COMMUNITY SAFETY & CLEANLINESS
Community safety and improvement
The safety and security of our neighbourhood is a key focus. This includes public infrastructure and resident security in partnership with our member buildings, the schools, city managers and the Vancouver Police.
Our neighbourhood is a blend of beautiful buildings, parks and entertainment amongst a mosaic of people with varied income levels, housing styles and family dynamics.
While the experience of living in the False Creek area is generally pleasant, there are times when you may wish to learn more about how to engage with the City of Vancouver and the Police to report issues or situations that may be disruptive or unusual.
Community Policing Office: Each Vancouver Community Policing Centre involves local citizens in partnership with the police. Together they create crime prevention programs and community engagement initiatives to address local crime and safety concerns in their own neighbourhoods. An active community is a safe community. Our community police offices are here to help with issues in our parks, in our buildings and on our streets:
Chinatown, False Creek https://www.chinesecpc.com/
Downtown, Yaletown, Stadium https://vancouver.ca/police/community-policing/granville-downtown-south.html
Personal safety awareness https://vancouver.ca/police/crime-prevention/for-individuals/index.html
BOLO Report: This is an initiative by the False Creek Residents Association to help add communication between our members in the area of safety and security. This report will be shared between the FCRA member buildings and the VPD.
What is it? A “Be On the Look Out (BOLO)” is a simple advisory of suspicious and criminal activity in our community. This has been used in the hotel and business communities in cooperation with the VPD and community policing offices for years with great success. Think of it like a Blockwatch concept.
Why do we need it? Sharing information amongst our buildings helps towards a safer community. As a collective group, it will help us identify trends, give the VPD valuable information to assist in a safety watch.
When do you send a BOLO? When you see suspicious activity in or around your building, when there is a breach of security or trespassing and also when there is an incident where you have filed a police report.
How do we participate? Contact info@falsecreekresidents.org and you will receive an opt-in email with the BOLO distribution list.
- Each building writes any BOLOs relevant to their property and distributes via email to the BOLO distribution list.
- There is a suggested format (see attached). If you prefer to simply write in an email format, please do so. If you send your information in the body of an email, please include: date, time, building location, incident type, police file #(if applicable), suspect descriptions and/or identity and a brief account.
- BOLOs are intended for information sharing between building site personnel (those designated by your Strata Council)
- BOLOs do NOT replace a report to the police.
- Thank you for helping keep our community safer.
Who to call:
9-1-1 is for police, fire or medical emergencies when immediate action is required: someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy or a crime is in progress.
604-717-3321 should be used for all non-emergency police situations, where an immediate response or dispatch of the police IS NOT required.
Report a Crime (non-emergency) This will give you a police report number. Go to the vpd.ca website and click on Report Crime Online https://app.vancouver.ca/PoliceCitizenReporting_net/?_ga=2.65806190.1359081990.1579920525-1473929436.1579920525
If you have an observation, concern or report for the City of Vancouver streets, sidewalks, parks and public areas
Connect with the City of Vancouver on the go 24 hours a day, 7 days a week using the VanConnect app which you can download here: https://vancouver.ca/vanconnect-desktop.aspx. Just search ‘VanConnect’ in your browser.
Watch the video: https://vancouver.ca/vanconnect.aspx
If you see graffiti somewhere inappropriate
Use this helpful link to report online: https://goodbyegraffiti.com/report-graffiti/
Community Safety tips including who to call and to help make our community inclusive can be found below.
If you or someone you know or encounter have a medical or health concern
8-1-1 is a free-of-charge provincial health information and advice phone line available in British Columbia.
By calling 8-1-1, you can speak to a health service navigator, who can help you find health information and services; or connect you directly with a registered nurse, a registered dietitian, a qualified exercise professional, or a pharmacist in multiple languages. Click here for more information.
If you’re concerned about someone who is experiencing homelessness
You can contact a Homelessness Services Outreach Team. These teams link people to available social, health and housing services and provides assistance in a non-judgmental, supportive way.
You can get in touch with the following outreach teams in your neighbourhood: Carnegie Outreach: 604-665-3318
To report an encampment on private property, call the non-emergency police line, 604-717-3321.
If you’d like to report an encampment on public property, call 3-1-1 or use the VanConnect App.
If you need information on community, social, and government services
You can call 2-1-1 for free information and referral to a huge range of services, from information on shelter locations, to addiction services, to free meals services.
The line, which is run by bc211, a Vancouver based nonprofit organization, operates 24/7. PHONE: 2-1-1 WEBSITE: bc211.ca
If you find a used needle in a public space and you’re not sure what to do
The Portland Hotel Society’s Mobile Needle Exchange collects needles from all around the city.
You can contact the hotline below to report a needle or syringe. PHONE: 604-657-6561 EMAIL: needlevan@phs.ca
If you’re worried that someone is at risk of an overdose
For information on addiction services and supports, the Vancouver Coastal Health Overdose Outreach team can help.
Call this number to make a referral. PHONE: 604-360-2874
If someone is overdosing call 9-1-1 immediately.
For more information on harm reduction, including where to find Naloxone kits and training, visit www.towardtheheart.com
If you’re concerned about someone’s mental health
Vancouver Coastal Health’s Access & Assessment Centre (AAC) provides intervention to individuals with mental health concerns.
In an emergency – if someone’s health, safety or property is in jeopardy – call 9-1-1.
For all other situations, please call the AAC. PHONE: 604-675-3700
Community engagement
We believe that a strong community is one where neighbours know each other. The FCRA members will benefit from community grants, events and activities where we can all meet, share stories and experiences with the goal to build a stronger foundation.
We will continue to be the ombudsman for events which will impact our community positively and negatively by keeping close alliances with organizers so they can understand the physical aspects of our geography and have a keen understanding of the people who live here.
If you would like representatives from the FCRA to attend your strata meeting for an update or if you would like to recommend a building for membership, click here.
We invite you to engage through community open houses, events and City of Vancouver engagements, *link to our calendar coming soon!
