Township of Esquimalt: 2024 – Q3
As part of our ongoing Open VicPD transparency initiative, we introduced Community Safety Report Cards as a way to keep everyone up to date with how the Victoria Police Department is serving the public. These report cards, which are published quarterly in two community-specific versions (one for Esquimalt and one for Victoria), offer both quantitative and qualitative information about crime trends, operational incidents, and community engagement initiatives. It is hoped that, through this proactive sharing of information, our citizens have a better understanding of how VicPD is working toward its strategic vision of “A Safer Community Together.”
Description
Charts (Esquimalt)
Calls for Service (Esquimalt)
Call for Service (CFS) are requests for services from, or reports to the police department that generate any action on the part of the police department or partner agency performing work on behalf of the police department (such as E-Comm 9-1-1).
CFS include recording a crime/incident for reporting purposes. CFS are not generated for proactive activities unless the officer generates a specific CFS report.
The types of calls are broken into six main categories: social order, violence, property, traffic, assist, and other. For a list of calls within each of these call categories, please click here.
Annual trends show a decrease in total CFS in 2019 and 2020. Since January 2019, abandoned calls, which are included in the total number of calls and can often generate a police response, are no longer captured by the E-Comm 911/Police Dispatch Centre in the same way. This has significantly reduced the total number of CFS. Also, policy changes with regard to abandoned 911 calls from cell phones occurred in July 2019, further reducing these CFS totals. Additional factors that have reduced the number of 911 calls include increased education and changes to cell phone design so that emergency calls could no longer be activated by a one-button push.
These important changes are reflected in the following abandoned 911 call figures, which are included in the displayed CFS totals and are largely responsible for the recent decrease in total CFS:
2016 = 8,409
2017 = 7,576
2018 = 8,554
2019 = 4,411
2020 = 1,296
Esquimalt Total Calls for Service – By Category, Quarterly
Source: VicPD
Esquimalt Total Calls for Service – By Category, Annually
Source: VicPD
VicPD Jurisdiction Calls for Service – Quarterly
Source: VicPD
VicPD Jurisdiction Calls for Service – Annually
Source: VicPD
Crime Incidents – VicPD Jurisdiction
Number of Crime Incidents (VicPD Jurisdiction)
- Violent Crime Incidents
- Property Crime Incidents
- Other Crime Incidents
These charts reflect the most available data from Statistics Canada. The charts will be updated when new data is available.
Crime Incidents – VicPD Jurisdiction
Source: Statistics Canada
Response Time (Esquimalt)
Response time is defined as the time that elapses between the time a call is received to the time the first officer arrives on scene.
Charts reflect median response times for the following Priority One and Priority Two calls in Esquimalt.
Response Time – Esquimalt
Source: VicPD
NOTE: Times are displayed in minutes and second. For example, “8.48” indicates 8 minutes and 48 seconds.
Crime Rate (Esquimalt)
The crime rate, as published by Statistics Canada, is the number of Criminal Code violations (excluding traffic offences) per 100,000 population.
- Total Crime (excluding traffic)
- Violent Crime
- Property Crime
- Other Crime
Data Updated | For all data up to and including 2019, Statistics Canada reported VicPD’s data for its combined jurisdiction of Victoria and Esquimalt. Beginning in 2020, StatsCan is separating that data for both communities. Therefore, the charts for 2020 do not display data for past years as direct comparisons are not possible with this change of methodology. As data is added over successive years, however, year-to-year trends will be displayed.
These charts reflect the most available data from Statistics Canada. The charts will be updated when new data is available.
Crime Rate – Esquimalt
Source: Statistics Canada
Crime Severity Index (Esquimalt & Victoria)
The crime severity index (CSI), as published by Statistics Canada, measures both the volume and severity of police-reported crime in Canada. In the index, all crimes are assigned a weight by Statistics Canada based on their seriousness. The level of seriousness is based on actual sentences handed down by the courts in all provinces and territories.
This chart shows the CSI for all municipal police services in BC as well as the provincial average for all police services. For VicPD’s jurisdiction, the CSI for the City of Victoria and the Township of Esquimalt are shown separately, which is a feature that was first introduced with the release of 2020 data. For historic CSI figures that show combined CSI data for VicPD’s jurisdiction of both Victoria and Esquimalt, click here VicPD 2019 Crime Severity Index (CSI).
These charts reflect the most available data from Statistics Canada. The charts will be updated when new data is available.
Crime Severity Index – Esquimalt & Victoria
Source: Statistics Canada
Crime Severity Index (Non-Violent) – Esquimalt & Victoria
Source: Statistics Canada
Crime Severity Index (Violent) – Esquimalt & Victoria
Source: Statistics Canada
Weighted Clearance Rate (Esquimalt)
Clearance rates represent the proportion of criminal incidents solved by the police.
Data Updated | For all data up to and including 2019, Statistics Canada reported VicPD’s data for its combined jurisdiction of Victoria and Esquimalt. Beginning in 2020 data, StatsCan is separating that data for both communities. Therefore, the charts for 2020 do not display data for past years as direct comparisons are not possible with this change of methodology. As data is added over successive years, however, year-to-year trends will be displayed.
These charts reflect the most available data from Statistics Canada. The charts will be updated when new data is available.
Weighted Clearance Rate (Esquimalt)
Source: Statistics Canada
Perception of Crime (Esquimalt)
Community and business survey data from 2021 as well as past community surveys: “Do you think that crime in Esquimalt has increased, decreased or remained the same during the last 5 years?”
Perception of Crime (Esquimalt)
Source: VicPD
Block Watch (Esquimalt)
This chart shows the numbers of active blocks in the VicPD Block Watch program.
Block Watch – Esquimalt
Source: VicPD
Public Satisfaction (Esquimalt)
Public satisfaction with VicPD (community and business survey data from 2022 as well as past community surveys): “Overall, how satisfied are you with the work of the Victoria Police?”
Public Satisfaction – Esquimalt
Source: VicPD
Perception of Accountability (Esquimalt)
Perception of accountability of VicPD officers from community and business survey data from 2022 as well as past community surveys: “Based on your own personal experience, or what you may have read or heard, please indicate whether you agree or disagree that the Victoria Police is accountable.”
Perception of Accountability – Esquimalt
Source: VicPD
Documents Released to the Public
These charts show the number of community updates (news releases) and reports published, as well the number of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests that are released.
Documents Released to the Public
Source: VicPD
FOI Documents Released
Source: VicPD
Overtime Costs (VicPD)
- Investigation and specialized units (This includes investigations, specialized units, protests and other)
- Staff shortage (Cost associated with replacing absent staff, normally for last minute injury or illness)
- Statutory holiday (Mandatory overtime costs for staff working Statutory Holidays)
- Recovered (This is related to special duties and overtime for seconded specialty units where all costs are recovered from outside funding resulting in no additional cost to VicPD)
Overtime Costs (VicPD) in dollars ($)
Source: VicPD
Public Safety Campaigns (VicPD)
The number of public safety campaigns initiated by VicPD and those local, regional, or national campaigns supported by, but not necessarily initiated by VicPD.
Public Safety Campaigns (VicPD)
Source: VicPD
Police Act Complaints (VicPD)
Total files opened by the Professional Standards office. Open files do not necessarily result in an investigation of any type. (Source: Office of the Police Complaints Commissioner)
- Admissible registered complaints (complaints resulting in a formal Police Act investigation)
- Number of reported substantiated investigations (Police Act investigations that resulted in one or more counts of misconduct being established)
Police Act Complaints (VicPD)
Source: Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner of BC
NOTE: Dates are provincial government fiscal year (April 1 to March 31) i.e. “2020” indicates April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020.
Case Load per Officer (VicPD)
The average number of criminal files assigned to each officer. The average is calculated by dividing the total number of files by the authorized strength of the police Department (Source: Police Resources in BC, Province of British Columbia).
This chart reflects the latest data available. The charts will be updated when new data is available.
