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.
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