VANCOUVER POLICE BOARD

Transcription

1 VANCOUVER POLICE BOARD MINUTES of Regular Meeting held on Wednesday April 19, 2006, 1:15 pm to 2:30 pm 7 th floor boardroom, 2120 Cambie Street, Vancouver, BC Board Members Present Lynne Kennedy Dale Parker Peter Webster Janet Pau Terry La Liberté Absent: Mayor Sam Sullivan Mary McNeil Present Chief Constable Jamie Graham DCC Max Chalmers DCC Jim Chu DCC Doug LePard DCC Bob Rich Dawna Marshall-Cope, Manager, Information Management (#6) Insp Daryl Wiebe, Planning & Research, VPD (#10 &11) Shona McGlashan, Board Executive Director Kylie Monan Sabo, Board Administrative Assistant Delegations None The Regular Meeting was called to order at 1:15 pm. Peter Webster took the Chair in the absence of Mayor Sullivan. Peter Webster read into the record a motion passed by the Board via on March 28, 2006: THAT the Police Board authorize a reward of $10,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the murder of Mayvette MONZON. The reward offer expires on March 27, Adoption of Regular Meeting Agenda THAT the Vancouver Police Board approve the Regular Meeting Agenda for April 19, Approval of Minutes THAT the Vancouver Police Board approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of March 22, Delegations None 4. Chief Constable s report Chief Constable Jamie Graham reported: Vancouver Police Board / APRIL 19, 2006 REGULAR MINUTES page 1

2 The initial focus of the McMynn kidnapping investigation was for the safe return of Graham to his family. Following the successful rescue of Graham McMynn, the focus had changed and was now on protecting the integrity of the investigation that would be put before the judiciary. The police would not comment on the particulars of the case, however, it was noted that the investigation was proceeding well. RCMP Chief Superintendent Fraser Mac Rae, Surrey Detachment, passed on congratulations to the VPD members involved for a job well done. The budget process for 2006 was complete. The VPD received 31 new sworn positions with an additional 19 civilianized police positions. The VPD also received 27 new civilian positions. The VPD management was now beginning to plan for the 2007 Budget cycle. 5. Updates from committees 5.1 Finance Committee Janet Pau reported that at the April 5, 2006 Finance Committee meeting the following items had been discussed: Record Clearance Fee Schedule for 2006 and the review of that schedule for That the renewal date for taxi cab drivers permits be staggered to avoid a massive workload increase at the Record Clearance office. The 2006 Operating Budget was accepted and the VPD were on target as reported. The only item that caused concern was the Criminal Investigation Fund (CIF). The high publicity investigations in the first 4 months of 2006 had caused the Finance Committee and the VPD Finance Section concern for budget overrun. The Committee and VPD would formally notify the City of Vancouver of the likelihood of the CIF budget deficit. The issue of secondments on a cost recovery basis was discussed. It was noted that the VPD Executive reviewed each secondment request individually to determine the benefits of public safety for the citizens of Vancouver. 5.2 Governance Committee Lynne Kennedy reported that at the April 7, 2006 Governance Committee meeting the following items had been discussed: The publication of the Police Board s in camera agenda on the Board s web page. The Committee met with Cec Brown, a member of West Vancouver s Police Board, to discuss his board s meeting practices, which included publishing their in camera agendas. The Committee recognized this was a best practice. Maximizing Board success through the tenure and reappointment processes. It was agreed by the Committee that the initial one year term was ineffective insomuch as it could not afford the Member the opportunity to understand and effectively contribute to discussions and decisions. They thought an initial two year term would best serve the Board. Since 1998 the Police Board s practice was to review Service and Policy issues during a panel session. The Panel would review the complaint in a closed meeting, ask the VPD to provide reports on the complaint, and recommend amendments to the VPD s Regulations and Procedures Manual, which the Board would adopt. The Governance Committee recommended that the Panel be Vancouver Police Board / APRIL 19, 2006 REGULAR MINUTES page 2

3 renamed a Committee, that formal terms of reference be adopted, and that the Committee meet in public. THAT, the Board modify its in camera agendas to state the reason under the Police Act for discussing each item in private; and make in camera agendas available to the public. THAT, the Board write to the Solicitor General and City Council, making the following recommendations: (1) that when the Police Act is reviewed, consideration be given to appointing all new Police Board members for a term of two years, followed by up to two threeyear terms (giving a maximum term of eight consecutive years). (2) that appointments to the Board be staggered to provide continuity, with ideally no more than two new members being appointed each year. (3) that Orders in Council include the flexibility for members to continue to participate on the Board until their successor is appointed. (4) that the Board members be subject to review before reappointment, with consideration given to their attendance at Board meetings; contribution to Board discussions; and attendance at training and orientation programs. THAT the Board approve the draft terms of reference for the Service and Policy Review Committee as set out in the Governance Committee Chair s report. 5.3 HR Committee Lynne Kennedy reported that the Committee had reviewed the Chief Constable s performance appraisal and other personnel issues that would be discussed in camera. 5.4 False Alarm Reduction Program Appeals Panel Peter Webster updated the Board on the False Alarm Reduction Program with the following statistics: False Alarm calls for service had been reduced by 61% due to the change in the Security Alarm System Bylaw No In 1992, 1 in 5 calls for police service were false alarm calls. Currently approximately 2 out of every 100 calls were false alarm calls The Union of BC Municipalities had identified the VPD False Alarm Program as the model program 6. Report # 0632: Records clearance fee schedule Dawna Marshall-Cope, Manager, Information Management Section, presented report #0632. A time and motion study was conducted on the record clearance section within the VPD. The study concluded that civilian positions in the section had to be reclassified. The cost of the criminal records and finger-printing services for clients who would be working with the vulnerable sector was found to be between $31.12 and $63.92; and for clients who would not be working in that sector the cost was $23.53 and $42.82 per check. Vancouver Police Board / APRIL 19, 2006 REGULAR MINUTES page 3