Case Load per Officer (VicPD)
Source: Police Resources in BC
Time Loss in Shifts (VicPD)
VicPD’s operational effectiveness can be, and has been, affected by having employees unable to work. The loss of time recorded in this chart includes both physical and mental health injuries which occur in the workplace. This does not include time lost for off-duty injury or illness, parental leave, or leaves of absence. This chart shows this time loss in terms of shifts lost by both officers and civilian employees by calendar year.
Time Loss in Shifts (VicPD)
Source: VicPD
Deployable Officers (% of total strength)
This is the percentage of officers who are fully deployable to policing duties with no restrictions.
Please note: This is a Point-in-Time calculation each year, as the actual number fluctuates widely throughout the year.
Deployable Officers (% of total strength)
Source: VicPD
Volunteer / Reserve Constable Hours (VicPD)
This is the number of volunteer hours annually performed by volunteers and Reserve Constables.
Volunteer / Reserve Constable Hours (VicPD)
Source: VicPD
Training Hours per Officer (VicPD)
Average training hours is calculated by the total number of hours of training divided by the authorized strength. All training is accounted for including training related to specialized positions such as the Emergency Response Team, and off-duty training required under the Collective Agreement.
Training Hours per Officer (VicPD)
Source: VicPD
Esquimalt Community Information
Overview
The busy summer period of July through September always comes with an expected increase in calls for service, and an opportunity for proactive work out in the great weather. While Patrol was busy on the streets, our Investigative Services Division received a conviction of 48 months and 3 years’ probation for a violent sexual assault file (stranger/public related) with several other resource-intensive ongoing Major Case Management investigations going through disclosure or charge assessment processes.
The Community Services Division (CSD) worked collaboratively with BC Housing, the City of Victoria and many other service providers to alleviate the number of individuals experiencing homelessness on Pandora and Ellice Street, and, with Patrol, led the Pandora and Ellice Safety Plan. There has been significant improvement in the density of encampments and criminality in this area thanks to the presence and visibility of officers in that area.
Our Human Resources Division ensured that we had a new cadre of excellent candidates to train, while delivering on our Roadmap for a Healthy & Inclusive Workplace, including annual wellness checks and short and long-term reintegration.
Welcoming New Faces
In Q3, VicPD hired six Recruit Constables, one Experienced Officer, and two civilian staff.
Departures
Over the third quarter, five officers and one civilian staff member moved on to retirement. We celebrate retirements in February of each year.
Bike and Beat Deployments
In the Spring and Summer of 2024, Patrol Division made a concerted effort to dedicate resources to bike and beat patrols in Esquimalt and the downtown core in Victoria when call volume permitted and capacity existed. The Bike and Beat Deployment pilot project in Patrol Division has been deemed a successful demonstration of integrating these functions into regular Patrol work and will repeat in 2025. Read more about this pilot project here: Success In Summer Bike And Beat Pilot – VicPD.ca
Traffic Safety and Enforcement
Q3 saw continued efforts by our Traffic Section to focus on community safety. They conducted proactive work in the following three areas: impaired driving, school zone education/enforcement, and ensuring high visibility at a number of intersections and locations which have been of concern to community members.
Clarifying Rules on Open Drug Use
The Patrol division has seen an uptick in calls for service in relation to open drug consumption; this is reflected in the increase in calls for Social Order in Q3. The problem of public consumption of drugs is a challenging and complex social issue that our officers are confronted with daily and is the number one concern identified by residents in our 2024 VicPD Community Survey.
The recent amendments to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act (CDSA) exemption have caused some public confusion on what officers can lawfully do to enforce the CDSA.
Although the changes made in May 2024 have been described as the re-criminalization of drugs, that is not actually the case, and the overall intent is still harm reduction. Arresting people for simple possession or use is the last option for our officers, given the amendments, and there is no support for police proceeding with possession charges through the court process. In most cases, officers have little option except to move them along and work to connect them with information and other supports.
Relationships between the five Vancouver Island Health Authority (VIHA) Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) teams and VicPD have continued to strengthen. Over this period, VicPD officers have collaborated closely with ACT doctors, nurses, and team members, engaging with 119 documented calls for service from July to September. These ranged from home visits and medication witnessing to more complex interventions, excluding additional support provided outside ACT coverage hours (Saturdays and Sundays).
