Overview 

The busy summer period of July through September sees Victoria welcome visitors from around the world, with an expected increase in calls for service, and an opportunity for proactive work with foot and bike patrols. 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 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 

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.  

ACT Team Collaboration 

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.  

 GIS Seizes 20 Firearms and 4.5 Kilograms of Cocaine in Drug Trafficking Investigation 

On June 25, a male was arrested in West Shore following a covert VicPD drug trafficking investigation. Officers seized 20 firearms, over 20,000 rounds of ammunition, $27,000 in cash, 4.5 kilograms of cocaine, and two sets of ballistic armor. The investigation, which began in early June, led to a search warrant for a residence on Pintail Place in Langford. The West Shore RCMP’s Emergency Response Team, along with VicPD’s Strike Force, assisted in the arrest and subsequent search of the property. 

Calls for Service 

Calls for service in Q3 follow the annual trend of an overall increase over the busy summer months, with a significant spike in social order calls that is also higher than the same time period in 2023. Calls for property crime were slightly higher than Q2, but still significantly lower than the same time period in 2023. 

Files of Note 

24-23715 Bank Robbery 

A female suspect entered a bank and demanded money. The bank teller recognized the suspect as a client of the bank and identified them to police. Officers arrested the suspect near her residence and recovered the money. 

Pride Parade Blockade 

The Victoria Pride Parade was interrupted by a group of approximately 40 protestors who blocked the route. The parade was detoured by VicPD officers to a safe route to bypass the blockade. There were minor violent skirmishes and one preventative arrest and release on-site. The parade concluded on schedule.  

24-24691 Attack on Paramedic, Pandora and Ellice Safety Plan 

On July 12, officers responded to an attack on an Emergency Health Services member in the 900-block of Pandora. When officers arrested the man, who was continuing to pursue the EHS member and to exhibit aggressive behaviour, bystanders became increasingly hostile towards the officers. Officers called for additional resources, with a high level of response needed to safely extract first responders from the situation. As a result of this incident and other concerning behaviour, EHS and Victoria Fire put in place a mandatory escort policy, and the Pandora and Ellice Safety Plan was created. A September update on the plan included 50 arrests, numerous weapons and drugs, and more than $13,500 in currency recovered.  

24-24776 Reported Kidnapping 

While on special duty at a border crossing, a member was alerted that while disembarking, a female had fled a vehicle and claimed to have been kidnapped at gunpoint in the USA. A replica firearm was discovered in the vehicle and both parties were sent back to the USA. 

24-24781, 24-25077 – Loaded handgun, stun guns and other weapons seized by Patrol officers 

At approximately 11 a.m. on Friday, July 12, Patrol officers were called to the 1400-block of Fairfield Rd for a report of a man chasing and threatening two people with a taser. Police located and arrested the man, and two hand-held stun guns were seized. 

On Monday, July 15, officers conducting proactive patrols in the 900-block of Pandora Avenue were alerted to an altercation. While arresting the suspect, officers found and seized multiple weapons, including a loaded handgun, as well as cash and drugs.  

24-25454 Drug seizure 

On July 17, two Patrol officers conducting proactive policing noticed a person riding a scooter without a helmet. Officers stopped them for a motor vehicle act helmet infraction, but further conversation led to a subsequent drug seizure that included 120 grams of meth, 40 grams of fentanyl and more than 40 dilaudid pills.  

24-25547 – Stranger Sexual Assault  

A female approached a security guard and disclosed that she had been sexually assaulted by an unknown male around Johnson and Wharf Street.  Patrol officers conducted the initial investigation and found a cell phone near the scene.  The investigation was transferred to GIS who did an extensive video canvass and review, including an appeal to the community for information. The suspect was arrested once the cell phone and video footage were used to identify them. 

Various – Firearms lighter calls 

Over the summer, police responded to at least 20 firearms calls that turned out to be lighters. Though pistol-shaped lighters and torches are not illegal, their appearance can cause alarm in the community, especially when they are tucked into waistbands or visible from back pockets or bags, often leading to resource-intensive, high-priority responses.   

24-27234 Vehicle Theft and Dangerous Driving 

One man was arrested after stealing a vehicle from a dealership and driving it dangerously through Victoria and Saanich.  

24-2831 Swatting/Criminal Harassment 

E-Comm call taker received a report that a 14-yr-old female was suicidal and wanted to harm her mother. The call taker remembered a similar incident earlier in the evening and identified that it may be swatting, where someone deceives emergency services into sending a response to another person’s address by making false reports. A 16-yr-old suspect was identified and investigated for mischief.  

24-28354 – Break and Enter 

A complainant reported a break and enter to her residence in which $180,000 worth of clothing and jewelry was taken. No suspects have been identified and no property has been recovered yet, despite an appeal to the community. 

24-28365 Break and Enter/Firearms 

Responding to a complaint of a break and enter at a vacant home in the 800-block of Selkirk Ave., officers located a male suspect with a loaded .22 firearm.  

 24-28374 Firearms/Flight from Police 

While conducting a vehicle stop, officers noticed a handgun tucked under the steering wheel. Members retreated to their vehicles and the driver fled into another jurisdiction. Officers did not pursue.  

24-28386/24-28443 Break and Enter/Mischief 

Officers responded to two calls in the 500-block of Fisgard St when a suspect smashed a glass door of a restaurant. The man was arrested and, after being released on a Form 10, reattended the restaurant with a smoke bomb, throwing it through the broken door with 30-40 patrons inside. 

24-28543 Pandora Swarming Incident 

On August 7, officers conducting patrols in the 900-block of Pandora observed flames shoot from a tent. A male exited and began yelling at and threatening police, attempting to incite the crowd. Numerous people began shining lights in the officers’ faces, circling and screaming at police. 

24-30355 Sexual Assault 

A near-naked female approached a bystander stating she had been thrown out of a van after being sexually assaulted inside. The bystander called police. A suspect was identified and the van was searched via warrant.   

24-33040 Random Assaults 

One man was arrested after a series of stranger assaults in the 1000-block of Government St.