Pubdate: Fri, 08 Sep 2006 Source: Oak Bay News (CN BC) Copyright: 2006 Oak Bay News Contact: http://www.oakbaynews.com/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1346 Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/hr.htm (Harm Reduction) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms) POLICE OFF THE MARK It'll be interesting to see just how much clout rank-and-file members of police departments in this country have in affecting whether Vancouver's Insite remains open and Victoria gets a safe injection site. Last week's unanimous vote by members of the Canadian Police Association was a specific move designed to make the job of police officers easier, which is why we consider it short-sighted and insular. While CPA vice-president and Vancouver Police Union president Tom Stamaktakis contends, in backing up the association's vote, that things are "worse than they've ever been" on the Downtown East Side, we feel that he is not looking at the big picture. Sure, police officers are generally the first ones to face the danger or be called on to come to the rescue when something goes wrong at street-level. But saying that the safe injection site in and of itself is the main cause of the situation worsening is throwing out the baby with the bath water. The real problem is with the provincial and federal governments, who have not seen fit to properly fund the programs intended all along to accompany the service being provided by Insite. A safe injection site is just one aspect of the four-pillar approach so lauded by residents in Vancouver, that being harm reduction. The other pillars are enforcement - police unions are always calling for more members on the street - treatment and prevention, all areas funded by the province. In Victoria's case, a fifth pillar, specialized housing, is seen to be equally important to the equation and it is generally funded by the feds. Interestingly enough, both Victoria Chief Paul Battershill and Vancouver Chief Jamie Graham have supported the idea of a four-pillar approach to the drug problems in their cities. The 40-bed St. John the Divine Church shelter project, funded in large part by B.C. Housing, is helping with current homelessness problems in Victoria. Since drug addiction intertwines with homelessness, this short-term solution may be a first step in convincing the province - and hopefully the feds, via Health Canada - that our city can deal with its street issues effectively. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek