SECURITY FORCE COULD PUSH DOWNTOWN PROBLEMS ELSEWHERE

A proposed private security force for downtown Nanaimo is nothing but
a tried-and-failed method in dealing with drugs, homelessness and
prostitution, says a local business owner.

Victoria Crescent business and property owners are considering hiring
security guards to patrol the area seven days a week from 8 a.m. to midnight.

Ilan Goldenblatt, co-owner of the Thirsty Camel Cafe on Victoria
Crescent said if the strategy is an armed security force, then it
might achieve some respite for the downtown core but at the expense
of the surrounding neighbourhoods.

"As a downtown business owner, yes, I don't want them (street people)
in front of my business. So I could put that hat on and say let's do
anything that will get them out of my doorstep," he said.

"But I am also a Nanaimo community member and cannot endorse a policy
that puts the blinders on and says not in my backyard.

"We have to deal with these people in a way that is realistic and
long term rather than continuously sweeping them from one
neighbourhood to the next."

But Stan Shoemaker, Mid Island Co-op petroleum operations manager,
said 16-hour security patrols might not be enough for the company's
Victoria Crescent gas bar.

With employees being threatened by drug addicts and prostitutes to
unlock the washrooms and customers at the gas pumps being hassled to
buy sex and drugs, Shoemaker said the company is looking at 24-hour security.

"We're losing business so we've got to make a change. I wouldn't fuel
up there it's that bad," he said.

"It's going to be costly for us but I'm fed up with what's happened
to the downtown in the last four months and the city and the downtown
committees not thinking it's serious."

Victoria Crescent remains part of Nanaimo's designated Red Zone,
declared off limits for people arrested or convicted on drug use or
drug trafficking offences, and has been relatively quiet over late
winter and early spring.

John Horn, city social planner, said over the last couple of weeks,
there seems to have been an influx of individuals in the community
who are more hard core than the local street people.

"We seemed to have a visitation from a group a little more scary, a
little more nasty," he said. "I think that's what's got people stirred up."

Rick Hyne, a downtown property owner, is spearheading the push for
private security and said they are looking at about $8,700 a month
for security over 16 hours.

"Then we can have the patrol on when most of the general public are
downtown," he said.

"Right now I think the city and Downtown Nanaimo Partnership are
working on a model of security from 5 p.m. to 9 a.m.

"That's protecting people from broken windows. I'm more concerned for
the general public enjoying downtown."

Hyne said it is important to put the right people on the job.

"We don't want to put on some $9 an hour person who has a point to
make. These have to be people of the right stature," he said.

"We want them first to establish rapport with the street population
and say look, you don't need to be here. If you need help I can give
you some numbers.

"Short of that, security will tell them we don't want people hanging
around, loitering, doing drug business so they have to move on."

Horn said the aim is to have a more effective use of resources, not a
bunch of companies hiring private security guards trying to do the
same thing but without a consistent approach.

"If you have one centralized umbrella you can be more consistent
around how these guys respond to the issues of crime drug addicts on
our streets or homelessness," he said. "What's the kind of training
they have, how are they working with the RCMP and the social service
providers?"

RCMP spokeswoman Const. Krista Hartley said if business owners feel
more comfortable with private security, the police support them
taking that type of action.

"Hopefully these people are trained professionals and would know not
to into a situation where they would get injured," she said