Mayor Sam Sullivan today confirmed his support for a city budget proposal to invest $979,900 for Community Policing Centres (CPCs) across the Vancouver in 2008. This plan provides for a funding increase and extends the current CPC service agreement for one year.
“Community policing centres play a vital role in helping to keep our neighbourhoods safe,” said Mayor Sullivan. “It has been an honour for meet to meet and visit with many of the staff and volunteers of various community policing centres across the city. We are very proud to support this work and I hope our colleagues on Council will support this budget recommendation.”
In addition to providing increased funding for community police centres in 2008, the Mayor will support various improvements to future CPC service agreements, including:
- identification of common goals and objectives between the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) and CPCs
- establishment of CPC performance indicators
- recommended five-year funding level for Vancouver CPCs
Mayor Sullivan made the announcement today with Vancouver Councillor BC Lee at the Chinatown CPC. CPCs offer a variety of services including:
- foot & bike patrols
- victim services
- block watches
- graffiti removal
- missing children cases
- crime prevention programs
- seniors outreach
Today’s announcement by Mayor Sullivan is in addition to other recent commitments to support the goals and objectives of Project Civil City to reduce public disorder, including:
- funding for 140 FTEs in VPD over past two years
- commitment to hire an additional 96 police officers over next two years
- investment to support Granville Street closures in the Entertainment District
- expansion of Downtown Ambassador program
- plan to establish dumpster-free zones
- establishment of crime-free housing & safer parking lots
- increased fines and stronger by-law enforcement
Vancouver City Council is expected to review and vote on municipal budget proposals early next month.
