More than 29K 911 calls for encampments in Victoria over 3 years

A Victoria city councillor has shared data he got from police regarding the total number 911 calls stemming from encampments and outdoor areas where people are sheltering.

Coun. Stephen Hammond posted Victoria police data on his social media, which showed 911 operators received 9,363 calls in 2022 for “shelter and park” issues.

The statistics also showed more than 29,000 911 calls over the same issues between 2020 to 2022, a three-year sample.

The location with the most 911 calls was Rock Bay Landing with 3,337 calls over the three years.

“Unfortunately, this data shows what many Victoria residents, businesses, and visitors already know: a relatively small number of shelters and parks where people shelter create a disproportionate number of police calls for service,” Hammond said on social media.

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Hammond said Deputy Victoria Police Chief Jason Laidman told him that 19 locations of shelters and encampments make up around 25 per cent of all calls the police department gets.

A strata council president, Lynn Anderson, spoke to Victoria councillors in May, and in early August. She requested payment from the city for thousands of dollars for damages from a nearby encampment.

“While we want all Victorians to know what’s been taking place near, and on, our property, these stats don’t reveal the fear, damage, crime and serious safety concerns our community has faced over the last four years,” she said.

While Hammond tried to get more enhanced security for locations “affected by encampments,” which did not make it past council, he said he will continue to try and make Victoria residents feel safe with possible future “measures.”

“I am completely behind the mayor’s Community Safety and Well-being Plan, yet until we get to a better place of safety for everyone, I believe we can take other measures to take away the fear and reality of the crime and disorder in and around a number of shelters, parks, and street encampments,” Hammond said.

Homeless outreach workers Global News spoke with called the statistics “discouraging” and said they showed the need for better communication between the city’s housed and unhoused residents.

“It’s not an us and a them problem,” said James Sarasin, who was once homeless himself and now works in peer support.

“There’s a huge disconnect with some of these housing sites and sheltering areas, where they don’t go out and meet people, there’s no human connection, they’re not talking to people, they don’t know their names, they’re phoning the police.”

Outreach worker Megan Lawrence said empowering more people through positions like hers could help bridge the gap between the two communities.

“Things can get handled in a completely different way,” she said.

“Just being able to start building relationships with the people that are on the streets, to be able to go and see what is going on before making that call … maybe being able to squash it right there and then and not having to waste services that are needed for other stuff.”

As of Victoria’s last homeless count in 2020 there were more than 1,500 people estimated to be experiencing chronic homelessness.

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