MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Committee held on Tuesday, December 13^th, 2005, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

2.

The next meeting of the Committee is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, March 14^th, 2006 at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room.

POLICIES / STRATEGIES (0 ITEMS)

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DECISIONS / ACTIONS (2 ITEMS)

3.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE RCMP EMERGENCY RESPONSE TEAM

(Report:  January 6, 2006, File No.:  09-5350-01/Vol 01) (REDMS No. 1731963)

The Manager, Policy Development & Corporate Programs, Shawn Issel, introduced Insp. Dave Debolt, head of the new ERT team, Supt. Wayne Sutherland, from the Lower Mainland District, and Supt. Ward Clapham, Richmond RCMP Detachment to the Committee, and indicated that they were available to respond to questions. 

Ms. Issel stated that the report now being reviewed was a ‘work in progress’, and that following a meeting to be held at the end of February with CAOs from around the Lower Mainland, a subsequent report would be submitted to the Committee regarding the results of that meeting.

Concern was expressed that the report did not address the operational details which had been requested at a previous meeting, and questions were again asked about the function of the ERT when that team was not responding to emergencies.

In response, information was provided that the team, when not responding to emergency situations, would be (to name a few activities) (i) maintaining patrols throughout the Lower Mainland District; (ii) Leadership and/or assistance on high risk calls; (iii) working with the Canada Parole Board as part of the ‘Repeat Offenders Enforcement Program’ to find and arrest those individuals who were repeat offenders to get them off the streets; (iv) providing assistance to the Integrated Task Force and the Integrated Homicide units on high risk calls, and (v) responding to calls at the Vancouver International Airport.  Further advice was given that when an emergency response was required, the entire team would respond to the call.

Discussion on this issue continued, with comments being made that the City was being asked to fund the equivalent of three officers, and that the City had to ensure that the City received the appropriate amount of time allocated to Richmond.  Concern was expressed that with the team headquarters located in Surrey, that there would be little difference in the provision of services with the exception of emergency responses, and the opinion was voiced that information on the number of officers and the amount of time allocated to Richmond was essential.  Comments were provided in response, that the information requested was not available because that was not how the ERT would function. 

The Chair, at this point in the meeting, suggested that a fuller debate could take place on this matter with the submission of the subsequent report to the Committee.  He stated that by then, Committee members would have had the opportunity to reflect on the statements being made by the delegation at this meeting.

Discussion then continued among Committee members, the delegation and staff on whether the direction to create an emergency response team had come from the Federal Government.  In answer, information was provided that the proposal to establish this team was a Lower Mainland District initiative to address safety issues relating to the members.  Information was provided about the inability of members who could not participate in training days because they could not leave their units, and there was concern for the safety of members who had not had a training day in sixth months.  The comment was made that the only way to sustain the health and safety of the members and the public was to train the members of the emergency response team on a fulltime basis.

Also addressed with staff was the question of cost recovery for the emergency response team from the Vancouver International Airport, and why YVR might take the position that this type of service is included in the grant in lieu of taxes paid to the City.

Discussion also ensued on the lack of a communication process to obtain the input of area municipalities and cities prior to the establishment of the emergency response team.  Comments were made that even though Richmond would benefit from the creation of this team, the communication process between the RCMP Lower Mainland District and local cities and municipalities must improve to better understand what to expect in the future.

The Chair talked about the value which a highly trained and dedicated emergency response team would bring to the community, especially in today’s world of increased densities, increased technologies, smarter criminals, terrorism, the Canada Line, the Oval etc.  He stated that there might be some months when the City felt that it was not getting value for the funds contributed, however, it was comforting to know that the team would be available when needed, and there would be months where the City gets more than it’s share of value, when the team was called upon to respond to City issues. 

