For the last six months, downtown Sechelt has been patrolled by private security as part of a pilot program. During its April 4 regular meeting, Sechelt council voted unanimously to renew the program for another six months.
The program is aimed at addressing public concern arising from vandalism, discarded drug paraphernalia and garbage as well as unauthorized encampments, according to a staff report written when the patrols were first introduced.
The patrols started as a three-month pilot program in September and in January were extended three more months due to the success of the program and as roughly 43 per cent of the original $50,000 budget remained.
While staff and RCMP speak to the effectiveness of the patrols, no details from their reports are available to the public.
A report in the meeting agenda states that Sechelt staff have identified $60,542 of available funding from the Community Crime Programming Reserve that would be used to cover the cost of an additional six months of security patrols.
Coun. Adam Shepherd spoke in favour of renewing the program, saying that the RCMP said the patrols have been effective and they support the renewal.
Coun. Brenda Rowe echoed this sentiment, saying RCMP benefits from having more eyes on the road, and the photos security provides assist in investigations.
Rowe asked what the balance was in the Community Crime Programming Reserve, to which staff answered there would still be $124,000 remaining after the funding for the patrols is withdrawn.
Coun. Dianne McLaughlin asked how council could see the reports that the security patrols are providing to the RCMP as they have yet to see any of them.
Shepherd suggested that Unison Security Ltd, the company handling the patrols, provide a formal report to council on the data they have collected and recommendations for future steps.
Coun. Darren Inkster said he would support the continuation of the patrols because of the effectiveness of having “extra eyes” out at night while most of the community is sleeping.
Jordan Copp is the Coast Reporter’s civic and Indigenous affairs reporter. This reporting beat is made possible by the Local Journalism Initiative.
