Latest news with #communitysafety
Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Head of Utah Department of Public Safety announces retirement
After more than 25 years of service to the state, Jess Anderson on Thursday announced his retirement as head of the Department of Public Safety, a position he's held for seven years. 'Under his guidance, the department made significant strides in emergency response coordination, community safety initiatives, and legislative engagement. His tenure has been marked by incredible commitment to the mission of 'Keeping Utah Safe,'' the department stated in announcing Anderson's retirement. 'Serving as commissioner of the Department of Public Safety has been the honor of a lifetime,' Anderson said in a prepared statement. 'I'm incredibly proud of the work we've accomplished and the dedicated professionals I've had the privilege of leading. It's time for me to step into a new chapter with my family, and I leave knowing the department is in capable hands.' Anderson's last day will be July 16. Gov. Spencer Cox has appointed Beau Mason as the new commissioner of public asfety, effective July 17. Mason has been with the Department of Public Safety for 20 years and in 2023 was appointed as a deputy commissioner overseeing emergency medical services and the state's school safety program. Anderson's career began with the Utah Highway Patrol and spanned into multiple leadership roles within DPS. Utah Senate President Stuart Adams issued a statement on Thursday publicly congratulating Anderson. 'Commissioner Jess Anderson's quiet strength, unwavering integrity and deep commitment have shaped the safety and well-being of Utah in meaningful and lasting ways. More than a public servant, he has been a steady hand in uncertain times, a trusted adviser and someone who truly cares about the people of this state,' Adams said. 'On behalf of the Utah Senate, and with deep personal gratitude, we thank Commissioner Anderson for his tireless service, steady leadership and the positive difference he has made. We wish him and his family joy and well-deserved rest in this next chapter of their lives.'
CBC
12 hours ago
- Business
- CBC
Victoria passes 1st hurdle to approve community safety and well-being plan
Social Sharing City councillors in Victoria have voted to endorse a 79-page plan that aims to address issues around public disorder and a "diminished sense of community safety and well-being." "[This plan] will set us off on a course of activity that I believe will change the experience of living in Victoria," Mayor Marianne Alto said at Monday's committee of the whole meeting. "This is a profoundly complex and comprehensive system change." Alto said voting on the plan was a "watershed moment" for councillors, adding that residents had clearly expressed their concerns about social disorder. The plan will need to be addressed at a regular council meeting for final approval. Dozens of recommendations Staff began to develop the plan in 2023 as part of the city's 2023-2026 strategic plan, under direction from council. The report said it was a result of 18 months of public engagement, data mining, debate and discussion. The plan includes more than 100 recommendations under eight main categories: Housing. Health care. Service delivery. Downtown. Residents. Commerce. Policing and justice. City's community safety and well-being services. Recommendations include creating more housing for people who are homeless, attracting more family doctors and piloting a universal basic income system. Other motions related to the plan include directing city staff to assess and identify the plan's budget implications and required policy changes, and directing the mayor to engage with city partners and other levels of government on the plan's components. Those motions also passed. Concerns about 'aspirational' scope The plan comes on the heels of a report from the Downtown Victoria Business Association that claimed hundreds of business owners would consider leaving the city's core if they weren't tied to their lease due in large part to issues with crime and social disorder related to drugs and mental health-related issues. In their remarks prior to voting on the city plan, several councillors noted that many of the recommendations fall outside the scope of the municipality's jurisdiction. Speaking with On The Island host Gregor Craigie earlier this week, Coun. Stephen Hammond said he generally endorsed the plan but was worried about the expectations it might set for residents. "The difficulty is that people are expecting us to do things in which the province and the feds have the ability to spend and go into debt for," Hammond said, referring to issues like housing, mental health and recruiting family physicians. "There's lots of good things that are aspirational. And then it's just a matter of, can we get the province and the federal government to go along?" Coun. Marg Gardiner, who voted against the motion to endorse the plan, specifically expressed concerns about the effects of drug and health policies from Island Health and the province "They are worse than a hurdle. They could scuttle the whole [plan]," Gardiner said at the meeting. "There is a misunderstanding of the root cause of disorder on our street. The root cause is drug addiction and the failure to provide rehabilitation." Gardiner said she didn't want to give false hope that the city and the safety plan would resolve those key issues. At the meeting, Alto acknowledged those concerns. She said what she and many municipal leaders across B.C. have said repeatedly — that the responsibility of many of the problems plaguing parts of Victoria lies with higher levels of government. Alto said the city intends to continue working with the province and the federal government on those issues, but it is time to set a precedent. "We cannot wait any longer, we have a responsibility to Victorians to take action." No quick fix Sandra Severs, president of the Downtown Victoria Residents Association and a member of the 10-person community leaders panel that helped shape the plan, said the recommendations may be lofty but they provide a roadmap to work from. "The solution to many of the problems that we're facing in the city are not simple problems to solve," she told All Point West guest host Liz McArthur. Severs said safety isn't just about crime and social disorder — it's also about things like access to a family physician and a definition of what it means to feel safe in the place where people live. Victoria's safety and wellness plan serves as an opportunity to offer solutions, Severs said, instead of just reacting to problems, and to provide leadership for other municipalities dealing with similar issues.
