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Police union wants 㽶Ƶֱfulsome public safety plan㽶Ƶֱ ahead of B.C. election

Union calls current bail system 㽶Ƶֱcatch and release㽶Ƶֱ wants issue to be a campaign focus
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RCMP officers march towards the B.C. Law Enforcement Memorial ceremony at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on September 24, 2023. The national organization representing RCMP officers across Canada is calling for whoever emerges victorious in the fall British Columbia election to 㽶Ƶֱdeliver a fulsome public safety plan㽶Ƶֱ in light of incidents such as last week㽶Ƶֱs deadly stranger attack in Vancouver. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

The national union for RCMP officers is seeking to make public safety and bail reform a British Columbia election issue after repeat offenders were arrested for violent crimes, including a pair of gruesome attacks in downtown Vancouver last week.

The National Police Federation says it has launched a 㽶Ƶֱpre-election program㽶Ƶֱ calling on the winner of the Oct. 19 election to deliver a 㽶Ƶֱfulsome public safety plan.㽶Ƶֱ

It describes the current bail system as 㽶Ƶֱcatch and release㽶Ƶֱ and says there㽶Ƶֱs a lack of data-informed support and monitoring of repeat offenders, resulting in public safety being compromised.

Thirty-four-year-old Brendan McBride was arrested last week over what police are calling two stranger attacks in downtown Vancouver, resulting in the death of 70-year-old Francis Laporte, while another victim㽶Ƶֱs hand was cut off.

Court documents show that at the time of the attacks, McBride was on probation over an assault in White Rock, B.C., last September, and the man had been sentenced to 12 months of probation before that in July 2022 for a separate assault in North Vancouver.

National Police Federation vice-president Rob Farrer says the timing of the organization㽶Ƶֱs call ahead of the election was somewhat coincidental, since it was more of a response to recent cases such as the Vancouver stranger attacks.

㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs not about the election per se,㽶Ƶֱ Farrer said. 㽶ƵֱWe㽶Ƶֱre trying to make sure that we keep on top of this. We㽶Ƶֱre hearing from our officers, they㽶Ƶֱre seeing it every day and British Columbians and Canadians generally are seeing this as a major issue.㽶Ƶֱ

He also said that while provincial governments tend to point to bail reform being a federal issue, it doesn㽶Ƶֱt absolve the provinces, including B.C., of not doing enough.

㽶ƵֱWe㽶Ƶֱre asking that whoever makes up the new government really be prepared to deliver a fulsome public safety plan, including what the bail-reform initiatives would look like 㽶Ƶֱ and not simply saying it㽶Ƶֱs a federal responsibility.

㽶ƵֱBecause it is not simply a federal responsibility. It㽶Ƶֱs a joint responsibility for both governments.㽶Ƶֱ

Many of the initiatives called for by the federation are echoed in a July 2023 report released by the group about Canadian bail reform.

In the report, the federation called for the provinces to improve data collection and sharing on criminal cases across Canada, which would give judges a more complete picture of a person㽶Ƶֱs criminal history when they make bail decisions.

Farrer said more investment in and deployment of bail-enforcement monitoring technology should also be a part of a comprehensive answer to repeat offenders in society, as well as standardized training qualifications for justices presiding over bail hearings.

㽶ƵֱIt㽶Ƶֱs not just us that㽶Ƶֱs saying it,㽶Ƶֱ Farrer said of the federation㽶Ƶֱs call for reform, noting an poll taken in August in B.C. commissioned by the group showed 82 per cent of those surveyed were concern about crime by repeat offenders.

㽶ƵֱI think that㽶Ƶֱs a very, very strong majority of people across the province 㽶Ƶֱ who think that the current systems are not meeting their needs. And as a result, we㽶Ƶֱre seeing these incidents like the one in Vancouver.㽶Ƶֱ

The National Police Federation is Canada㽶Ƶֱs largest police union that represents about 20,000 RCMP members both inside and outside the country.





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