Latest news with #crimecrackdown
CTV News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Vancouver Police Board learned about ‘Task Force Barrage' through mayor's announcement, chair says
The oversight body was unaware of a $5 million crime crackdown on the Downtown Eastside before it was announced at a press conference, the chair confirmed. An oversight body whose role it is to develop the Vancouver Police Department's budget, wasn't part of the approval process for a multi-million dollar initiative aimed at targeting crime on the Downtown Eastside. Frank Chong, the chair of the Vancouver Police Board, said the board learned about the $5 million dollar plan, named 'Task Force Barrage,' through Mayor Ken Sim's press conference with then-chief Adam Palmer in February. 'That was a notification that we found out at during the media announcement,' Chong said. 'And I think that what transpired was that there was a miscommunication and perhaps, some missteps with regards to process.' Chong said the board is working on rectifying what transpired. 'That was determined by the finance committee that there is a need for sharpening of that particular process, which will be discussed at our governance committee,' he added. Police Act The mayor's announcement, came after the city's budget was finalized. As outlined in the B.C. Police Act, the Vancouver Police Board is required to prepare and approve the provisional budget for the following year on an annual basis. Any changes to this budget, per the act, must be submitted to council on or before March 1 of the year to which the provisional budget relates. Chong believes the board did not breach the legislation. Mayor's response Typically, the approval process for an initiative such as Task Force Barrage involves city council sending a request to the police board, which would then discuss the financial implications. From there, if board members agreed they were wiling to adjust the budget, they would then give approval to the Vancouver Police Department. CTV News asked Sim in May, why a funding request or proposal was not sent to the police board for approval before the task force was launched. At the time, Sim said he didn't know. 'Look, I can't comment on what people know and didn't know,' he said. 'You're asking me to comment on what six other individuals knew. I'm not in their mind.' Critics such as Green Coun. Pete Fry and former board vice-chair Faye Wightman have questioned how Task Force Barrage was approved. Both have pointed to the lack of a paper trail and called it a backroom deal.
Yahoo
31-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Avondale Police say Agua Fria river bottom crime crackdown is working
The Brief Crime was a problem along parts of the Agua Fria river bottom. In November 2024, we reported on a crime crackdown effort in the area. Avondale Police officials say the measures are working. AVONDALE, Ariz. - It has been months since we first reported on a crime crackdown effort along the bottom of the Agua Fria River in the West Valley, and now, Avondale Police officials say the crackdown is working. The backstory The river bottom is home to a diverse ecosystem, and it's a place where no human beings should be. However, law enforcement made hundreds of arrests for trespassing and other crimes in 2024 alone. "There's been a lot of homes here for generations. What was once accepted a long time ago about off-highway vehicle use and weapons offenses, for example, coming down to the river bottom and shooting, that's just not acceptable anymore," said Officer Daniel Benavidez, an Avondale Police Department neighborhood resource officer. What We Know Now Since our last report, the Avondale Police Department began to use newer, specialized side-by-side (SxS) vehicles to improve enforcement along the river bottom. The vehicle has air conditioning, which can help beat the Arizona heat. "Our officers used to drive side-by-sides that were not covered and not caged. They'd get dusty and dirty and really hot," said Officer Daniel Benavidez. The vehicles also help during the occasional chase. "They're better at apprehending suspects who once would've gotten away from us because of our older side-by-sides," said Officer Benavidez. When calls are made, the side-by-sides make the search much easier. "Our officers were able to go check out these two side-by-sides, drive them down to the river bottom, and they were essential in apprehending those two suspects," said Officer Benavidez. "We're gonna continue enforcement down here and work with other jurisdictions, because this is affecting our Avondale community and we want to show them it's important to us." By the numbers According to data, Avondale Police arrested 286 people on the river bottom between May and November 2024. Since January 2025, there have only been 77 arrests. "Most of those are trespassing, being here unlawfully, or off-highway vehicle use, which is a city code violation," said Officer Benavidez. Local residents also have been making less 911 calls for river bottom crimes in 2025. "We've gotten less calls per month for those shots fired calls," said Officer Benavidez. "Those off-highway vehicle calls for service, those have been going down." What's next The City of Avondale also has a project manager working with some residents, and they're going to be putting up some cable wire fencing along portions of the river bottom that will help with other issues of trespassing and other illegal activities.
The Guardian
13-05-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Cost of crime crackdown criticised as Victoria prepares for influx of prisoners with huge jail spend
The cost of Victoria's crime crackdown is beginning to emerge, as the financially strained state government faces criticism over a $727m plan to expand prison capacity as the number of people on remand rises. The premier, Jacinta Allan, visited the state's new Western Plains Correctional Centre on Tuesday to announce next week's state budget would include funding to open nearly 1,000 new adult prison beds and 88 youth justice beds, along with hundreds of new corrections staff. Allan told reporters the increased capacity was needed following changes to the state's bail laws, which came into effect in March. 'Our tough new bail laws, they are working. We are seeing an increase on the number of alleged offenders on remand,' she said. 'We're backing that with more beds and more corrections staff.' Government data for April shows a 22% rise in adults on remand and a 71% increase in young people compared with the same time last year. Nerita Waight, chief executive of the Victorian Aboriginal Legal Service (Vals), said it was 'flawed, deeply troubling and misguided' to 'celebrate' growing remand numbers. 'This does not equate to community safety and only causes further distress, trauma and cycles of harm,' she said. Waight said Vals' dedicated youth legal practice, Balit Ngulu, has seen a 300% increase in young people held on remand since June last year. For Vals' adult clients, there has been a 216% increase. 'In an already tight fiscal environment, today's announcement shows that premier Allan's invested in expanding prisons and not programmatic solutions that would create a safer Victoria for all of us, not just some of us,' she said. Jesuit Social Services' chief executive Julie Edwards said the money was being spent at the 'wrong end of the system' and 'won't do anything' to prevent crime. 'We're really concerned by the news that the Victorian government is committing well over half a billion dollars of new funding to a costly, ineffective prison system which is at odds with all of the evidence about how to create stronger, more cohesive communities with less crime and fewer victims,' Edwards said. Maggie Munn, first nations director at the Human Rights Law Centre, said the announcement was 'shameful' and urged more investment in housing, health and legal services instead. Sarah Toohey from the Community Housing Industry Association Victoria said $727m would build more than 1,400 community housing properties for those in need, including people released from prison into homelessness, of which 40% are likely to reoffend. 'Investing in long term housing … is both crime prevention and a cost saving to government in prison spending,' Toohey said. Asked if more funding for crime prevention would be in the budget, Allan said: 'We will have much more to say between now and next Tuesday.' The $727m figure also matches the amount announced on Monday to 'switch on' the Metro Tunnel project and introduce high-frequency services on the Sunbury, Cranbourne and Pakenham lines. Greens leader, Ellen Sandell, said the government had got their priorities 'all wrong' in the upcoming budget. The $1bn Western Plains Correctional Centre, which has sat empty since it was completed in 2023, will open in July. It will replace the ageing Port Phillip prison, which is scheduled to close by the end of the year, and once fully operational will house up to 1,300 inmates. Opposition police spokesperson David Southwick said the 1,000 new beds announced by the government only offset those being closed at Port Phillip. Other beds have also been closed at other prisons due to mould infestations, he added. 'They're throwing taxpayer money at the mess without a real plan to fix it,' he said. The government also introduced new legislation on Tuesday to mandate additional jail time for prisoners who assault corrections staff.
