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Poor Peelers.... the Zombie apocalypse is here and they're not getting much help:
A commentary by a Victoria city councillor.
The City of Victoria is in a public-safety crisis. The first step to solving the growing threat to public safety is to acknowledge it as real and take immediate action. If that is not done, it is difficult to see how we can continue to function as a city.
Our police, bylaw and animal-control departments are in crisis. They are understaffed and overworked. The tone from inside these departments is that “we are dropping like flies.”
The numbers speak for themselves. VicPD has 52 members unable to be deployed due to injury or PTSD, including 17 recruits at the Justice Institute. Hours lost to injury and PTSD tripled since 2018, from 1,051 to 3,361.
It’s getting worse, with assaults on officers, including being knocked unconscious, attacked while volunteering and recently even being struck by a stolen vehicle.
VicPD often runs below minimum staffing numbers for patrol shifts. At one time, officers were glad to work overtime, but no more. They are increasingly burnt out and shifts are going unfilled.
The response time for “priority one” calls, such as threat to life or assault, is now 15 minutes.
Chief Del Manak tells council this is “an unacceptable level.” That is an understatement — it is dangerous.
Morale is badly diminished. Numerous sources say from 10 to 18 officers are actively looking to leave VicPD for other departments such as Saanich, Oak Bay, Surrey and the RCMP. Several veteran officers recently said they have never seen morale so low.
The union says part of the problem is that VicPD handles more work per officer than any other capital region police department, and those VicPD officers get less pay.
Comment: Victoria is facing a public-safety crisis
Victoria is facing a public-safety crisis
Stephen Andrew / The Times ColonistA commentary by a Victoria city councillor.
The City of Victoria is in a public-safety crisis. The first step to solving the growing threat to public safety is to acknowledge it as real and take immediate action. If that is not done, it is difficult to see how we can continue to function as a city.
Our police, bylaw and animal-control departments are in crisis. They are understaffed and overworked. The tone from inside these departments is that “we are dropping like flies.”
The numbers speak for themselves. VicPD has 52 members unable to be deployed due to injury or PTSD, including 17 recruits at the Justice Institute. Hours lost to injury and PTSD tripled since 2018, from 1,051 to 3,361.
It’s getting worse, with assaults on officers, including being knocked unconscious, attacked while volunteering and recently even being struck by a stolen vehicle.
VicPD often runs below minimum staffing numbers for patrol shifts. At one time, officers were glad to work overtime, but no more. They are increasingly burnt out and shifts are going unfilled.
The response time for “priority one” calls, such as threat to life or assault, is now 15 minutes.
Chief Del Manak tells council this is “an unacceptable level.” That is an understatement — it is dangerous.
Morale is badly diminished. Numerous sources say from 10 to 18 officers are actively looking to leave VicPD for other departments such as Saanich, Oak Bay, Surrey and the RCMP. Several veteran officers recently said they have never seen morale so low.
The union says part of the problem is that VicPD handles more work per officer than any other capital region police department, and those VicPD officers get less pay.
Comment: Victoria is facing a public-safety crisis
