Metro Vancouver leaders debate regional police force

B.C. Solicitor General John Les has warned Metro Vancouver politicians and police not to make heat-of-the-moment decisions when reacting to a recent crime wave in the Vancouver area.
 
Les made the comments at a one-day conference held in Vancouver on Wednesday to discuss the creation of a regional police service for Metro Vancouver.

The day-long talks, hosted by Simon Fraser University's criminology school and the Solicitor-General's office, drew together police managers, mayors, municipal politicians, civic administrators, provincial and federal politicians, and other policy makers involved with policing issues.

Les told the gathering there has been a bolstered commitment to public safety, especially after the deaths of two innocent men caught in the gang slaying of four others in Surrey last October.

The solicitor general initially rejected the idea of a regional force last year when it was suggested by West Vancouver Police Chief Kash Heed. But on Wednesday he said he was attending the conference to see whether there can be improvements in policing.

Vancouver Mayor Sam Sullivan said he fully supports the idea of a regional police force, because his city already pays more than its share for policing owing to the number of people drawn into the city for large public events.

But Burnaby Mayor Derek Corrigan said it was only fair that Vancouver pay to police those events, since the city also benefits from the economic activity they generate.

Ottawa Police Chief Vernon White told the conference that if they couldn't convince the public that merging forces would provide better service, then they probably won't be successful.

The forum was just the start of a debate on the benefits and problems of creating one regional force, Heed said.