DRUGS, B&E'S AMONG TOP COP CONCERNS, RESIDENTS SAY

Survey Shows Residents Think Cities Should Spend More on Policing

Port Coquitlam residents feel less safe in their homes today than when they
first moved into their neighbourhoods, according to a study on policing
services released by the city yesterday (Tuesday).

And they are willing to pay more in property taxes to get more police
officers on the street.

The survey of 285 residents, conducted last November in a mail-out
questionnaire by University College of the Fraser Valley, found there is a
high regard for the RCMP but PoCo residents want more police patrols and
more time being spent on traffic offences, youth crimes, drugs, break and
enters and auto thefts.

By comparison, Coquitlam residents want the RCMP to concentrate primarily
on dismantling marijuana grow operations, said Coun. Diane Thorne, who
chairs the city's Livable Communities committee, which includes policing.

PoCo currently spends $7.3 million for the RCMP ($5.6 million for officers
and $1.7 million for housing and support staff) while Coquitlam, which
shares the detachment with PoCo, spends around $17 million.

The PoCo survey results will be part of the city's first-ever Police
Services Strategic Plan (PSSP), which is aimed at prioritizing police needs
in the community.

Last week, the city and the RCMP hosted a consultation with 30 business
people and community representatives to talk about public safety and
policing issues in PoCo; their comments also will be part of the PSSP.

Nancy Gomerich, the city's corporate services director, said PoCo's
policing interests can sometimes be short-changed because it shares a
detachment with a larger municipality. But she said city council wants to
make sure its residents' concerns on policing are heard.

The RCMP also has had a change in perspective to work closer with cities
that contract the federally-governed force, she said.

"They've been looking internally about how they can improve," Gomerich said.

"Even though the local council has no authority to direct or to create
priorities for the RCMP, the Lower Mainland Policing Study does say that
it's important - recognizing that we pay the bill - that the local RCMP
hears the local concerns and works with the city to see what can be done to
address them."

Gomerich said the city did not undertake the survey in response to the
Statistics Canada numbers released recently that showed PoCo has the worst
officer-to-resident ratio in B.C. for a municipality of its size.

According to the 2002 stats, PoCo had an officer for every 1,116 residents
while Coquitlam was the second lowest in B.C. at one officer for each 1,071
citizens. Port Moody, on the other hand, had one of the best ratios at
1:798. For PoCo to reach PoMo's level, it would need another 20 Mounties,
or an increase of 40 per cent over current staffing.

Gomerich said the plan, which will be written by Coquitlam RCMP Cpl. Tom
James and be presented in draft form to PoCo council in May, will be done
every year. It will include an annual reporting by the detachment to
outline what has been achieved locally over the past year.