An increase in police involvement has been observed, with officers assisting with client background checks, attending team and doctor meetings, and locating clients alongside ACT team members. The move to EMP has slightly impacted the rapport and interaction frequency due to geographic distribution, as teams are now split between the city core and EMP on the city’s outer east. Officers continue to maintain connections with ACT teams by frequenting EMP during downtime and lunch.
VicPD’s relationship with probation officers and integrated court remains strong, with effective communication and collaboration on shared reports and integrated court meetings. This quarter, the department celebrated UVic’s recognition of police officers’ role within ACT teams, highlighting the positive impact of VicPD’s ongoing support in maintaining safety within the community.
CRT and Mental Health Support
The Co- Response Team (CRT) handled numerous calls related to mental health crises. Notable cases included assisting a family with a Form 10 MHA warrant for a manic individual, de-escalating situations with individuals threatening self-harm, and managing encounters with clients exhibiting violent behaviors. CRT also worked with ACT and community mental health housing facilities, employing non-violent strategies to safely apprehend individuals for hospital admissions under mental health warrants. Additionally, the CRT monitored and addressed a hunger strike initiated by an activist, ensuring their child’s safety with minimal police intervention.
Calls for Service
Overall, calls for service in Esquimalt were roughly the same as last quarter, but higher than during the same time period last year.
Looking deeper at the categories, we see that calls for Social Order have maintained the increase that we saw in Q2, which is still significantly higher than the same time period last year. Calls for violence are in-line with this time last year and have lowered since Q2, and all other categories are in-line with the same period in 2023.
Files of Note
File Number: 24-28365
Narrative: E-Comm received a complaint of a break-in to a vacant home in the 800-block of Selkirk Avenue. Members and ICS K9 contained the house, and a lone male suspect was arrested. The suspect was searched, incident to his arrest, and a loaded .22 firearm was located on his person. The male was transported to cells and held for court.
File Number: 24-32106
Narrative: Police received call from EHS to attend Macauley Point for a female that was actively stabbing herself in the neck. Police units arrived on scene to see the female being given first aid by EHS and Esquimalt Fire. Three citizens had performed life saving measures prior to first responders arriving. This act most likely saved the female’s life. We presented a Civic Service Award to the bystanders on November 2.
File Number: 24-32907
Police attended the 800-block of Admirals Rd for a report of a male and female involved in a verbal domestic. While attempting to arrest the female for Causing a Disturbance and Assault, both members were assaulted by the male. One officer required treatment at the hospital and another officer suffered minor injuries.
File Number: 24- 33471
Police were called by Esquimalt Fire for a targeted fire to a vehicle in the 1200-block of Park Terrace. Units attended to find a truck and trailer on the street fully engulfed in flames in what appears to be an arson.
File Number: 24-33955
Police responded to the 900 block of Esquimalt Rd. for a report of a vehicle fire. When members arrived, the fire had been extinguished; however, there was significant damage to the car.
September 3 – Back to School Safety Blitz
In September, VicPD Traffic officers, Reserves and Volunteers visited every school across Victoria and Esquimalt to raise awareness of school zones now being enforced, and the increased pedestrian and bike traffic in school areas. In September, more than 400 drivers were documented going 41 km/hr or more in school zones by Crime Watch volunteers.
Police departments across the CRD, including VicPD, Saanich Police, Oak Bay Police, and West Shore RCMP “teamed up” to collaborate on a back-to-school safety message. The video, coordinated by VicPD, received close to 80,000 views and local media coverage.
Rainbow Kitchen Security
This vital service provider has experienced a recent increase in hostility from clients (towards one another and staff/volunteers). In order to ‘re-set’ the tone and tenor, Esquimalt Division staff have worked closely with RK staff and have provided increased (almost daily) presence during peak hours.
Summer Action Plan
Our Esquimalt NCO and CRO’s worked some evening and weekend shift to increase presence in the parks and beach areas through June, July and August.
