Vancouver police get additional $5M for Downtown Eastside crime and drugs task force

A new Vancouver police task force that promises to "dismantle organized crime networks and target predatory criminals in the Downtown Eastside" will cost city taxpayers an additional $5 million per year on top of the VPD's $453 million budget for 2025.

 "Task Force Barrage" is aimed at making the city safer, according to VPD Chief Adam Palmer and Mayor Ken Sim, who unveiled the initiative at a joint news conference on Thursday. 

"If you talk to [DTES] residents, if you talk to business owners, if you talk to tourists or tour operators, by not making this investment, it is costing us multiple multiples more," said Sim. "And so this is something we want to do."

Palmer could not say how many new officers would be deployed but said Task Force Barrage would bring "surge capacity" that will "get results" using officers from other sections like organized crime, in addition to the normal contingent of 60 officers already working in the neighbourhood.

"What we're doing now that's different is there's going to be more of an effort put into the longer-term investigations," said Palmer. "There's going to be higher beat visibility and presence down there in the Downtown Eastside."

WATCH | Vancouver's new plan for patrolling the Downtown Eastside:

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim lays out new policing plan for Downtown Eastside

6 days ago

Duration 1:31

Vancouver’s mayor and police Chief Adam Palmer jointly announced on Thursday a long-term operation to dismantle organized drug crime and target predatory criminals in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside. As CBC’s Chad Pawson reports, it’s part of Ken Sim’s vision for the future of the DTES.

Palmer said an outsized portion of Vancouver's violent crime — 30 per cent — happens in the DTES despite it representing just two per cent of the city's geographical area and three per cent of the population. 

He said with the rollback of drug decriminalization, police have regained tools to take action against drug traffickers. 

Task Force Barrage will also integrate with Vancouver Fire Rescue and city bylaw, sanitation and engineering teams "to clear sidewalks and provide community safety for residents, workers and visitors," according to Sim. 

Palmer said there is no defined end date for Task Force Barrage.

"We're going to keep on it strong. We're going after these folks that are victimizing people in our community. We're really confident that the police-criminal side of it, combined with the greater response teams which will deal with liquor disorder, encampment-type issues, it's a great combination," he said.

Vancouver city council still has to approve the $5 million for Task Force Barrage, which is certain to happen with the Sim-led ABC super majority on council.

The senior officer overseeing policing in the DTES said Task Force Barrage will help residents reclaim their streets and reduce the number of weapons and criminals coming into the area.

"This neighbourhood is made up of resilient people who care about their community and deserve to be safe," said Insp. Gary Hiar. "The public safety challenge was created over many years. While we're not going to fix this overnight, I expect the work we will be doing to have an immediate impact."