PRINCE GEORGE – Bars on the doors and windows. Locked up tight. It speaks volumes about the downtown, where vandalism is rampant, according to business owners. And that has been top of mind for City Council for years.
“We’re at a wobbly stage where there are a lot of ideas, but nobody’s looking at forming a master plan,” says John Zukowski with the Downtown Business Owners Advocacy Group.
And the question of security, specifically overnight security from 11 at night to seven in the morning came up again at a Public Safety Committee meeting. Council recently created fire patrols to deal with things like fires. Or should Bylaws be beefed up to patrol overnight, or should Council expedite the hiring of additional officers as set out in the Police Services Resources Review.
“One of the focuses yesterday was $400,000 for private security downtown,” explains Councillor Brian Skakun. “And the downtown business group was in favour of that. And I said it’s going to be a challenge going to the members downtown and saying, ‘Look, we want you to come up with an extra $400,000 to provide security for your businesses.’ And that and I just thought it was a tough sell.” But it was suggested whatever option is looked at, if any, be funded by what’s called a local area agreement, meaning downtown businesses would pay for it. John Zukowski has no appetite for it.
“I’m already taxed enough,” says Zukowski. “The City has a responsibility to provide policing. If they can’t see that the policing is ineffective, then they have to go back and reevaluate how they’re doing business. That’s the point. Ponying up and hitting me up for extra tax dollars to take and pay for service I’m supposed to already be paying for.”
In fact, Zukowski says perhaps it’s time for the City to follow in the footsteps of communities like Nelson, which has its own municipal police force.
“The RCMP can’t be directed because of the the Police Act. The [rcmp] are the police agency for the province under a specific population. So, therefore, they can’t be directed by a municipality. Municipality can ask but can’t direct municipal police.”
Ultimately, the Committee designated Downtown Prince George and the city to survey the appetite of downtown businesses to incur extract costs to pay for overnight security.
