Downtown Crime

[IanO]

Exactly. Break the cycle or have detention.

ECC security and EPS moved a group with open drug use off of the property on 102ave and so this group migrated to the 102ave LRT station benches and continued.

How is that any better (actually worse) and no penalty, with near impunity it seems and now putting transit riders at risk.

 

[David A]

Public transit & stations are a bottomless pit for investing in security and police presence, largely ineffectively at that. The shakeup needs to come from the provincial level, not from LRT governance or the City.

Be very careful what you ask for. If the city can't handle this effectively, I suspect Queen Danielle would be happy to push them out of the way and take over EPS, ETS and whatever else she wants.

 

[kcantor]

Public transit & stations are a bottomless pit for investing in security and police presence, largely ineffectively at that. The shakeup needs to come from the provincial level, not from LRT governance or the City.

No real disagreement from me on that front but properly allocating the blame/causes doesn’t in and of itself reduce that “not encountering issues very often” to a level that would make your sister comfortable.

 

[policyenthusiast]

Be very careful what you ask for. If the city can't handle this effectively, I suspect Queen Danielle would be happy to push them out of the way and take over EPS, ETS and whatever else she wants.

Seizing operational governance is a whole other thing, which I doubt the GoA has any interest in. We need proper funding from the province, and Criminal Code changes from Parliament, much more than we need "guidance" from the UCP about how to drive a bus.

 

[David A]

Seizing operational governance is a whole other thing, which I doubt the GoA has any interest in. We need proper funding from the province, and Criminal Code changes from Parliament, much more than we need "guidance" from the UCP about how to drive a bus.

I agree we don't need their guidance, but if we can't get things together they will be happy to force it on us regardless.

 

[johnnyboy]

Saw two of Edmonton's finest out on bikes this afternoon on Jasper Ave by Local. It was like watching a dog play the piano.

 

[policyenthusiast]

Saw two of Edmonton's finest out on bikes this afternoon on Jasper Ave by Local. It was like watching a dog play the piano.

I am disappointed in myself for automatically assuming "Edmonton's finest" meant homeless people.

 

[David A]

There was a time several years ago I remember seeing a lot of shady looking guys on those low kid like bikes with big handle bars, not sure if that time has passed.

 

[ADob]

Oh, they're still out daily, right between 5 and 6am, doing their drug delivery runs. You can see the increasing droopyness of the groups that they'd already visited. The BMX and backpack, topped usually by a flat brim hat = businessmen out doing business, without fail. Not sure why they're allowed to continue, but I suppose they're not the big fish here.

 

[Avenuer]

That’s the challenge. All it takes is one or two experiences like that and “choice users” might never return”.

I’ve used the Milner library bathrooms a few times the last year. Currently I’m at like 4/5 times there’s been a red alert member in there basically using it as a private bathroom to clean/dress/do drugs, etc.

Why are we allowing red alert members in the library? You have gang affiliated clothing on, you’re banned. That simple.

Would love to bring more friends to that library cause it’s so fun for young kids. But the liklihood of a bad experience is almost guaranteed.

Not really (at least in my experience). My wife works for EPL and I have brought my kid to the Children's Library at Milner more times than I can count and every time it's been totally fine. Sure, you have homeless people on computers on floors 2 and 3 and maybe hanging out in some chairs and the Children's section was always fine. Thankfully, they do have on-site security to deal with the inevitable incidents that occur, but that does not mean a visit to Milner will almost certainly result in a bad experience (unless you count a bad experience as seeing a homeless person watching YouTube videos on one of the computers lol).

EPL Management could direct Security to ban any potential gang-affiliated clothing, but that woudl likely just lead to more incidents I think, unless you have actual EPS cops stationed at the entrance to deal with any of those situations.

 

[thommyjo]

Not really (at least in my experience). My wife works for EPL and I have brought my kid to the Children's Library at Milner more times than I can count and every time it's been totally fine. Sure, you have homeless people on computers on floors 2 and 3 and maybe hanging out in some chairs and the Children's section was always fine. Thankfully, they do have on-site security to deal with the inevitable incidents that occur, but that does not mean a visit to Milner will almost certainly result in a bad experience (unless you count a bad experience as seeing a homeless person watching YouTube videos on one of the computers lol).

EPL Management could direct Security to ban any potential gang-affiliated clothing, but that woudl likely just lead to more incidents I think, unless you have actual EPS cops stationed at the entrance to deal with any of those situations.

I’m glad you’ve had all good experiences. And the kids area is certainly well protected.

But I have rarely ever been there without at least one of the following (often multiple):

- red alert gang members in the library
- blood, garbage, gross stuff on the bathroom floor
- homeless person using the bathroom for self cleaning (like shirt off washing down at sink while I try to wash a toddler’s hands
- clothing/belongings/garbage/food piled up all over a table or against a wall, alcohol or drug paraphernalia sometimes included.
- drugged up person screaming outside the entrance

I have compassion for homeless people needing a place to access services and care. It shouldn’t be a library, especially not one so geared towards kids. I have 0 compassion for gang members and thugs. And I don’t think banning them leads to more incidents. It’s the right thing to do and EPS should enforce those laws like any other.

 

[AntonK]

“Not encountering issues very often” still means regularly and for those that are vulnerable - like my wife and like your sister - “not encountering issues very often” simply isn’t good enough.

That's fair, especially for females. It's a different experience for them, and myself, being a 6'2" 220lb male sometimes forget what it's like for others. I was discussing this issue with a buddy on the weekend, and he sent me a link to this Youtube video. Edmonton seems to be front and centre in the video