British Columbia Protection Services (BCPS) is considering putting together a pilot project for a community safety officer.
According to BCPS owner Jason Graf, the company will absorb the cost of putting one or two protection officers on the streets for a two-week trial. The officer(s) will have two goals — for one, he or she will enhance the safety and also act as a community ambassador. The idea comes amidst conversation about street issues from panhandling to public intoxication.
“In this pilot project, we’ll be talking with every single business and we’ll be offering equal service to every business in the downtown core of Hope,” said Graf. “We’re going to provide them with a phone number that they can call and if they have any concerns or they see something … affecting, potentially, their business, we will come out and address those concerns.”
Asked what he would do if a businessperson called him to complain of a panhandler who is openly drinking outside the business, Graf said he would attend to the scene and talk to the individual. Depending on the situation, it would determine what BCPS can do.
“Panhandling is not illegal, but there’s certain ways of panhandling that are,” said Graf. “If this person is affecting the business or bothering people coming and going, we should have a chat with him and we can go from there. If it turns to a bigger issue then we can involve the police to enact the Safe Streets Act.
“If they’re up against a business, [such] as they’re in an alcove, we can ask that person to move because we have authorization from that business who called us to tell them to move along.”
They are offering a two-week trial for free because they want to see how effective it is. Graf said the goal of this pilot project is to “effect a change in our community to make it a safer place.”
“Right now, I’m hearing a lot of feedback from the community that there’s an issue and it needs to be addressed,” said Graf. “I think we need that consistent uniformed presence. I think we need that community ambassador visible, especially when the tourists are around.”
Graf said when he wears his uniform, tourists will ask him for recommendations. He said having such an ambassador benefits the community.