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Victoria is facing a public-safety crisis

Consider what other issues are dealt with in the same manner: global warming, cost of fighters and ships both come to mind
That’s my point exactly.

Imagine how different society would be if the mainstream media that is presenting ‘news’ had to verify its accuracy prior to airing it to the public, by law.

Sure, opinion pieces would obviously be allowed, and they could say whatever they wanted without fear of penalty. Freedom of speech & freedom of the press would obviously still exist.

They could question events or put their own twist on interpreting what events mean, but the actual ‘news’ had to be factual as best the outlet could determine, by law.

Bullet form, no bulls**t.

Imagine if the media had to include a link to the full, unedited source video that they take their 5 second clips from?


What would we think of our political leaders, global warming, racism, a pandemic, or military conflicts?

I’m guessing society as a whole would get along better, with less friction & fewer neighbours divided on issues, I.e. Covid
 
& fewer neighbours divided on issues, I.e. Covid

I am blessed with good neighbors.

Biggest Covid news was it forced the local McDonald's to shut down.

Now, they are back to debating the pros and cons of installing a sidewalk. That, and not changing the zoning regulations.
Tradition, unimpeded by progress.

Lawn maintenance and property values are always popular topics of conversation.

Whatever their Covid opinions are, unless they went to medical school, I don't really GAF. :)

Fortunately, most seem ok with the local Dept. of Public Health guidelines.
 
Victoria boy makes it into the international news... for all the wrong reasons:


Man saved by Coast Guard accused of stealing boat, leaving fish at 'Goonies' house​


He was released around 3:30 p.m., as authorities at that time did not know the boat was stolen.

Police were notified around 4 p.m. that the boat had been stolen from the Astoria Port.

Police found Labonte at a warming shelter in Seaside, where he had used a fake name. They arrested him at around 7:30 p.m.

Officers had been looking for him since Wednesday, when an acquaintance alerted them to a video he had posted on social media of himself leaving the fish at the Goonies house and then dancing around the property, said Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly.

Police said Labonte has five outstanding warrants in Victoria, British Columbia. Victoria police are sending officers to Oregon to question him.

The rescue swimmer, Petty Officer 1st Class Branch Walton, of Greenville, South Carolina, only recently graduated from the Coast Guard's rescue swimmer program.

Walton said in an interview Friday that he planned to reach the man, get him in the water and hook him to a cable attached to the helicopter. Instead, the wave hit.

“I kind of got thrown around a little bit by the wave. When I came up I noticed the boat was pretty much in shambles," Walton said.

He directed the helicopter to bring him to Labonte after spotting him in the surf a short distance away. The force of the wave had mostly knocked off his life jacket, Walton said.



 
Seeing the streets littered with broken glass, and knowing there have been no riots or earthquakes, is somewhat disconcerting ;)

Faced with crime, downtown Victoria business asks: 'Is it worth it?'​


Several businesses in downtown Victoria had their front windows smashed this past week in what Victoria police say are random acts of vandalism.

No goods were stolen, but shops are left with the escalating costs of replacing the glass and the emotional toll of the deteriorating conditions.

After more than a half a century, one of downtown Victoria’s most durable businesses is wondering if it’s worth staying.

“You’re walking on pins and needles because we don’t know what we’re coming into each morning,” says Tara Savrtka, a co-owner of Baggins Shoes on Lower Johnson Street. Baggins has been operating downtown since 1969.

“Broken glass, used needles, human excrement… You pull extra money out for payroll to have [at least] two people working even in slow periods so they can feel safe,” Savrtka said.

“The lease is up in a year and a half and you have to wonder, is it still worth it?”

Three neighbouring businesses on Lower Johnson had their front windows smashed this past week — a trail of broken glass that also included Earl’s Restaurant and the Garrick’s Head Pub on Government Street — in what Victoria police describe as random acts of vandalism.

Police have identified a suspect and released an image from grainy surveillance footage, but hadn’t yet made an arrest.

No goods were stolen, but operators are left with the escalating costs of replacing the glass and the emotional toll that the deteriorating conditions downtown are taking on owners and staff.

Jeff Bray of the Downtown Victoria Business Association said deductibles for broken glass “are about $1,000, if you’re lucky.”

“Some businesses lose their insurance because it keeps happening, so they eat the [full] replacement cost or board it up until they sell enough to cover the costs.”

Bray said the greater cost is the slipping morale and increasing stress of constantly having to deal with vandalism and other issues he said are usually caused by repeat offenders and those facing serious addiction problems.

