Do you have a Block Watch captain on your street or in your apartment building? The odds are you don’t, but even if you do, it’s unclear if that person is active in the citizen-led, anti-crime program. Furthermore, it’s unclear who is in charge of Richmond’s Block Watch program.
That’s the position of Block Watch advocates Graham Boyle and Ken Frail, a retired Vancouver Police officer.
“Who is picking up this responsibility?” asked Frail.
Last January, the two Seafair neighbourhood residents organized a town hall meeting at Richmond City Hall after 2014 marked at least a five-year high for residential break-ins.
At the time, promises to close substantial gaps in the Block Watch program and increase participation were made by the City of Richmond, city councillors and the Richmond RCMP, said Boyle.
Since then, little seems to have changed and the two told the Richmond News they’re frustrated that there appears to be a communication gap between the police force and the city.
“Who sees to it that residents are connected to police?” asked Frail.
“I still don’t see any initiatives to expand the program. It appears they (the city and police) don’t even meet to talk about it,” added Frail.
Boyle said he has two major concerns. First, despite his advocacy over the last year, he’s uncertain who, if anyone, is administering the program from the city’s side of things. Second, while he said one RCMP officer is doing a “great job” on the Block Watch program, there is a fear that he may be transferred. Furthermore, other than that one officer, there was a turnover of other officers in and out of Block Watch meetings.
“We haven’t been extremely happy with what’s been going on with city council, but the RCMP has been cooperative,” said Boyle.
Coun. Derek Dang told the News “there seems to be a hole in the system.”
Dang said he wasn’t sure who the exact point-person is for Block Watch but believed it was with the RCMP.
He acknowledged the program needs a “kick start” and in doing so an inventory of organizers and participants is important.
Coun. Bill McNulty, chair of the city’s community safety committee, said he wasn’t sure who is in charge of Block Watch.
“I think the RCMP thinks they are, but I don’t really know,” said McNulty.
Following last year’s town hall meeting, the RCMP has reported participation statistics to the city’s safety committee.
As of November, the city had 9,677 Block Watch participants in 409 groups. Last January, the city estimated the program had about 400 groups (typically a small street or portion thereof). Also, the program has 540 Block Watch captains and co-captains.
Frail is one of those captains but he’s been waiting for a long-promised survey to see just how many of the captains are active, or even still living in Richmond.
McNulty said he’s been asking for such details every meeting.
“All I can do is ask. …We need an updated status,” he said.
Understanding the scope of Block Watch activity is only the first step, said Frail, who said he would preferably be working on improving and expanding the program, such as finding synergies with emergency response plans.
“Why does it take so bloody long for the leadership to respond?” asked Frail.
