NEW POLICE CHIEF ALIENATING LONGTIME ALLIES

To borrow a phrase from Vancouver police chief Jamie Graham: "Words just
can't describe how disappointed we are."

That was Graham's public reaction last week to news of the opening of an
unauthorized safe shooting site in the Downtown Eastside. But if you want
true disappointment, consider the chief's performance. He has an uncanny
ability to inspire civil disobedience, and not just among advocates for
safe injection sites.

The chief's plan to revamp the community policing system has sent a group
of traditionally cop-loving folks to the barricades, too. He has managed to
alienate organizations that for the past decade have provided volunteers
and money to operate 17 community offices across the city.

You could argue that change was necessary because Victoria eliminated
$150,000 in funding and because some of the community offices were poorly
run. But what's more to the point is how Graham's handling of the issue has
destroyed the trust, support and sense of involvement of a group of
volunteers-to the point where even those working at some of the centres
he's decided will continue are telling him to piss off.

That includes long-time cop ally Eileen Mosca of the Grandview-Woodlands
community policing office. Last week, she told a public hearing on Graham's
plan: "We do not believe the community will be a true partner. And we do
not believe that turning over our furnishings and assets to the Vancouver
Police Department, firing two people from our neighborhood who work at the
office, and dissolving our board would serve our community."

At a time when citizens want in on decision-making for every thing from
health care to education to community safety, our chief of police wants
them out.

Graham's failure to connect with community extends to the Downtown
Eastside, where his "Operation Torpedo" has quadrupled the number of cops
chasing dealers and users off the street.

The plan was the brain child of three inspectors bucking to become
deputy-chiefs-Doug LePard, Jim Chu and Bob Rich. It was also the catalyst
that drove activists to set up the unauthorized safe shooting site.

There is no doubt the streets are easier to maneuver for people not in the
drug trade. But short of having a massive and extremely expensive police
presence for the foreseeable future, what are we being offered?

Mayor Larry Campbell has tried to paper over damage Graham's unilateral
action caused in setting this plan in motion.

But it's clear that other members of the team involved in implementing the
city's Four Pillar drug strategy, including city staff and the Vancouver
Coastal Health Authority, were caught off guard. And it's further evidence
Graham has difficulty working with anyone outside the police department.

By the way, Graham's apparent surprise, along with his "disappointment,"
over the safe shooting site is a bit hard to credit. The site has been
operating since April 7, the day before his crackdown was launched. Of
course he knew about it.

Senior officers, including the chief, had decided months ago that if a
rogue site was set up, they would leave it to city licensing people to deal
with it. That's why beat cops, who were certainly aware of what was going
on, were turning a blind eye.

Fundamental to all of these issues and Graham's behaviour is his
relationship with the Police Board. This civilian oversight body that
approves budgets and sets policy has rarely operated well. Now, between a
rookie mayor as chair and Graham's predilection for being a control freak,
the board has never been weaker.

It has allowed Graham to run amok, making policy decisions that are clearly
not his to make while damaging the police department's image in the process.