4 The Information Management section received 2 letters and 9 phone calls in 2005 as a result of the increased fees for criminal record checks by the VPD. Some hardship cases had been reviewed by the section and some application fees were reduced. The total revenue from criminal record checks in 2005 was $675,000. The Finance Committee had reviewed the report and supported its recommendations. The Committee would review the fee schedule again in April THAT the existing Record Clearance Fee Schedule remain unchanged. THAT all revenue in excess of the revenue target be utilized to offset the cost of backfilling absences to maintain the section s service level. 7. Facilities update The Board received an update on the progress with the construction of the new property office, K-9 unit and, force options training unit. The City had approved the architects for all 3 projects and the VPD had a meeting scheduled for the end of April. 8. E-COMM Board of directors designate for 2006 / 2007 THAT, the current representative, Insp John Schouten (ret.), be reappointed as the VPD designate on the E-COMM Board of Directors for 2006 / CAPB call for resolutions for 2006 AGM and conference The Board and the Executive acknowledged the need to bring issues forward to the Canadian Association of Police Board s AGM in August. The Executive would review with its membership important resolutions for the Board to bring to the CAPB. The Board requested that the VPD return to the May 17, 2006 meeting with suggestions, so they could forward them to Ottawa by the June 7, 2006 resolution deadline. 10. Report #0628(A): Amendments to the Regulations and Procedures Manual THAT, as presented in Report #0628(A), the Vancouver Police Board approves the following amendments to the Regulations and Procedures Manual: Animal Complaints Animal Complaints Industrial & Work Place Accidents Industrial or Work Place Accidents Collision Scene Evidence Vancouver Police Board / APRIL 19, 2006 REGULAR MINUTES page 4

5 VPB / VPD Community Dialogue update Insp Daryl Wiebe, Planning and Research Section, provided an update. The Community Dialogue discussion focus had been selected by the Governance Committee and the VPD team. On June 3, 2006, members of the community would be invited to participate in a dialogue that focussed on violent crime within the City of Vancouver. The VPD Strategic Plan set out a goal of a violent crime reduction of 5%. Areas to be discussed included: Domestic violence Gang violence Street violence Sexual Assault Tentative administrative arrangements for the dialogue had been made, and work would continue. 12. Correspondence & information THAT the Vancouver Police Board receive as information the following: 12.1 Memo from Chief Constable: Compliments letters received to date 12.2 Report #0630: Public Complaints Statistics for March Article by DCC LePard and Bob Brown, Protecting the community requires cooperation 12.4 Letter from Sheila Davidson, Child and Youth Advocate, Role of the Child and Youth Advocate 12.5 Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General press release, BC, Ottawa renew Vancouver Drug Court THAT the Board move into private session to discuss matters which either (a) concern public security, the disclosure of which could reasonably be expected to seriously impair effective policing or law enforcement; (b) concern a person s financial or personal affairs, where the person s interest in the matter outweighs the public s interest in the matter; (c) concern labour contract discussions, labour management relations, layoffs or other personnel matters; (d) concern information that a person has requested he or she be allowed to give in private. The Regular Meeting was adjourned at 2:30 pm. Vancouver Police Board / APRIL 19, 2006 REGULAR MINUTES page 5

6 At its in camera meeting on April 19, 2006, the Vancouver Police Board: 1. was briefed by the Chief Constable and Deputy Chief Constables on matters which they requested be presented in camera 2. discussed the VPD February 2006 financial variance report 3. approved amendments to the following sections of the Regulations and Procedures Manual: 14.18: Taxicab Camera Evidence Handling [These amendments to the RPM were on the in camera agenda because they included operational information, which if disclosed publicly could impair effective policing.] 4. heard the annual report of the Board s designate on the E-Comm Board of Directors, John Schouten. [This information was requested to be presented in camera to the Board.] 5. received legal advice 6. received a briefing on an operational matter 7. discussed personnel issues APPROVED BY THE VANCOUVER POLICE BOARD ON MAY 17, 2006 Vancouver Police Board / APRIL 19, 2006 REGULAR MINUTES page 6