MINUTES

1.

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Committee held on Wednesday, November 14, 2007, be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

2.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008  (tentative date) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room.

LAW AND COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT

3.

Lower Mainland District - IHIT and ERT 2006 Annual Reports

(Report:  December 12, 2007, File No.: 09-5350-12, File Xr.: 09-5350-09  ) (REDMS No. 2314187)

A discussion took place between Committee members, members of the RCMP, and other City staff on several issues including the following:

§  

the rationale behind the cumulative figures presented in the Performance Measures for the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), including the homicide clearance rates, number of annual cases referred, and the impact of carrying forward homicides that remain unsolved within the year of occurrence; and

§  

the West Vancouver Police Department’s withdrawal from IHIT, the Delta Police Department’s interest in joining IHIT, and implications for communities facing homicides, but choosing not to join IHIT;

During the discussion, staff were requested to provide the following:

§  

further information related to the reasons for the withdrawal of the West Vancouver Police Department from IHIT;

§  

further details regarding the statistics related to Emergency Response Team (ERT) calls and operations, as well as details about tasks ERT members would be performing when not responding to a specific call;

§  

specific details dating from the conception of IHIT, about the number of homicides carried forward each year, the number of active cases, and the number of cold file cases; and

§  

a breakdown of the number of murders that took place in Richmond on a year to year basis, and a comparison of costs related to solving murder cases prior to IHIT and subsequent to joining IHIT.

Staff advised that some of the information requested may be difficult to determine, however every effort would be made to provide as much detail as possible.

As the discussion continued, Committee members also requested that Superintendent Wayne Rideout be invited to attend a Community Safety Committee meeting to discuss and provide further information regarding IHIT.

Further comments were made regarding the figures requested by the Committee, in particular on:

§  

the cost of homicides being calculated as a unit, rather than individually;

§  

Richmond being the second heaviest user of the services provided by IHIT;

§  

the impact that a homicide would have on the operations of a Serious Crime Unit; and

§  

Provincial funding for IHIT teams, as well as procedures for increasing the IHIT budget related to municipal funding.

It was moved and seconded

That:

(1)

the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team and Emergency Response Team 2006 Annual Report be received for information; and

(2)

the LMD be requested to provide statistics regarding average response time and general patrol time per municipality immediately and in the next ERT annual report.

CARRIED

4.

Canada Line Update - RCMP

(Report:  December 13, 2007, File No.: 0410-04, File Xr.:  09-5350-01) (REDMS No. 2314690, 2314780)

Officer in Charge (OIC) Ward Clapham reviewed his report, and spoke about the establishment of two new Community Police Stations (CoPS), which will be located in key areas along the Canada Line.

A discussion ensued about the staffing requirements which have been budgeted within the Richmond RCMP’s Five-Year Resource Plan, and the expectation of having the two Community Police Stations in place prior to the Canada Line becoming fully functional.

A brief discussion ensued about the concept of establishing retail businesses directly under the Canada Line guideways, and in particular in the Lansdowne area. During the discussion, various statements were made about: (i) provisions for safety requirements when determining lighting and site lines; (ii) a plan for easy removal of graffiti; (iii) the landscaping plan; (iv) the City’s development guidelines; and (v) ownership of the land under the various guide-ways. 

It was moved and seconded

That the RCMP Canada Line Update be received for information.

CARRIED

5.

ACTING FIRE Chief Briefing

(Oral Report) 

(1)

Fire Chief Recruitment

Deputy Fire Chief Geoff Lake reported that the Fire Chief recruitment process is currently underway. In the event that coverage is required for a Temporary Acting Deputy Fire Chief role, an agreement has been secured with the Fire Fighter’s Union to have someone from unionized ranks fill the position on a temporary basis.

(2)

Progress Status of Four New Recruits

Deputy Lake provided an update on the progress of the four new recruits who joined the Richmond Fire Department effective January 2, 2008. It was expected that the Fire Department would be seeking another 12 – 16 recruits in 2008 to fill positions which would become vacant due to retirements. It was anticipated that the first phase of hiring would take place in June 2008, and the second phase would be later in 2008.

6.

RCMP/OIC Briefing

(Oral Report) 

(1)

Hamilton Community Policing

Superintendent Ward Clapham reported that the Richmond RCMP had obtained the transfer of Constable (Cst.) Marc Searle from Surrey to take over the position in the Hamilton area. Cst. Searle is currently exploring all options for establishing a Community Police Station in Hamilton, and has undertaken a complete needs assessment for the community.

OIC Clapham further reported that the possibility of a cost sharing partnership with the New Westminster Police Department, for policing in Hamilton no longer exists, and will not be pursued.

(2)

RCMP Operations Support Officer (OSO)

OIC Clapham reported that the recruitment process to find a replacement for OSO Tony Mahon is currently underway.

(3)

Beijing ranked Olympian to work with RCMP

OIC Clapham reported that following the 2008 Bejing Olympics, Olympian Doriusz Slowik, will be working in Richmond with the Richmond Partnership.

7.

OTHER ITEMS – None.

8.

MANAGER’S REPORT – None.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (4:50 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 Tuesday, January 15, 2008.

_________________________________

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Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt
Chair

Shanan Dhaliwal
Committee Clerk