“It’s to the point of people not renewing leases,” Bray said. “Downtown might be too much and they can look for other places to do business.”
Mirko Filipovic, who owns Themis Security and operates 24-hour patrols for business and property owner clients, said the number of calls for service has increased more than 20 per cent from the same period a year ago.

Uniformed Themis personnel wear body cameras and are often first of the scene of vandalism, overdoses and violence, and provide their footage to police for use in identifying suspects. Most patrol units also carry sheets of plywood and portable drills to protect businesses and condominiums from further vandalism and theft, Filipovic said.

 

Comment: A personal appeal to David Eby: Please help Victoria​


There is overwhelming evidence that in and around the province’s supportive housing facilities, there is too much crime and disorder.

On March 9, I, along with Coun. Marg Gardiner, presented a motion to council asking Premier David Eby to make our city safer because there is overwhelming evidence that in and around the province’s supportive housing facilities, there is too much crime and disorder.

We supplied council with evidence which clearly and unequivocally shows that in some (not all) of these facilities, there is criminal activity both inside and outside.

We gave direct quotes of Police Chief Del Manak from a Times Colonist article noting how VicPD has seized drugs, weapons and cash from one of the most notorious supportive housing facilities at 844 Johnson and he said it’s “extremely troubling.”

We noted that a woman whose husband was housed and then died at 844 Johnson referred to it as a “kill shelter for dogs.”

 
Looks like violence is spreading up island...


Vigilante activity is on the upswing.

And speaking of 'swings', these local 'climate activists' have apparently found better things to do after getting tuned up with a golf club by a vigilant, and pissed off, local ;)

 
Probably will see more home protectionism/vigilanteism/etc. particularly if the police continue to do SFA about it (not including the 'charge the homeowners' aspect).
 
Probably will see more home protectionism/vigilanteism/etc. particularly if the police continue to do SFA about it (not including the 'charge the homeowners' aspect).

In Nanaimo this guy got shot trying to recover his stolen tools... it won't be long until people like this will arm themselves first:


Suspect charged in connection to Nanaimo, B.C. shooting that left business owner in hospital​



Nanaimo RCMP said, near the time of the shooting, that community members should never take the law into their own hands and should contact authorities when crimes occur.


 
Eventually the citizenry will fix this if the authorities do not.
Without doubt.

The authorities seem to be quite fond of speaking moistly, with platitudes and condescending critiques about vigilanteism, yet not doing much materially to protect the citizens. You know when a police department doesn’t even file a report about a crime committed against citizens that was reported to them, it is only a matter of time before the situations devolves even more and someone (a victim, to be clear) may very well be seriously injured or worse yet, killed.
 
Eventually the citizenry will fix this if the authorities do not.
And it will take a death to spur the local LEOs to take this shit seriously. Either a pranker, or prankee, or a bystander will die and the public will be out for blood. This Tik Tok dare shit needs to stop. Maybe the homeowners take Tik Tok to court....
 
Problems the courts and no
One going to jail- and pre charge approval- and bail.

But yes of course the people are now getting hurt trying to deal with it themselves.

Catching the guy. Giving them a court date and watching them wander away doesn’t feel like justice to anyone.

Recently- guy wandering around with gun, terrifying community, causing school lockdowns- picked up, multi page criminal record- out of custody before the cops that dealt with it went off duty
 
And it will take a death to spur the local LEOs to take this shit seriously. Either a pranker, or prankee, or a bystander will die and the public will be out for blood. This Tik Tok dare shit needs to stop. Maybe the homeowners take Tik Tok to court....
And the more social disruption (micro-disruptions?) that Tik Tok causes to western societies, that happier the platform's owners and parent government becomes.
 
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Well, it seems that at least the criminals have an entrepreneurial spirit out this way...

Video shows suspect throw himself at moving taxi in violent Colwood carjacking​


A man throws himself onto the windshield and hood of a moving taxi in dashcam video of an alleged carjacking in Colwood, April 15, 2023.
Warning: This story contains graphic images and video that may be upsetting to some readers.

Video of a violent carjacking in Colwood shows an 18-year-old suspect throwing his body into the windshield of a moving taxi before violently assaulting its driver and stealing the vehicle, police say.

The suspect has been arrested following the violent assault and carjacking, which took place near the 2300-block of Sooke Road just after midnight on Saturday, April 15.

 
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