said.

"Even though the local council has no authority to direct or to create 
priorities for the RCMP, the Lower Mainland Policing Study does say that 
it's important - recognizing that we pay the bill - that the local RCMP 
hears the local concerns and works with the city to see what can be done to 
address them."

Gomerich said the city did not undertake the survey in response to the 
Statistics Canada numbers released recently that showed PoCo has the worst 
officer-to-resident ratio in B.C. for a municipality of its size.

According to the 2002 stats, PoCo had an officer for every 1,116 residents 
while Coquitlam was the second lowest in B.C. at one officer for each 1,071 
citizens. Port Moody, on the other hand, had one of the best ratios at 
1:798. For PoCo to reach PoMo's level, it would need another 20 Mounties, 
or an increase of 40 per cent over current staffing.

Gomerich said the plan, which will be written by Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Tom 
James and be presented in draft form to PoCo council in May, will be done 
every year. It will include an annual reporting by the detachment to 
outline what has been achieved locally over the past year.
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager