COUNCIL TOLD POLICE CRACKDOWN WORKING IN DOWNTOWN EASTSIDE

The city claims to be making headway in its war on crime in the
troubled Downtown Eastside.

On Tuesday, city project manager Wendy Au presented a report to
council stating the five-year Downtown Eastside Crime Prevention
Project had mobilized the community and improved the city's ability to
deal with crime.

Insp. John McKay, Vancouver Police Department commander of the
Citywide Enforcement Team, backed Au's claim with statistics showing a
drop in criminal activity in the neighbourhood, including a reduction
in assaults, property crime and robbery.

"We are way below the levels of crime we had this time last year on
pretty much everything," McKay said. "We are also hearing through the
sex trade workers and their advocacy groups that it's a lot safer for
them because the police are there. They aren't getting ripped off as
much."

The Downtown Eastside, while long recognized as a poor neighbourhood,
went downhill in the early 1990s due to the emergence of crack cocaine
and the deinstitutionalization of young, mentally ill people who moved
into the community's social housing.

The result was a frightening surge in HIV and hepatitis C infection
due to shared needles, the disappearance of dozens of sex workers and
the creation of an open illegal drug market. The impact on local
businesses was also devastating, reflected by store closures that left
some areas, like the 100-block of West Hastings, almost deserted.

In 1998, the city realized the problems were out of control and
enlisted support from the provincial and federal governments through
the Vancouver Agreement.

The $5-million Downtown Eastside Crime Prevention Project was created
in 1999 to bring local residents, non-profit groups and businesses
together to deal with the root causes of crime, including poverty,
drug addiction and homelessness.

The project expired in March, prompting a consultant review by Dr.
Kathy Coyne, of the Strathcona Research Group. In Au's report to
council, Coyne says community participation has worked well and that
community-bred leaders are emerging.

Coyne noted Native residents have designed an aboriginal healing
program, Latin American residents have formed a self-help group,
Chinatown merchants now work with community groups and sports activity
has increased among youth.

Coyne quoted a recent survey finding 65 per cent of Downtown Eastside
residents agree or strongly agree the quality of life in the community
has improved since the project began, and that 74 per cent agree or
strongly agree better access to drug and alcohol treatment exists.

McKay said people who traditionally came to the community to deal
drugs and sell stolen property have been scared away due to increased
enforcement and crackdowns on pubs that permitted the fencing of
stolen goods.

"In June we did a study in the bars and found on Welfare Wednesday the
occupancy rate was 10 or 12 per cent, compared to 100 per cent a few
years before. The people that came here with stolen goods, then spent
the money on crack and partied for three days, are not doing it
anymore. What we are dealing with now is the group that live down here
and are mentally ill and addicted."

McKay admitted that passersby can still see drug dealing and crack
smoking on Hastings Street. However, the number of dealers has fallen.

"It's definitely better than it was. Does it look great? No, but it's
safer. Our goal isn't to stop drug use, it's to stop the open-air drug
market and put a clamp on the violence and the stolen property and the
infrastructure that allows that to go on."