Calgary's Downtown Dilemma

[Roaring Flames]

A one day crackdown might as well be a parade for all it'll do. They need a long term sustained plan for the area if they want to actually solve any issues. I'll give it a month before it's back to being as bad as before.

 

[Surrealplaces]

A one day crackdown might as well be a parade for all it'll do. They need a long term sustained plan for the area if they want to actually solve any issues. I'll give it a month before it's back to being as bad as before.

I'd give it a few days. Anyone arrested won't be held any longer than that. Those given a ticket to pay a fine probably don't have the money to pay for it. IMO, it's nothing more than a publicity stunt.

I'm all for extra policing around the core, but only to a certain extent. If the extra policing starts costing several millions, it would be better spent on extra housing for those who can be helped. for those who can't be helped, that's a whole new discussion, and the solution will be something beyond the city or the local police force.

 

[CalgaryTiger]

In this article, there's a section on a unhoused man that got a ticket for throwing a cigarette butt on the ground (he was actually fined under the incorrect section):

One of the individuals caught up during the sweep was Grant Robinson, an unhoused individual who was given a ticket by a CPS officer for allegedly throwing a cigarette butt on the ground, and was fined under section 178 of Alberta’s Environmental Protection and Enhancement Act for disposal of waste on public land (although the ticket shown to LWC by Robinson referenced section 179 of the act, which is waste on highways and not disposal of waste on public land).

'Operation Order' leads to downtown sweep by Calgary Police Service - LiveWire Calgary

Calgary Police Service officers gathered en masse in the downtown on Nov. 5, for what the service was calling Operation Order, to crack down on crime and social disorder. Dozens of officers from all districts across the city were briefed and sent on patrol in the East Village, Stephen Avenue...

livewirecalgary.com

If this is what they were giving tickets for then this was an absolute waste of time and resources. Performative policing is exactly what people want to see though; someone woke up in Tuscany this morning and felt a little better about coming downtown. I know I hate stepping on cigarette butts.

 

[InfrastructureEnthusiast]

I'd give it a few days. Anyone arrested won't be held any longer than that. Those given a ticket to pay a fine probably don't have the money to pay for it. IMO, it's nothing more than a publicity stunt.

I'm all for extra policing around the core, but only to a certain extent. If the extra policing starts costing several millions, it would be better spent on extra housing for those who can be helped. for those who can't be helped, that's a whole new discussion, and the solution will be something beyond the city or the local police force.

Yeah 100 officers for 20 arrests isn't a great ratio...

A one day crackdown might as well be a parade for all it'll do. They need a long term sustained plan for the area if they want to actually solve any issues. I'll give it a month before it's back to being as bad as before.

I suspect you're right. Maybe its time for the city to try another agency?

 

[Surrealplaces]

Giving a ticket to a homeless guy for littering is a waste of everyone's time. We know it won't get paid, and what can they really do if he doesn't pay it? They need to take a run at solving the root cause.

I know there's only so much the city can do within its power, but even if they could get 25% of the people off the street it helps clear up the picture.

 

[trtcttc]

Giving a ticket to a homeless guy for littering is a waste of everyone's time. We know it won't get paid, and what can they really do if he doesn't pay it? They need to take a run at solving the root cause.

I know there's only so much the city can do within its power, but even if they could get 25% of the people off the street it helps clear up the picture.

I believe visible police presence does deter crime, especially crime of opportunity. What would be better is if we more regularly see police presence on bikes, walking downtown, even just 2 or 3 officers, than these useless blitz where they all line up for a photo op in front of the library. The sad part is the first won't make the news, will only be noticed by people actually going/living downtown, while the second, helps the suburbanites too scared to come downtown feel better about downtown. And our priorities clearly rest with the latter group.

 

[Shaka]

I believe visible police presence does deter crime, especially crime of opportunity. What would be better is if we more regularly see police presence on bikes, walking downtown, even just 2 or 3 officers, than these useless blitz where they all line up for a photo op in front of the library. The sad part is the first won't make the news, will only be noticed by people actually going/living downtown, while the second, helps the suburbanites too scared to come downtown feel better about downtown. And our priorities clearly rest with the latter group.

Do we have beat cops in Calgary? I know I've seen them out on bikes on the pathways a few times over the summer, but that's hardly an area that attracts a lot of crime. I would imagine having a few patrols throughout the downtown (on foot!) at any given time would definitely go a long way to deterring visible crime/drug use.