Pubdate: Wed, 08 Nov 2006
Source: Record, The (CN BC)
Copyright: 2006 Lower Mainland Publishing Group Inc.
Contact:  http://www.royalcityrecord.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1654
Author: Mia Thomas

STATE OF DOWNTOWN A 'SENSITIVE ISSUE'

Just How Bad Is New Westminster's Downtown?

John Locke hearkened back to the mid-1990s when he spoke at a recent 
meeting of the New Westminster police board.

Locke, speaking on behalf of the Downtown Residents' Association and 
the Downtown New Westminster Business Improvement Society, referred 
to complaints of people using drugs or turning the streets and alleys 
into toilets.

"It's the same old story and it's much worse," Locke told the board. 
"It's the worst it's been since the Honduran drug crisis of a few years ago."

His choice of words didn't sit well with Mike Judd, deputy chief 
constable of the New Westminster Police Service.

"I'm of the opinion, and it's shared by others at the police service, 
that we don't have that problem," Judd said in an interview the next 
day, referring to the "Honduran drug crisis" phrase.

"I don't find it helpful when people use inflammatory descriptions."

However, he added, "it's a sensitive issue in the community, and I 
absolutely get that. The police service is very sensitive to that."

Locke told the board there had been "constant complaints from 
(business society) members" about what was going on downtown and the 
impact it was having on their businesses.

Brian Dodd, executive director of the business society, said in an 
interview later that he didn't want to drive people away from downtown.

"It doesn't seem to be getting any worse, but it doesn't seem to be 
getting any better," he said. "We have ongoing concerns down here, 
and we need to be working with the city and police to address these 
concerns. We need to make the downtown a safe and clean place for the 
citizens and businesses that come into the area."

Dodd said the business society's board of directors met with city 
representatives - from council and staff - last month and would keep 
meeting with them.

At the police board meeting, Locke said that, in addition to the drug 
dealers, homeless people were also part of the problem.

"Homeless people have rights, but to defecate (on the street)? To do 
drugs? Do they have the right to drive people out of business?"

Locke said the homeless people living in the downtown are not 
necessarily harmless.

"They're not all little lambs that have lost their way," he said.

In his interview, Judd agreed that the downtown is "a major 
challenge" because people with one or more issues - which include 
being homeless, being mentally ill or being addicted to drugs - tend 
to congregate there.

"We've also seen some aggressive street people," Judd said.

Locke said the downtown is losing merchants because of the problems.

"If you looked at our business improvement (society) directory from 
five years ago, you wouldn't see half the businesses (that are) 
there, the turnover is that great."

On behalf of area residents and businesses, Locke asked the police to 
focus their crime-fighting on "nuisance behaviours" in the downtown.

"Don't let people sleep in doorways, don't let them sleep in parks. 
Move them along," he said. "We think that will really help the big picture."

It's what other communities - such as Vancouver and Surrey - are 
doing, which doesn't bode well for New Westminster, Locke said.

"If they squeeze at both ends, and we're the most welcoming city, 
it's going to get even worse."

Then he explained that, although the problem might not be quite so 
bad in reality, it seems that way to people.

"Perception is the worst enemy of downtown," he said. "Every time we 
lose a customer, they're gone forever."

Locke also focused his attention on social service offices that are 
based downtown, referring to it as a large industry that is trying to 
get bigger.

"They want to grow their business, and I think they're doing as much 
as possible to attract these people."

At the meeting, Mayor Wayne Wright said that there was a time when 
there were no social services in the area and those that are there 
now "filled a void."

"They may move on at some time," he added.

Chief Const. Lorne Zapotichny, presenting a crime statistics report 
later in the meeting, noted the numbers paint a different picture.

"For six months in a row, we're down statistically in all 
categories," the chief constable said. "I think our statistics 
reflect well on our community."

Judd noted in the interview that the problem isn't always easy to pin down.

"There's two dimensions that we try to get a handle on," the deputy 
chief said, explaining anecdotal reports show one facet of an issue 
and statistics show another.

"I would never want to hang my hat on statistical data because it 
only gives you one side of the picture," Judd said, adding, "It's a 
complex, deep-seated social problem. It isn't necessarily going to be 
addressed by digging down in one area."

He also noted that, for some of the concerns about homeless people, 
there's nothing for the police to do.

"There's nothing in the Criminal Code that speaks to a dress code you 
have to wear," Judd said. "You don't want to use the weight of the 
Criminal Code to deal with social issues."

He explained that, for some people, they just don't want to see the 
problem in their neighbourhood and referred to a 'not in my backyard' attitude.

"There's a little bit starts to touch on the NIMBY area."

But the police have been making a difference, Judd said.

"We've made some really good progress along Clarkson Street," he 
said. "We address specific concerns in a given area. That seems to be 
a formula that works well for us."

Because New Westminster is more 'concentrated' than most communities 
of its size, Judd said, the problem might appear worse than it is.

Zapotichny said they are prepared to address people's concerns, to a degree.

"That's not to say we don't have a job to do. (But) expectations are 
high, sometimes unrealistic.

"Where criminal activity is present, we're equipped and we're 
prepared to handle that activity."

Social issues are a different matter, Zapotichny said, explaining 
they're not equipped to deal with them.

Homelessness is "a social issue, not a police issue."

The mayor agreed.

"Our police force is there for criminals first. It's not, and 
shouldn't be, for dealing with society's problems."
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