Vancouver city council passes motion deprioritizing policing in mental health calls and social issues

Authored by globalnews.ca and submitted by FoggyForestFreak
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Vancouver City Council’s Standing Committee on Policy and Strategic Priorities, in a virtual meeting Monday night, passed a motion to shift police priorities and funding away from mental health emergencies and social issues, allowing instead for a community-led approach in dealing with these areas.

Well that was quite something! Motion to decriminalize poverty and support community-led safety initiatives passes unanimously. Thank you to all of the speakers, and those who have been moving this conversation forward over many years. #vanpoli pic.twitter.com/ddCKTqPiM5 — Christine Boyle (@christineeboyle) July 28, 2020

Read more: Canadian police chiefs call for decriminalization of simple illicit drug possession

An amendment to Councillor Jean Swanson’s motion, as moved by Councilor Pete Fry, calls for “a plan, timeline and budget to deprioritize policing as a response to mental health, sex work, homelessness, and substance use and to prioritize funding community-led groups, non-profit societies and others with the experience and training to deliver harm reduction and safety initiatives in these areas.”

The amended motion also calls for ongoing consultation with individuals with lived experience and specialized community groups for direction on how the city can support existing and future community-based harm reduction and safety services.

Over 200 speakers had voiced their opinions and shared their personal experiences on the issue leading up to council’s vote.

You can read Councillor Swanson’s motion here:

thbb on July 28th, 2020 at 11:02 UTC »

“In its majestic equality, the law forbids rich and poor alike to sleep under bridges, beg in the streets and steal loaves of bread.”

Anatole France.

hoeniboi on July 28th, 2020 at 08:50 UTC »

Can't imagine that those things are illegal. Those people need help and don't have to be punished for what they do or what have happened to them. Seems ridiculous to me.

Here in Germany even sex work is a officially registered work. So prostitutes have to pay their taxes and get state-mandated health insurance like every other citizien.

TooKayEEEToo on July 28th, 2020 at 07:25 UTC »

Pretty much nothing of substance in that article. It has been agreed on and nothing else, including any sort of plan.