PUBLIC SAFETY COMMITTEE

MINUTES

An Open meeting of the Public Safety Committee was held in the Council Chamber, main floor, City Hall, 4949 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. on Tuesday, 2017 May 02 at 6:00 p.m.

1.

CALL TO ORDER

PRESENT:

ABSENT:

STAFF:

Councillor Pietro Calendino, Chair

Councillor Sav Dhaliwal, Vice Chair

Councillor Anne Kang, Member

Councillor Nick Volkow, Member

Ms. Donna Dawson, Burnaby Crime Prevention Society

Ms. Jen Mezei, District Parent Advisory Council

Mr. Ken Robb, Burnaby HUB

Mr. Tom Webster, ICBC

Mr. Stephen Baron, Citizens’ Representative

Mr. Eric Laity, Citizens’ Representative

Ms. Serena Mawani, Citizens’ Representative

Ms. Bethany McGoldrick, Citizens’ Representative

Mr. Lloyd Paul, Citizens’ Representative

Mr. David Pereira, Citizens’ Representative

Mr. Dave Reid, Citizens’ Representative

Mr. Tony Wong, Chair District #1 – Hastings/Brentwood

Ms. Maisie Cheng, Chair District #2 – Burnaby Mountain

Ms. Tazul Nisha Ali, Chair District #3 – Southeast 

Councillor James Wang, Member

Trustee Larry Hayes, School Board

Mr. Paul Holden, Burnaby Board of Trade

Ms. Emily Li, Citizens’ Representative

Mr. Trevor Ritchie, Citizens’ Representative

Ms. Mary Gates, Chair District #4 – Southwest

Mr.  Dave Critchley, Director Public Safety and Community Services

Mr. Doug Louie, Assistant Director Engineering, Transportation Services

Fire Chief Joe Robertson, Fire Department

Supt. Randy Marquardt, Operations Officer/Assistant OIC, RCMP

Sgt. Gregor Aitken, Strategic Planning NCO, RCMP

S/Sgt. Gerard Sokolowski, Traffic Services NCO, RCMP

Ms. Margaret Manifold, Senior Social Planner

Ms. Nikolina Vracar, Administrative Officer

The Chair called the Open meeting to order at 6:05 p.m.

2.

MINUTES

a)

Minutes of the Public Safety Committee Open meeting held on 2017 April 11                                                                         

MOVED BY COUNCILLOR VOLKOW

SECONDED BY MR. BARON

THAT the minutes of the Open meeting of the Public Safety Committee held on 2017 April 11 be adopted.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

3.

PRESENTATION

MOVED BY COUNCILLOR VOLKOW

SECONDED BY mR. WONG

THAT the presentation be heard.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

a)

Margaret Manifold, Senior Social Planner & Sgt. Gregor Aitken, Strategic NCO, RCMP

Re: 2017-2019 PSC Workplan Preparation                        

Ms. Margaret Manifold, Senior Social Planner, and Sgt. Gregor Aitken, Strategic NCO, RCMP provided an overview of the Committee's 2017-2019 Workplan preparation.

Ms. Manifold noted that the Workplan provides a framework for the Committee to:

·         support public safety and crime prevention initiatives;

·         identify community safety priorities; and

·         participate in activities and initiatives to address priorities.

Sgt. Aitken advised that the RCMP identified the following tactical priorities through its Annual Performance Plan (APP) consultation session:

·         road safety;

·         domestic violence and violence prevention;

·         mental health;

·         drugs;

·         property crimes; and

·         violent crimes.

Based on the APP priorities and the Committee membership, staff proposed that the Committee consider three priorities for its Workplan: road safety, drugs (marijuana legalization), and property crime.

The Committee identified several potential initiatives for the three proposed priorities.   

Staff undertook to seek input from the Committee on development of a bylaw regarding acceptable marijuana use.

Staff undertook to consider potential fire and engineering initiatives and to draft the Workplan. 

4.

CORRESPONDENCE

MOVED BY Mr. Paul

SECONDED BY councillor volkow

THAT the correspondence be received.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

a)

Correspondence from the Emergency Program Coordinator

Re: Implementation of the National Public Alerting System by Wireless Service Providers                                                          

Correspondence was received from Ms. Charmaigne Pflugrath, Emergency Program Coordinator, regarding the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission’s directive to wireless service providers to implement a wireless public alerting system by 2018 April 06.  Alerts on mobile devices will promptly warn citizens about dangers to life and property, and allow them to take appropriate action.

5.

REPORT

MOVED BY mr. laity

SECONDED BY mr. Paul

THAT the report be received.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

a)

Report from the Director Engineering

Re: Safety Countermeasures - Canada Way at Rayside Street                                                                                   

The Director Engineering submitted a report reviewing road safety concerns along Canada Way at Rayside Street.  