Mayor Brodie spoke further on the lack of notice given to the City about the implementation of the emergency response team and the lack of detail on the proposal.  He stated that the City needed to informed of (i) all the cost allocations; (ii) the type of response Richmond would receive with the team being centred in Surrey; and (iii) how the deployment of personnel would be undertaken when the team was not dealing with emergencies.  In concluding the discussion, the Mayor expressed the hope that the answers to these questions would be dealt with at the next discussion on this matter.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

The report (dated January 6^th, 2006, from the Chief Administrative Officer), regarding the RCMP Emergency Response Team, be received for information, as a work in progress on the referral from Council dated December 19, 2005, pending the outcome of the Lower Mainland CAO’s meeting to be held before the end of February, and

(2)

That subsequent to the Lower Mainland CAO’s meeting staff provide a final report, including any outstanding referral items, on the Emergency Response Team.

CARRIED

4.

PESTICIDE USE MANAGEMENT IN RICHMOND

(Report:  Jan. 6/06, File No.:  10-6125-04-01) (REDMS No. 1707925)

The Assistant Manager, Environmental Programs, Margot Daykin, reported that three municipalities had enacted restricted cosmetic pesticide use management regulations, which went into effect on January 1, 2006.  She explained that as a result, homeowners and landscapers could only use certain permitted pesticides.  Ms. Daykin talked about the City’s recommended action which offered a more collaborative and equitable approach, and which would determine where opportunities might exist for maximum risk reduction and, at the same time, maximum efficiency.

Discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff regarding the lack of support for the recommended policy from the Agricultural Advisory Committee.  Concern was voiced during the discussion that the proposed policy could have a negative impact on the City’s farmers, and staff were urged to be realistic and practical in their approach. 

Discussion continued, with reference being made to the information which was available to the public on alternative methods to deal with weeds, etc., and to the problems which were occurring as a result of unclear labelling on pesticide products.  Reference was made to the proposed policy, and information was provided that the policy-based approach was intended to determine whether joint partnership opportunities might exist, such as encouraging the Greater Vancouver Regional District to undertake regional education initiatives, and working with the BC Landscape Nursery Association.  

Discussion then took place on:

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the current practices of the City with respect to the use of pesticides

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the views of the Agricultural Advisory Committee

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whether there were any regulations in place which might limit the sale of pesticides to the public, and whether any qualifications were required on the part of the potential user.

Mr. Doug Charles, a member of the BC Landscape & Nursery Association, and the owner of Nutri-Lawn Care Company, began his presentation by speaking on behalf of the BC Landscape & Nursery Association.  He advised that the Association strongly supported the City’s proposal.  (A copy of the Association’s letter, dated February 8^th, 2006, from Peter Levelton, President, is on file in the City Clerk’s Office.) 

Mr. Charles then spoke as the owner of a lawn care company, and commended City staff for their common sense approach in developing the proposed policy.  He spoke about the difficulties encountered in reducing the use of pesticides and stated that the opportunities which the proposed policy offered would help to address this problem.

Mr. Larry Franklin, owner of the Richmond WeedMan franchise, voiced the opinion that people did not spray needlessly, and stated that he always looked for ways to reduce the use of pesticides with his clients, such as encouraging better lawn care.  He added that his clients often requested that he use pesticides to deal with landscaping and gardening problems, and he asked that the City not take away his ability to use pesticides.

Ms. Laura Raimondi, Vancouver, researcher for the IPM Accreditation Program, stated that taking a partnership approach would be more beneficial, and advised that the Ontario model had proven to be very successful.

Mr. Michael Wolfe, of 9731 Odlin Road, noted that in the past, with regard to sustainable land use, the City had not recommended the use of pesticides and instead, had supported perma-culture which promoted organic agriculture which did not use pesticides which pollute the environment and permitted sustainable agriculture to occur.  He indicated that because of this statement, it was his view that the City should implement a total ban on the use of pesticides.  Mr. Wolfe then reviewed a list of questions and answers regarding the use of pesticides which supported his belief, such as the possibility that pesticides sprayed on local playing fields could present problems for the children playing on those fields. 

