6 minute read
Kerrisdale Insider - June 2024
Have you ever wondered what goes on at Kerrisdale Oakridge Marpole Community Policing Centre (KOM CPC) on East Boulevard?
The KOM CPC is an independent, not-forprofit charitable society that partners with the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) to bring about positive change in the community. The centre connects residents, businesses and agencies with the VPD and offers a variety of crime prevention services, education and safety initiatives.
In addition to Kerrisdale, the KOM CPC’s jurisdiction includes most of Vancouver’s west side, from Arbutus to Dunbar/Southlands, Hillcrest/Riley Park, Marpole, Oakridge, Shaughnessy, and South Cambie, and even includes a portion of Main Street, King Edward Avenue and Main Street, and 41st Avenue and Main Street.
The centre relies on a volunteer base to help prevent criminal activity and act as a positive, proactive bridge between the neighbourhood and the VPD.
The KOM CPC dates to the late 1980s when the Oakridge area experienced an increase in crime. The neighbourhood’s police substation had closed, and the community lacked a visible police presence. In the late 1990s, the Oakridge Senior’s Centre and the Marpole Oakridge Area Council Society had similar goals: to help improve community safety and crime prevention. The VPD prompted the two groups to work together and assigned a fulltime constable to the area.
Executive Director Kate Molloy says, “I have always enjoyed working with the community. What better way to do that than by helping with problems they might be having? There are a lot of different areas in community policing, which is great. We get to work hands-on with a variety of people. Most days are different from the day before which I enjoy.”
The centre is dedicated to enhancing community safety and fostering positive relationships on Vancouver’s westside.
Vancouver Police Constable Ryan Hooper is the Community Policing Centre’s Neighbourhood Police Officer assigned to the KOM CPC catchment. The KOM CPC is considered a “home away from home” with 24/7 access for the VPD to take lunch breaks, write reports and check in on the volunteers.
The KOM team is there to help with all crime-reporting matters and will offer to help with making reports and direct reporting if possible. The first step in any concern is to report to the correct department, be it 911, VPD non-emergency, or the City of Vancouver, taking note of the file number and then contacting KOM CPC to make them aware. You can do this by visiting the office or phoning in; the staff will create a folder, take notes of what happened, and make a report. Cst. Hooper reads the report and follows up when necessary. All local crimes will be added to a map to track and patrol hot spots.
Kate is exceptionally proud of the organization’s volunteers.
She says, “We have a great team with over 100 volunteers and a core group of extremely passionate Volunteer Team Leads. They conduct foot patrols when possible, day and night, seven days a week, from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. You will recognize them wearing high-visibility jackets or, during the summer, royal blue t-shirts with a large logo on the front. Last year, our volunteers did over 600 hours of foot patrols.”
The volunteer patrols are about to get further into the area with a vehicle kindly supported by a financial donation from Coril Holdings through Triovest, the property manager of Marine Gateway. The KOM CPC and Marine Gateway have a close working relationship and aim to help reduce criminal activity in the area.
Kate mentions, “We are always looking for new volunteers. Some volunteers hope to pursue a career in law enforcement, while others are committed to community safety and positive engagement. We help in many areas, not all related to crime fighting, but more so community safety, which can mean quite different things to different people.”
In partnership with VPD Traffic CREST and ICBC, high-visibility Speed Watch volunteers are deployed on roadways to gently remind motorists to reduce speeds and keep their eyes on the road.
Project 529 is a free registration service that helps trace stolen bicycles. Bicycles can be registered at the office or during community events.
The KOM CPC’s staff and volunteers regularly attend community events. They recently participated in the Kerrisdale Little League parade as part of Kerrisdale Carnival Days.
On August 16, the fourth annual Children’s Educational Scavenger Hunt will take place at Queen Elizabeth Park. This event is for children ages 5 to 13. Participation is by donation and includes a private barbeque for volunteers. Funds raised support the volunteer programs at the KOM CPC.
One of Kate’s most gratifying recent accomplishments was instigating an antispiking drink campaign.
Shield Your Sip is used as an “extra layer” of safety when it comes to the possibility of having your drink spiked. The program aims to raise awareness of the criminal actions of drink-spiking, which can often be linked to crimes such as sexual assault, by lowering a victim’s defences. Sexual assault goes 90% under-reported in Vancouver and worldwide. #SYS is a KOM CPC initiative with six partnering CPCs, made possible with VPD support and funding from the Vancouver Police Foundation. For further information, follow the SPS Instagram page @shieldyoursip.
Coming soon! The KOM Community Policing Paint Ball fundraising event takes place on September 14.
This event promises to be “an exhilarating day of camaraderie, teamwork, and community spirit.” The KOM CPC volunteers, staff, and VPD members will participate, and it is also open to the community. Teams will compete to raise a minimum fundraising amount. The goal is to support the KOM CPC’s programs and initiatives, which help with crime prevention and community safety – in 2023, the KOM CPC gave 3000+ hours to their Outreach program alone!
Kate says, “We invite you to always say hello to our volunteers. They love to interact with the public.”
The KOM CPC office hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Saturday. While the office is open to the public only during these hours, the volunteer patrols start earlier and end much later; the VPD uses it around the clock as needed.
KOM CPC
6070 East Boulevard
Vancouver BC V6M 3V5
Phone 604-717-3434
Story by Sarah Gordon (May 2024). PALLA MEDIA