The Director Engineering recommended:

1. THAT the Committee recommend to Council the implementation of several road improvements to mitigate safety concerns along Canada Way at Rayside Street, as detailed in this report.

2. THAT a copy of this report be sent to Mr. Brad Jones, #803 11211 85 Street, Edmonton, AB T5B 4T7. 

MOVED BY councillor volkow

SECONDED BY councillor kang

THAT the recommendations of the Director Engineering be adopted.

        CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Committee advised that a more robust approach may need to be implemented in order to improve traffic safety in the area.

The Committee inquired if ICBC could post high crash signs.

Mr. Tom Webster, ICBC representative, undertook to investigate. 

Arising from discussion, the Committee requested staff report back in one year regarding effectiveness of implemented measures, and provide an analysis of accidents that have occurred in the area within the last three to five years. 

6.

MONTHLY REPORTS

MOVED BY mr. wong

SECONDED BY mr. Laity

THAT the monthly reports be received.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

a)

District #1

The report will be provided at the next Committee meeting.

b)

District #2

The report will be provided at the next Committee meeting.

c)

District #3

The report will be provided at the next Committee meeting.

d)

District #4

The report will be provided at the next Committee meeting.

e)

Graffiti

No report was provided at this time.

f)

RCMP - December 2016/January 2017

C/Supt. Drolet submitted a report providing an overview of activities that took place during December 2016 and January 2017.

Supt. Marquardt and Sgt. Aitken highlighted the following items:

·         overall crime rates are declining;

·         the Crime Prevention Unit hosted the first meeting of the Provincial Crime Free Multi-Housing Coordinators to promote sharing of best practices and available resources between the jurisdictions;  

·         the Crime Prevention Officers will be out in the community during the Torch Run, a Burnaby Baseball Association event, and Hats Off Day Parade. 

g)

RCMP - February/March 2017

Chief Supt. Drolet submitted a report providing an overview of activities that took place during February/March 2017.

Supt. Marquardt and Sgt. Aitken highlighted the following items:

·         year to year statistics for the first four months indicate an 11% increase in robberies while other crime rates are declining;

·         Burnaby RCMP in collaboration with Surrey and Richmond Detachments arrested 20 individuals in connection with mail boxes theft resulting in 88% decrease for this crime.  Citizens are encouraged to promptly empty their mail boxes;

·         the Crime Prevention Unit held two information sessions advising residents how to improve safety in their neighbourhood and reduce opportunities for criminals to victimize them;

·         the Victim Services Unit received 100 calls in April.

The Committee inquired regarding installation of photo surveillance in apartment buildings as a deterrent for mail boxes theft.

Staff advised that the RCMP encourages the use of video surveillance.

The Committee provided several suggestions for improving maps in the RCMP monthly reports.

Staff undertook to investigate.

**Councillor Kang left the meeting at 8:06 p.m. and did not return.**

Arising from discussion, the Committee requested staff address inconsistencies on bar graphs in the monthly reports and develop an action plan to prevent crime in high density areas.

Staff undertook to follow-up.

h)

Fire - January/February/March 2017

The Fire Chief submitted a report summarizing Fire Department service delivery and programs for January, February, and March of 2017.

The Fire Chief highlighted the following items:

·         the Fire Department attended several major incidents, including a broken elevator in the Telus building and an overdose incident;

·         on average there are 33 fires each month; 

·         highest proportion of incidents are medical emergencies, and overdose incidents represent a small proportion of all medical emergencies;

·         the Training Division welcomed ten new recruits in January.  The Fire Chief advised that the Department hires new members once a year and this year’s deadline for applications is May 12;

·         firefighters attended meditation and mindfulness workshops to learn about mental health and building resiliency;

·         the Fire Department and RCMP are working on a radio-communications bylaw that would make it a requirement to install signal repeaters in high-rise buildings as well as a building access system to improve the first responders’ access to buildings;

·         Burnaby has the third highest use of smoke detectors in the Lower Mainland, and the Fire Department will investigate how to further increase the use of smoke detectors by residents. 

7.

NEW BUSINESS

Maisie Cheng

Ms. Cheng requested installation of traffic calming measures at the intersection of Beaverbrook Crescent and Beaverbrook Drive to address traffic safety concerns.

Staff undertook to investigate.

8.

INQUIRIES

There were no inquiries brought before the Committee at this time.

9.

ADJOURNMENT

MOVED BY MR. Laity

SECONDED BY councillor volkow

THAT this Open Committee meeting do now adjourn.

CARRIED UNANIMOUSLY

The Open meeting adjourned at 8:29 p.m.

________________________

________________________

Nikolina Vracar

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER                  

Councillor Pietro Calendino

CHAIR