CTV News
14 hours ago
- CTV News
‘Great success': London police report progress in Open Drug Use crackdown
After just two months in action, London police say early results from the city's Open Air Drug Use Strategy show encouraging signs of progress. 'A great success so far, we're moving in the right direction,' said London Police Deputy Chief Scott Guilford. According to data presented at the latest London Police Services Board meeting, between April 8 and May 31, officers responded to 1,280 calls for service related to the initiative. In 540 of those cases, prohibited substances were seized. Guilford said the low number of criminal charges, just 11 during that period, is a sign the program is striking the right balance. 'It's great to see our officers getting these substances off the street,' said Guilford. 'But what's equally encouraging is that we're engaging with people, hundreds of them, and only a small number of those encounters have resulted in charges.' Mayor Josh Morgan said he's heard firsthand how the strategy is already making a difference. 'Downtown residents and business owners have told me directly they're noticing a change,' said Morgan. 'People are feeling safer, and that's exactly what we hoped for.' Police Services Board Chair Ryan Gauss echoed that sentiment, stressing the importance of the early data. 'This is just the beginning,' said Gauss. 'There's more work ahead, but we're seeing positive results. People are being helped, and the community, especially in the downtown and midtown areas is feeling heard and supported.' London police say a full review of the initial data is underway and that findings will help shape the next phase of the strategy. A follow-up report is expected in three months.
CBC
a day ago
- CBC
Bail reform needed to curb 'repeat prolific offenders' in Portage la Prairie: Mayor
The mayor of Portage la Prairie and the owner of a local boutique are calling for changes to bail reform laws after a repeat thief stole from the shop yet again on Tuesday afternoon. Janna Braaksma, owner of 3's Company Boutique on Saskatchewan Avenue, said she and other local business owners deal with repeat shoplifters regularly, but Tuesday's incident was "the straw that broke the camel's back." "She walked in the door, she went to exactly the brand [of jeans] that she wanted and it happened in 40 seconds and she was out the door," Braaksma said, adding the woman had already been banned from the store. Braaksma said she immediately called community safety officers when the woman came in but it all happened so fast that the woman was out the door before the phone call was even answered. Security camera footage of the incident, which happened around 2:30 p.m., was posted by Braaksma to her store's Facebook page. It garnered tens of thousands of views and hundreds of shares, she said. "When it comes to repeat offenders and repeat people in our store doing these thefts …it's getting beyond frustrating," she said. An RCMP spokesperson told CBC News a 45-year-old woman was arrested on Wednesday in connection to the theft. Charges are pending. Mayor Sharilyn Knox has loudly been calling for changes to Canada's bail system alongside Manitoba MLAs since January, when a woman was killed in a three-vehicle collision near the city by an alleged drunk driver who had an outstanding warrant for his arrest. In March, Manitoba MLAs unanimously passed a motion to bolster bail enforcement and crack down on people who break release conditions. That motion follows a five-point plan to deal with repeat offenders, introduced by the province last year. That plan includes more money for Crown attorneys, police and law enforcement agencies and community support programs. Knox said there aren't many "prolific repeat offenders" in the community, but a small number of people are doing a great deal of harm. Crime in the city has improved since community safety officers started patrolling the streets, she said, adding the city is increasing the number of officers from four to seven. "We're not just going to sit back and let this happen. We're going to keep advocating for change, in not only our community but in our province and across the country," Knox said. She has worked closely with the provincial government to advocate for bail reform and she was pleased to hear Prime Minister Mark Carney touch on the issue when municipal leaders met with