A brief discussion then ensued among Committee members and staff on the City of Vancouver pesticide regulation bylaw and the pesticides which were still permitted.

It was moved and seconded

(1)

That the Pesticide Risk Reduction Policy (Attachment 2 to the report dated January 6, 2006 from the Manager, Emergency & Environmental Programs), be adopted.

(2)

That staff report to Council on a bi-annual basis on the progress made and overall policy effectiveness.

The question on the motion was not called, as advice was given in response to questions, that as part of the consultation process, staff would be monitoring the three bylaws which had been adopted in other Lower Mainland cities, and would report to the Committee on the effectiveness of these three bylaws and the City’s policy approach.

The question on the motion was then called, and it was CARRIED.

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INFORMATION / AWARENESS (2 ITEMS)

5.

Police Chief Briefing

(Oral Report) 

Items for discussion:

(1)

General Update.

Supt. Ward Clapham spoke about the various successes which his Detachment had achieved since his arrival four years ago, and indicated that he would be provide this information to Council in a separate document.

Reference was made to a proposed capital expenditure for the development of a public emergency notification system, and information was provided that the system, when implemented, would allow the automatic notification of residents in an area, of any crime which had occurred or an emergency which had arisen.  Advice was given that the Blockwatch Program would benefit from the new system as their current system was very outdated.

(Mayor Brodie left the meeting at 5:14 p.m., and did not return.)

Discussion ensued among Committee members and Supt. Clapham on the matter of ‘proceeds of crime’ and whether any action was being which would result in the redirection of a portion or all of these proceeds back to the community.  As a result of the discussion which took place on this matter, the following referral motion was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That staff develop a resolution, for approval by the Community Safety Committee, which would ultimately be forwarded to the Provincial and Federal Governments regarding the cost-sharing of the ‘proceeds of crime’ with Richmond and the reinvestment of these funds within the City, and that Cst. Ben Maure of the Richmond Detachment, be used a resource in the development of this resolution.

CARRIED

Discussion took place on a number of topics, and as a result, the request was made that once the position had been filled, that Supt. Clapham request the leader of the Family Dispute Team make a brief presentation to the Committee.  He was also requested to have the Victim/Witness Services Program appear before the Committee.

Cllr. Barnes advised that BlockParents was having a fund-raising dinner at the Old Spaghetti Factory on February 23^rd, 2006.  She spoke briefly about the initiatives being undertaken by that organization, and suggested that a representative of BlockParents should be invited to attend a future meeting.

In response to questions, Supt. Clapham reported to the Committee on the status of the Richmond Community Policing Foundation, and he suggested that a representative of that organization could be asked to attend a future meeting to provide an update.

Reference was made by the Chair to a presentation which had been made at a closed meeting of the Committee on credit card and identify theft, and discussion ensued on how the message could be made public.  The suggestion was made that a series of awareness workshops could be held, possibly in partnership with the local banks, to present a positive communication strategy to the public.  A suggestion was also made that the Chamber of Commerce should also be contacted about a possible partnership, and Supt. Clapham was encouraged to include the Safe Communities Alliance in this initiative.

The Chair referred to a leadership book authored by Michael Abramshoff, which included a chapter on Supt. Clapham, and he asked that Supt. Clapham provide copies of this chapter to the Committee.

In concluding the discussion, the Chair thanked Supt. Clapham for his presentation.

6.

SURREY CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE PROPERTY BYLAW

It was moved and seconded

That staff report to the Community Safety Committee on the Controlled Substance Property Bylaw recently adopted by the City of Surrey.

CARRIED

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:37 p.m.).

CARRIED

Certified a true and correct copy of the Minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Committee of the Council of the City of Richmond held on Wednesday, February 8^th, 2006.

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Councillor Rob Howard
Chair

Fran J. Ashton
Executive Assistant, City Clerk’s Office