Vancouver mayor announces $5M ‘Task Force Barrage’ to tackle crime, public safety concerns

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and Vancouver Police Department Chief Adam Palmer unveiled a plan Thursday afternoon described as a “new long-term initiative targeting organized crime and public safety concerns” in the city.

Sim announced a new police task force, nicknamed ‘Barrage’, targeting violence, organized crime and criminal activity in the Downtown Eastside.

“This will not, and cannot be a short term operation, this will be a long term, sustained effort to disrupt criminal networks, hold offenders accountable and make our streets safer,” said Sim.

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This announcement comes after Sim revealed a plan to revitalize the Downtown Eastside at the end of last month. Speaking at a forum held by the Save Our Streets B.C. Coalition, Sim announced his plan to transform the neighbourhood by breaking up supportive housing, shelter services, and social services to encourage a mix of housing and businesses.

Referring to the Downtown Eastside as a “poverty industrial complex,” Sim said that it attracts “predatory criminals” who victimize residents and businesses.

“We’ll support the Vancouver Police Department in launching a citywide crackdown on gangs, equipping law enforcement with the tools to target these criminal networks that prey on our most vulnerable residents,” he said on Jan. 23.

Sim referenced a VPD report released on Dec. 23 that showed that crime continues to decline in the city. “Total crime has decreased by 7.4 per cent; violent crime is down 7 per cent; and property crime has dropped by 10.3 per cent,” Sim explained.

He argued that his coming plan was justified by recent instances of random stranger assaults, which he says “have had a devastating impact.”

In September last year, Statistics Canada data showed the overall per capita crime rate, based on police reports, was down in B.C. by about 3 per cent since 2018. The violent crime rate often cited by business leaders, shows it was up by more than 32 per cent since 2018, having spiked sharply in 2019, but it has been mostly unchanged since then. Vancouver and Victoria have both seen a 9 per cent rise in violent crime, per capita, since 2018, StatCan data showed.

As of early November 2024, police in Vancouver shared that violent offences were down 6.6 per cent from the previous year; property crimes were down 10.7 per cent; and calls for service were down 0.4 per cent. Police say there were 12 “culpable” homicides in Vancouver in 2023; in 2024, there were only nine. Meanwhile, police response time in Vancouver increased by 0.8 per cent — five seconds slower than the same reporting period in 2023.

On Thursday, Sim explained that people experiencing homelessness and deep poverty are 19 times more likely to become victims of crime. Rather than investing in supportive housing to tackle the issue at its root, Sim says the city and police department will instead employ the task force to ‘barrage’ the Downtown Eastside.

Palmer explained that Vancouver residents will first notice increased police presence in the Downtown Eastside.

“Their primary function will be to target chronic offenders to arrest people with outstanding warrants and people breaching their bail conditions, to drive out drug traffickers linked to street violence and organized crime who prey on the most vulnerable members of our community. They will also deter crime by maintaining a highly visible presence in the neighborhood, and will respond immediately to protect victims and apprehend offenders when crimes occur,” said Palmer.

Secondly, he says the VPD will begin targeting gangs and organized crime groups more aggressively.

“Decriminalization policies limited our ability to conduct drug investigations in the Downtown Eastside. The reversal of those policies has created new avenues of investigation that we intend to utilize fully as part of Task Force Barrage,” said Palmer.

Sim says the task force will cost an estimated $5 million.

He argued that “by not making this investment, it is costing us multiple multiples more.”

The execution of this plan is also expected to require more officers.

Another question mark around this announcement is Sim’s 2022 campaign promise of hiring 100 police officers and nurses. 1130 has been told that 100 officers have been hired, but due to attrition, retirement, and members going to other police departments, such as the Surrey Police Service (SPS), those numbers have fluctuated.

As for the 100 nurses, that hiring falls to Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH). 1130 has been told the health authority, in conjunction with the city, felt just over 50 mental health workers are currently required. As of 2024, ABC Vancouver says 40 mental health workers have been hired, including a dozen nurses.

OneCity Vancouver candidate Lucy Maloney tells 1130 NewsRadio she lives in Vancouver’s urban core and shares her neighbours’ concerns about crime.

“Building a safer Downtown Eastside will require hard work: meeting with residents and community organizations and developing solutions that work for everyone,” Maloney said.

“Ken Sim does not work hard. In fact, he barely shows up for work.”

1130 has reached out to VCH for comment.

1130 was also told that the campaign promise, although very big, was just “politics.”

This is a developing story. More to come.

With files from Kier Junos, and Charlie Carey