Date: Tuesday, September 28, 2021
Victoria, BC – Yesterday, a VicPD officer was struck by a vehicle while assisting City of Victoria Bylaw staff in the 900-block of Pandora Avenue. The officer was sent to hospital with serious, but thankfully non-life-threatening injuries. He is now recovering at home with his family, and we are grateful for the outpouring of support which we have received from across the community.
The officer who was injured yesterday is a 10-year-member of VicPD. He has served Victoria and Esquimalt as a front-line officer, and previously as a member of the Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team for many years with distinction. He is well respected throughout our community for his compassion and understanding and has forged personal connections with many of those experiencing homelessness and mental illness. He is one of many here at VicPD who serve this community with great pride.
I am deeply concerned with the severity and volume of violent crime in our community which is impacting the very people whose duty it is to uphold the law and keep every one of us safe. Recently, we have seen several officers – both on-duty and off-duty – violently assaulted. These attacks have a direct impact on the number of officers that can show up to work to keep our community safe and, equally importantly, the health and wellbeing of police officers who give so much of themselves in service to our community.
I worry about the human toll that these attacks continue to have on our officers.
This is not sustainable.
I condemn the alarming level of violence in our community and ask that we all reflect on what makes us a safer community together. The current climate is not acceptable, and should not be acceptable. Anti-police sentiment, disregard for law and order, and disrespect for authority is not a solution. Working together, understanding that police strive to help and serve our community, and recognizing that we must take steps to address this violence together is the only path forward.