Vernon City Council at the regular meeting on Monday, July 23, 2018 voted to support many of the recommendations of the Activate Safety Task Force.
The Activate Safety Task Force is composed of stakeholders engaged in a process to address issues related to the impacts of homelessness, addictions, poverty, and criminal behaviour on the local business community. The goal is to identify local issues and to find solutions to those issues. The outcome of the Activate Safety Task Force was the Final Report, which was presented to Vernon City Council on July 9 by Mr. Darrin Taylor.
Several of the recommendations were supported and will be implemented over the next couple of months.
Various items relating to needle distribution, containers, and exchange will be referred to the Interior Health Authority and other service agencies for further review.
RCMP will consider increased presence in the downtown core through the Downtown Enforcement Unit.
Direction in regard to shopping carts will be brought back to Council within the next month for consideration and endorsement of a Bylaw to Regulate Shopping Carts.
Administration recommended relocating the Protective Services Division, including Bylaw Compliance and Crime Prevention, to office space located in the downtown parkade. This move will provide a visible presence of the Protective Services team. The move will occur in the fall.