Anti-gang presentations
In order to curb rising gang recruitment in Greater Victoria schools, the municipal police agencies in the CRD collaborated on and delivered several ‘anti-gang’ presentations. The presentations are designed to educate and inform local parents and to provide strategies to help insulate their children from this concerning trend. Presenters included major crime detectives, analysis & intelligence experts, MYST, and former school liaison officers. The most recent event was hosted in Esquimalt at the Gorge Pavilion – approximately 50 community members attended.
Anti-fraud for Seniors
Our CRO’s continue to provide anti-fraud awareness training, particularly for seniors. This effort will likely expand in Q4 to include other safety tips for community members.
On August 13, VicPD presented Halifax resident Adam with a Civic Service Award for assisting a man who had been hit by a vehicle. Adam was vacationing in Victoria when the incident occurred, and we were happy to be able to present this award to him in his hometown.
July 1 – Canada Day
On Canada Day officers were deployed to the Inner Harbour to keep everyone safe, the Community Engagement team handed out stickers and met with people enjoying the Canada Day festivities. It was a family-friendly environment with a lot of red and white and true Canadian spirit on display.
July 7 – Pride Parade
A group of non-uniformed officers walked in the Changemakers portion of the Pride Parade as part of the Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee team.
July 7 – Festival of India 2024
Chief Manak was immersed in culture and tradition at the Victoria Hindu Temple for the Festival of India.
July 8 – Gurmat Kids Summer Camp
Chief Manak visited children at the Gurmat kids summer camp at the Gurdwara, the chief spoke with the children in both Punjabi and English about policing.
July 10 – 14 – Pulling Together Canoe Journey
VicPD officers, staff, reserves, retired members and Songhees youth were on the water in the VicPD canoe as part of the Pulling Together Canoe Journey, a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing understanding between Public Service Agencies and Indigenous Peoples by canoeing the traditional highways of rivers, lakes, and coastal waters.
Watch video here: VicPD Pulling Together Canoe Journey
July 15 – 21 – Special Olympics Global Week of Inclusion
VicPD celebrated Special Olympics Global Week of Inclusion, these athletes inspire us to be better.
Music In The Park
Chief Manak, Inspector Brown and various other officers visited Music In The Park events through the summer, and even took part in a little dancing.
July 25, 2024 – Coffee with a Cop
Cst. Diack organized a ‘Coffee with a Cop’ event at the Esquimalt McDonald’s Restaurant. This was a fantastic opportunity for community members to informally interact with members of the Esquimalt Division including Insp. Brown, Sgt. Van Eerd, the Community Resource Officers, and members of the Traffic Section.
Aug 12 – Day of the Dog Festival
VicPD patrol officers are committed to building paw-sitive relationships in the community, they stopped by the Day of the Dog festival in Esquimalt to talk with people and meet some new furry friends.
September 18 – Easter Seals Drop Zone
VicPD supported this year’s Easter Seals Drop Zone as superheroes rappelled 13 stories down the Manulife Building to raise funds for children and families with disabilities.
July & September – Esquimalt Community Block Parties
Members of Patrol Division, and VicPD volunteers attended two Esquimalt Block Parties. These were fantastic events and great opportunities to interact with our local residents and families.
September 6-8, 2024 – Esquimalt Rib Fest
Insp. Brown and several ‘special duty’ officers supported the annual Rib Fest event at Bullen Park. From a safety perspective, the event was a success with only few minor incidents to report.
At the end of the third quarter of 2024, the net financial position is approximately 75.9% spent of the total budget. This financial position is reasonable, given that the spending target based on payroll is 74.4% and integrated units include some costs that will be shared with other police agencies at year end. Expenditures for retirements, building operations, and uniforms/protective clothing are over the approved budget, but offset by other expenditures that are under budget year-to-date. Recoverable overtime is 176% spent due to continuing protest activities but the impact on the net financial position is nil due to funding received or receivable. Retirement expenditures of approximately $774,000 do not have an approved operating budget. If there is insufficient surplus to cover these costs at year-end, they will be charged against the employee benefit liability fund. Capital expenditures are 45.7% spent.