Open drug use, homelessness and traffic offences are the top three problems Victoria Police (VicPD) should be tackling, according to the results from their 2024 community survey.
This year, 946 participants Victoria and Esquimalt residents took part in the annual questionnaire.
The results of the annual survey show a “significant change” in which areas citizens would like to see VicPD pay attention to, with almost one third of respondents selecting open drug use as their top issue of concern. In 2023, open drug use was the third most pressing concern for locals.
But VicPD has highlighted that the survey was conducted prior to the Provincial Government announcing plans to recriminalize the use of drugs in public spaces.
Participants in the survey stated they want VicPD to tackle these problems by having respondents called for more patrols, greater police visibility in the community and for the hiring of more officers.
“It would be beneficial to have more uniformed officers on foot patrol in the downtown core,” said one respondent to the survey. “It will boost police visibility, build stronger community relationships with locals, business owners and tourist, and deter criminals from downtown. I believe doing so will also make our downtown safer, prevent theft and improve Victoria’s image a vibrant and safe city.”
The survey captures the impressions, concerns and opinions of the public that VicPD serves on topics ranging from crime severity to overall satisfaction.
Earlier this month, VicPD raised their own concerns about the levels of violence and weapons linked to drug trafficking, promising to continue “proactive patrols”.
Across a period of 36 hours in mid-July, two incidents, including one in the 900-block of Pandora Avenue, saw officers seize multiple weapons including a of loaded handgun and stun guns.
“We continue to be concerned with the level of violence and weapons associated with drug trafficking in our communities,” said Chief Del Manak in a release on July 16. “Our officers are seeing people, some who are not sheltering outdoors, using tents and other structures to traffic drugs, conceal weapons and target vulnerable people. Our officers will continue to conduct proactive patrols and target violent offenders in our communities.”
The survey results in full are available on the VicPD website: https://vicpd.ca/open-vicpd/community-survey/
