IanO
Superstar
It's literally impossible to prevent random acts/crimes, but I cannot say this enough that we need more beat patrols and EPS on corners.
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Downtown Crime
- Thread starter Stevey_G
- Start date
David A
Senior Member
I am downtown a lot and seldom see EPS around except to respond to incidents. I hope with the new police chief there is a change in attitude and approach.
Gronk!
Senior Member
Nice things are not allowed in downtown Edmonton
thommyjo
Senior Member
Costs not included when people talk only about housing and not prison for the actual criminals out there on the streets.
We pay for their housing plus their continued criminal activities.
I’ll gladly pay for their prison time if it reduces this crap.
IanO
Superstar
Last night an older gentleman started yelling and screaming at nobody in front of two large apartments (including mine) and progressively got more aggressive, doing stabbing motions, going out into the street etc.; this occurred for nearly 30 minutes. I felt quite worried for folks walking by and it was quite clear he needed help.
This kind of thing continues to happen more and more and so I called 911, unsure if anyone responded, but it's becoming a near weekly event that really undermines a lot in our community.
Complicated for sure, but I am getting sick and tired of the amount of continued disorder in our overall community. It's really depressing, unnerving and disappointing that in a '1st world country/province/city' that we cannot find folks more help AND be more responsive to dangerous situations.
This kind of thing continues to happen more and more and so I called 911, unsure if anyone responded, but it's becoming a near weekly event that really undermines a lot in our community.
Complicated for sure, but I am getting sick and tired of the amount of continued disorder in our overall community. It's really depressing, unnerving and disappointing that in a '1st world country/province/city' that we cannot find folks more help AND be more responsive to dangerous situations.
policyenthusiast
Senior Member
Unfortunately our first responders are constantly inundated with these situations, and the combined effects of the quantity of calls + an inability to act with force under current policy has made it so that the police often aren't able to help in the ways the community needs them to.
IMO, people and businesses are both providing substantial funding to the EPS, but the underlying policies mandate inaction. Someone needs to make the choice to start treating crime and addiction with supports and serious, punitive enforcement. Neither option is effective without the other.
constance_chlore
Active Member
I don't think we should be advocating killing people. Just saying!
ADob
Active Member
Don't know if I'd call him a gentleman, just sayin'. Seriously though, I get it, Ian. This is at least a weekly occurrence where we live (not too far from you, I'd wager). I've had to turn around near the top of the stairs on 104 St on several occasions because I didn't want to interrupt someone's meth party. I've been yelled at and accused of threatening someone with a gun (nope, I don't own a gun, and yes, I called 911 that time). I've had to wade through a sea of garbage strewn about, and I can't recall how many times I've called the fire department on random fires along 101 St. I've had to walk around piles of human feces in the middle of a path (my performatively-woke friend would blame the lack of public washrooms; I disagree, since a normally functioning person would have used the bushes in an emergency situation). Our building manager has had to wash human crap off the loading door because he dared to tell a drugged up woman that no, he didn't believe her that she was "trying to see her friend" at 4 am by banging her fists on said door and screaming. I've felt threatened for daring to look in people's direction, and I've had to come to a screeching halt in the middle of the street when one of the fine drug addled "vulnerables" decide to meander across the street against the light or any shred of sense. At this point, as I'm sure anyone who's read any of my comments is aware, I am done. I want to feel safe, I want the streets to be clean, and I don't want to be woken up repeatedly by screaming tweakers. I personally don't really care how it happens but I am losing patience.
IanO
Superstar
A lot of folks 'are done' and the fact that we permit a lot of this to continue astounds me.
We've fallen so damn far that I am honestly ashamed at state of this place and how many others seemingly don't care or turn a blind eye.
It's NOT ok. It's NOT acceptable and it's time to clean up our streets, implement restoration efforts and support those who need a helping hand up and out.
We've fallen so damn far that I am honestly ashamed at state of this place and how many others seemingly don't care or turn a blind eye.
