Provincial leaders are responding to concerns about open drug use and drug dealing in downtown New Westminster. It follows earlier comments from local business owners.
Robert Stone, with MrTaxes.ca is among those who are frustrated.
“We’ve had multiple people in the stairwell right outside our office on the second floor smoking crack cocaine and we know because we can smell it in the office,” he told Global News on Thursday.
Crime statistics for downtown New Westminster show robberies are up 200 percent compared to last year.
Theft is up 67 percent, mischief up 39 percent and assaults up seven per cent.
Police say the numbers are average when compared to the past three years and that they’re limited when it comes to enforcement.
“The provincial government has made it very clear that charges of simple possession will not be entertained. Those will not be approved,” Sgt. Andrew Leaver said.
The Public Safety Minister’s office responded, saying in part, “The Province doesn’t direct day-to-day operations and enforcement actions of police departments.”
Public Safety Critic Elenore Sturko said, “Decriminalization was rolled back in British Columbia more than a year ago, which means that it is currently unlawful, it’s illegal to possess drugs, to do drugs in public.”
She added that “to solve this problem in New West they need to enforce the law.”
Business owners say a nearby injection site brought problems.
The site’s operator says homelessness, addiction and mental illness are complex issues.
“The reason that sites like ours exist is to stop people from dying, and in that,t I would say we have been very effective,” the Purpose Society’s Travis Walker said.
Police are promising more resources in the downtown core.
“Citizens, residents, business owners can expect to see an increased police presence in the downtown core, and we’re in the midst of a temporary redeployment specifically in our downtown core to try and address a lot of these issues,” Leaver said.
He’s encouraging anyone who sees a crime to report it.