November 14, 2012 - Minutes

Date:

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Place:

Anderson Room

Richmond City Hall

Present:

Councillor Derek Dang, Chair

Councillor Ken Johnston

Councillor Bill McNulty

Mayor Malcolm Brodie

Absent:

Councillor Linda McPhail

Councillor Evelina Halsey-Brandt

Also Present:

Councillor Chak Au

Call to Order:

The Chair called the meeting to order at 4:00 p.m.

MINUTES

It was moved and seconded

That the minutes of the meeting of the Community Safety Committee held on Wednesday, October 10, 2012 be adopted as circulated.

CARRIED

NEXT COMMITTEE MEETING DATE

Tuesday, December 11, 2012, (tentative date) at 4:00 p.m. in the Anderson Room

INTRODUCTION

Phyllis Carlyle, General Manager, Law & Community Safety, introduced Edward Warzel, Manager, Community Bylaws and commented on Mr. Warzel’s work experience.

LAW AND COMMUNITY SAFETY DEPARTMENT

1.

RCMP's Monthly Report – September 2012 Activities

(File Ref. No. 09-5000-01) (REDMS No. 3654308 v.3)

Inspector Sean Maloney reviewed the Richmond RCMP’s September 2012 activities.  He highlighted activities at the City Centre Community Police Office and commented on cell phone thefts.

In reply to a query from the Chair, Insp. Maloney advised that as the holiday season approaches, the RCMP will be focusing on drinking and driving.

It was moved and seconded

That the report titled RCMP’s Monthly Report – September 2012 Activities (dated November 12, 2012, from the OIC, RCMP) be received for information.

CARRIED

2.

Richmond Fire-Rescue – September 2012 Activity Report

(File Ref. No. 09-5000-01) (REDMS No. 3679339)

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report titled Richmond Fire-Rescue – September 2012 Activity Report (dated October 17, 2012, from the Fire Chief, Richmond Fire-Rescue) be received for information.

CARRIED

3.

Community Bylaws - September 2012 Activity Report

(File Ref. No. 12-8060-01) (REDMS No. 3688016)

In reply to a query from Committee in regards to the Grease Management Program, Wayne Mercer, Manager, Community Bylaws, advised that if a restaurant owner demonstrates an immediate effort to comply, a violation notice may be changed to warning.  He stated that this process is documented and if a subsequent inspection of the same restaurant identifies the same contravention, a violation notice is issued.

It was moved and seconded

That the staff report titled Community Bylaws – September 2012 Activity Report (dated October 15, 2012 from the General Manager, Law & Community Safety), be received for information.

CARRIED

4.

Police Services Models

(File Ref. No.) (REDMS No. 3685832 v. 25)

Ms. Carlyle advised that staff received the RCMP report titled ‘Richmond Detachment Service Delivery: The RCMP Advantage’ late last Friday and as such, staff are not in a position to comment on the contents of the report.

Ms. Carlyle clarified that the findings in Table 2 of the staff report titled Police Services Models in relation to transition costs are reflective of a gradual transition.  She stated that a handover of police services would be an enormous undertaking; therefore, in an effort to provide continuous service, transition time estimates are a minimum of two to three years.  During this period, there would be a staffing overlap between the two agencies.

Discussion ensued and Committee commented that a breakdown and analysis of the RCMP report titled ‘Richmond Detachment Service Delivery: The RCMP Advantage’ is needed, in particular as it relates to one-time and transition costs.

In reply to queries from Committee, Ms. Carlyle commented on the potential police services governance models.  She noted that unless all policing services are contracted out, a Police Services Board would have to be created.  Council would be represented by the Mayor on this future Board; however, the Province would control the majority of appointments to this Board.  Also, Ms. Carlyle commented on police services governance models outside British Columbia, noting that no police services governance model provides Council with full autonomy.

Ms. Carlyle provided background information regarding the Township of Esquimalt’s police services model with the City of Victoria, noting that the Province overruled the Township of Esquimalt’s choice to contract with the RCMP for policing services.  Discussion ensued and it was noted that it may be beneficial for Richmond City Council to hear from members of the Township of Esquimalt’s Council as it relates to their experience with establishing a new police services model.  Also, it was suggested that Richmond City Council hear from a non-adjacent jurisdiction that has an independent police department and contracts out for external specialized services.

Discussion ensued and it was noted that Richmond’s consideration of alternate police services models does not reflect dissatisfaction with the Richmond RCMP.

In reply to a query, Ms. Carlyle commented that the Delta Police Department provides in-house specialized services.

As a result of the discussions, the following referral was introduced:

It was moved and seconded

That:

(1)

the staff report titled Police Services Model, dated November 7, 2012 from the General Manager, Law & Community Safety, be referred back to staff to examine the finances for Option 2B (Independent Police Department with External Specialized Services) and to provide:

(a)

a further analysis of the one-time and the transition costs for Option 2B;

(b)

a further analysis of the Vancouver Police Department’s assumptions as they relate to Option 2B;

(2)

staff analyse and comment on the RCMP report titled ‘Richmond Detachment Service Delivery: The RCMP Advantage;’

(3)

staff enter into discussions to determine the prospect of whether a regional police force would be led by the Province; and

(4)

Council hear from representatives of (i) the Township of Esquimalt, and (ii) another non-adjacent jurisdiction with an Independent Police Department with External Specialized Services.

CARRIED

5.

FIRE CHIEF BRIEFING

(Verbal Report) 

(i)

Fire Prevention Week Update

Kim Howell, Deputy Fire Chief, commented on various Fire Prevention Week initiatives and highlighted that this year’s national theme was to plan and to practice two ways out of each room of the house.

6.

JOINT FIRE CHIEF & RCMP BRIEFING

(Verbal Report) 

(iii)

Pedestrian Safety Campaign

Insp. Maloney and Deputy Fire Chief Tim Wilkinson stated that a second Pedestrian Safety campaign would be launched on November 21, 2012 and would run in the morning and in the afternoon at high traffic and pedestrian areas.  This joint initiative is directed at pedestrians, drivers and cyclists to promote key safety messages when crossing and using the roads.

(i)

Remembrance Day Event Update

Insp. Maloney and Deputy Fire Chief Tim Wilkinson spoke of the City’s Remembrance Day event.

(ii)

Movember

Deputy Fire Chief Wilkinson commented on Movember, noting that there will be a shave-off event for participating Richmond Fire-Rescue members on November 29, 2012.

It was moved and seconded

That the Joint Fire Chief & RCMP Briefing verbal reports be received for information.

CARRIED

Councillor McNulty left the meeting (5:06 p.m.) and did not return.

7.

RCMP BRIEFING

(Verbal Report)

(i)

Halloween

Insp. Maloney commented on the number of service calls on Halloween, and stated that there were no major calls.

(ii)

Operation Red Nose

Insp. Maloney stated that Operation Red Nose will be running from November 25, 2012 to December 21, 2012.

(iii)

Awards – Queen’s Jubilee, Governor General’s Award, Punjabi Radio

Insp. Maloney commented on members of the Richmond RCMP receiving various awards. 

8.

MANAGER’S REPORT

None.

ADJOURNMENT

It was moved and seconded

That the meeting adjourn (5:15 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, November 14, 2012.

_________________________________

_________________________________

Councillor Derek Dang

Chair

Hanieh Berg

Committee Clerk