It's NOT ok. It's NOT acceptable and it's time to clean up our streets, implement restoration efforts and support those who need a helping hand up and out.
SarcasticMarmot
Active Member
One of the (many) major problems is our Police/City/Province' love of funding small pilot projects but then refusing to commit real resources. The result of this is there are actually several different teams that would be appropriate to call for this situation, but all are tiny projects that were piloted, found to be successful interventions, but then never brought to scale. That way they can pretend to being making a difference without having to actually commit real dollars.
2-1-1 Rescue Van: Unsubstantiated but I have heard they are down to 2 active vans after a peak of 5 during the pandemic. Massively overwhelmed and under resourced. Does not have the power to intervene if someone does not consent to their support. Also, pay is atrocious so the team is constantly turning over.
PACT (Police And Crisis response Team): Partnership between a properly descalation trained police officer and an AHS mental health professional. This team is amazing in these kinds of situations. Been an active program since 2004 but never scaled up. There is one team for the whole city (if no one is sick) and if you call they usually send a roving cop instead who tends to make things worse.
HELP (Human-centred Engagement and Liaison Partnership Unit): EPS officer partnered with a non-profit worker from one of the agencies. Successful, but again only a couple of units and there is no public referral. Can only be called by the partners or EPS directly.
And none of this addresses the problem that after intervention there are very few places for these teams to direct people. We really could use that mental health hospital that the NDP planned to build that was cancelled in 2019. The scale of the problem has has grown 5-fold since then and is only getting worse. No matter what your preferred solution: Prisons, Housing, Treatment, etc the solutions will only be found with concerted effort and funding that begins with a B.
And just in case anyone things I'm not as sick of it as anyone else. Our condo building has blown through most of its reserve to beef up security, and on Wednesday my son woke me up at 5 in the morning excited to watch the flashing lights out our front window, so I got to sit with him and watch as the paramedics and police hauled away a body from under a bush across the street. Almost certainly an OD and I am thankful he is too young to understand, but I have no idea how I'm going to explain this to him as he gets older. I'm just as sick of this and honestly care less about how its responded to than I used to.
ADob
Active Member
That's the ugly side effect, isn't it? When formerly compassionate people have now lost most of their compassion. I hate how I sound, how I am on this topic now, I absolutely hate it, but at the end of the day, if I'm being honest, while I care about society as a whole, I want my people to be safe.
IanO
Superstar
Nice to see EPS (re)moving dealers and junkies from 102st LRT, but they literally moved to the SW corner of ECC and did things there.
We need to stop just doing musical chairs.
We need to stop just doing musical chairs.
kylep84
New Member
Sure sounds like the old guy I deal with 100 st and 102 ave multiple times a month, his go to is "Give me $20 or i'll stab you" I know he is not going to do anything but I really feel bad for the other people who are just visiting and have to deal with this pathetic asshole. Sometimes he has a shopping cart full of shit other times not.
TAS
Senior Member
'Arrests will be made': Calgary police launch enforcement blitz in city's centre
More than 100 Calgary police and bylaw enforcement officers descended on downtown as part of an enforcement crackdown focused on safety.
calgaryherald.com
A large contingent of Calgary police and bylaw enforcement officers descended on the city’s downtown Wednesday as part of a one-day enforcemxent crackdown aimed at improving safety in high-priority areas.
Throughout the day, police officers, community safety and transit peace officers are patrolling key areas, engaging with people to offer supports while enforcing bylaws and criminal laws related to drug use, possession, trafficking and violence.
“Arresting is connecting,” said new Calgary police chief Katie McLelland. “Arrests will be made when necessary, but always with dignity and care.”
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Airboy
Senior Member
I remember when I was an instructor for CPS mountain bike unit. We were riding through downtown and saw open drug deals going on. Dealers didn't expect us coming through on bikes. Edmonton was better back then. But its is there.