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DPD survey: Delta Police get good marks from the public
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PublicsaysDPDdoinga betterjobinmostkeyareas
In a public survey conducted in 2021 by Delta Police, respondents said they thought the DPD had improved in what they considered areas of top importance, compared to a survey from 2018.
The survey was conducted between January and June 2021, and was marketed through DPD social media and newspaper advertising. An external company designed the survey and analysed the results and the survey has a margin of error of 6.69 per cent.
“I think the results show how dedicated our police officers and police staff are, and also reflect the high quality of the work that’s being done,” says Chief Neil Dubord. “I’m proud of the way our people listen to the community’s concerns. Many here in the DPD also live in Delta, and I think that contributes to the obvious commitment.”
Both the 2018 and 2021 surveys asked respondents what issues were most important to them, as well as how they felt DPD was performing in addressing those concerns. In the 2021 survey, violent crime took top ranking, likely driven in part by the ongoing gang conflict and May 1 homicide in Delta. The results in part:
Violent Crime – 84 per cent felt DPD is doing a good/very good job, up from 66 per cent in 2018.
Visible Policing – 64 per cent felt DPD is doing a good/very good job, up from 47 per cent in 2018
Property Crime – 66 per cent felt DPD is doing a good/very good job, up from 59 per cent in 2018
All three were rated in the top five priorities by the public. In all the survey asked residents and those who work in Delta about 12 key factors.
“The public rated us as improved in 10 out of the 12 areas, and we also saw a reduction in the gap between people’s expectations and what they felt was the reality of policing here, ” added Dubord.
Another area that saw significant improvement was in theft from vehicles. Eighty per cent of respondents felt police were doing a good job, compared to 48 per cent in 2018.
“We know that’s been a big priority for the public, and we continue to prioritize this issue, including keeping tabs on custody status of prolific offenders, information sharing with Metro Vancouver police departments, even undercover work when that tactic is deemed suitable,” said Dubord.
The survey was also important to the DPD in providing direction on the areas that the public deems important. According to the survey results, the public feels the biggest future impacts on policing are:
Internet scams with 79 per cent of respondents feel pose the greatest impact.
A growing population was flagged by 74 per cent of those surveyed
Organized crime was a concern of 73 per cent
Rounding out the top concerns, 70 per cent were concerned about the ongoing impact of the pandemic.
“Overall, Delta residents showed no significant change in the importance of the 12 key police services, and, more noteworthy during a pandemic year, residents rated the performance of police as better than in 2018,” Dubord said.
Late fines ending at all FVRL locations
Fraser Valley Regional Library is ending late fines permanently as of Jan. 1.
Throughout the pandemic, no late fines have incurred and as of Dec. 8, 2021 the 15 elected officials who compose the FVRL board voted to continue this initiative indefinitely.
The ending of late fines is part of FVRL’s approach to continue to help remove barriers for customers and encourage increased use and access to the collection.
“We know how helpful and potentially life-changing removing late fines can be. This was a well-thought-out decision that has a big impact on supporting people, creating harmony, and building stronger communities,” said FVRL board chair Gayle Martin.
This change does not include fees incurred for lost or damaged materials. The same fee structure will still apply. Customers with existing fines will be granted the option of removing some or all of these fines with an upcoming 2022 forgiveness campaign.
“We recognize that many people are struggling right now and finances are tight. We care and we want to help,” added FVRL CEO Scott Hargrove. “There can be a lot of fear or stress surrounding late fines. Most of the time we see customers accrue late fines unintentionally – missed bus, sick kid, working late. This minor mishap can seriously hurt household budgets, use of the library, and stress levels. We want to welcome people into the library and help alleviate some pressure. ”
To learn more about FVRL’s services, collection, hours of operation, FVRL Express, eCard sign up, virtual programs and digital content, please visit www. fvrl.ca or call your local library.
Delta aimingtohelpthoseinpoverty
City conducting survey of residents to identify various issues
SANDOR GYARMATI
s g ya r ma t i @d e l t a -o p t im i s t . co m
The City of Delta is undertaking a poverty needs assessment in advance of developing a new Poverty Reduction Action Plan.
In partnership with LevelUp Planning Collaborative, the assessment includes a survey of Delta residents now underway to identify various issues.
Last year, City council agreed to submit an application to the province’s Poverty Reduction Planning and Action Program for funding to develop a poverty reduction plan.
It’s to identify community needs and actions that directly support vulnerable populations and low-income residents, including actions to increase food security in Delta.
A 2021 Delta staff report notes food insecurity is directly related to income in that the lower the household or individual income, the higher the risk of food insecurity.
The Delta poverty reduction strategy is to help the city consolidate poverty reduction work that has already been undertaken by various departments, conduct a comprehensive examination of community needs, as well as develop and expand community partnerships.
It’s also aimed at identifying actions and projects that directly support vulnerable populations and low-income residents, including actions to increase food security in Delta, the report explains.
“Food emergency services, such as food banks, are under-utilized in Delta while Delta families with children face higher food insecurity, as reported by Delta School District. Developing a better understanding of the underlying factors contributing to increased food insecurity for vulnerable populations will require continuous collaboration between the City and community partners,” the report states.
“Food security policies fall within all government jurisdictions and policies to address food insecurity require a collective, coordinated approach. Local governments are wellpositioned to address food related issues relating to land use, utilities, community services, and supports to vulnerable populations,” the report notes.
The report adds that city staff’s initial examination of food programs showed that Delta has “robust community-driven food programming infrastructure” including food banks, emergency food programs, free/low cost community meals, multiple programs with free food/meals, community kitchens and community gardens.
The Delta school district also provides various food supports to students and their families.
According to the released draft of Delta’s Social Action Plan, in 2020, on average, the South Delta Food Bank served 80-100 clients a month.
In addition, between 150 and 200 Delta residents access the Surrey Food Bank on a monthly basis.
That report notes recent immigrants, children and youth, and seniors in low-income households are at higher risk of being food insecure.
Delta-specific data suggests that this is also the case for Delta, with North Delta having the highest proportion of Delta’s children and seniors living in poverty.
Delta has a significantly smaller proportion of low-income residents than that of Metro Vancouver, however, since 2010, the proportion of Delta’s immigrants with low income has increased, the draft action plan added.
In 2015, while the average income of Delta’s labour force was $49,483, recent immigrants to Delta made less than half of that ($23,424).
For more information about the survey, contact project manager, Lavleen Sahota at lavleen@levelupplanning.ca.
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