him for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities conference in Ottawa earlier this month. "People across this country want change and they want to feel safe in their communities and they want to know that our governments and our systems are working to enhance that, not to continually fight against it," she said. Manitoba Justice Minister Matt Wiebe, in a statement to CBC News, said the government is "committed to getting tough on crime and the causes of crime." He said the province's five-point bail plan and a return to the ankle bracelet monitoring program will help crack down on repeat offenders. "I have spoken to Mayor Knox and we will continue working in partnership to urge the federal government to make meaningful changes to the bail system," Wiebe said. CBC News reached out to the federal Department of Justice for comment on Wednesday but did not receive a response before publication. Knox said police in her community are doing a great job but she worries that without further bail reform they will remain on a "hamster wheel" that keeps seeing the same people arrested over and over again. Braaksma said the current bail system is akin to a "catch-and-release" with limited consequences. She also wants to see changes.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Girl, 12, 'followed by unknown man' in 'suspicious incident'
A 12-year-old girl was reportedly followed by an unknown man in a 'suspicious incident' in Warrington, with police now issuing a public appeal for information. Cheshire Constabulary said at around 11.06pm on Wednesday (June 18), officers received reports from a member of the public that their 12-year-old daughter had been followed near to the Warrington Rowing Club on Howley Lane earlier in the evening, at around 7.15pm. The man was described as black, around 40-years-old, of a stocky build, roughly 5'11' tall and was clean shaven, but was wearing a facial covering. Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE The man was also believed to have been wearing a black puffer-style coat, black jogging bottoms and black/grey and white Nike trainers. As part of enquiries into fully establishing the circumstances surrounding this incident, officers are now appealing to anyone with any relevant information to come forward and report it. Detective Sergeant Stephen Hopkins, of Warrington CID, said: 'I understand this may have caused some concern in the community, but we believe it to be an isolated incident. 'We are making numerous enquiries into this incident and, as part of those enquiries, we are asking anyone who may have witnessed this incident take place, or has any information relating to it, to please come forward. 'I'd also urge anyone who may have captured anything relevant on CCTV or dashcam footage that may aid our investigation, to contact police.' Anyone with information should contact police on 101 or via the website quoting IML-2114182. Alternatively, information can be given anonymously by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. --- Day in day out, our reporters in the Manchester Evening News newsroom bring you remarkable stories from all aspects of Mancunian life. However, with the pace of life these days, the frenetic news agenda and social media algorithms, you might not be getting a chance to read it. That's why every week our Features and Perspectives editor Rob Williams brings you Unmissable, highlighting the best of what we do - bringing it to you directly from us. Make sure you don't miss out, and see what else we have to offer, by clicking here and signing up for MEN Daily News. And be sure to join our politics writer Jo Timan every Sunday for his essential commentary on what matters most to you in Greater Manchester each week in our newsletter Due North. You can also sign up for that here. You can also get all your favourite content from the Manchester Evening News on WhatsApp. Click here to see everything we offer, including everything from breaking news to Coronation Street. If you prefer reading our stories on your phone, consider downloading the Manchester Evening News app here, and our news desk will make sure every time an essential story breaks, you'll be the first to hear about it. And finally, if there is a story you think our journalists should be looking into, we want to hear from you. Email us on newsdesk@ or give us a ring on 0161 211 2920.
