Victoria, BC – The Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board have released the Victoria Police Department Transformation Report. This report outlines anticipated changes to our service delivery in Victoria and Esquimalt. These service changes are being made in efforts to meet our statutory duties to protect life, property and enforce the law with the resources we have.
The Victoria Police Department has been unsuccessful in securing the required resources through both Victoria and Esquimalt councils to ensure long-term sustainability. We are facing a number of challenges broadly described as:
• Investigative requirements and case law changes
• Inability to meet community expectations
• Financial constraints
• Lack of internal resources
These challenges have, and will, require VicPD to make significant adjustments to our deployment model, call response provisions, and develop financial and human resource strategies to ensure effective and sustainable policing that responds to the needs of the residents in the City of Victoria and the Township of Esquimalt.
Adjustments include:
- Shifting additional officers to front-line positions
- Utilizing officers, including light duties officers, in an Investigation and Support Unit to take on Patrol calls where non-in-person attendance is possible
- Not responding to some call types
- Adjusting Patrol shifts
- Creation of Special Constable roles to free up Police officers for priority response
- Temporary re-allocation of resources to fund Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) officers
- Non-renewal of the School Liaison Officers
The Transformation Report outlines these and other adjustments that are either already in place or in process. The Victoria Police Department and the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board continue to work with both Victoria and Esquimalt councils as we work to find innovative solutions to balance resource needs with community safety.
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