Opinion: Three core priorities to improve public safety in BC communities

Terry Yung (Submitted)

Written for Daily Hive Urbanized by Terry Yung, who is the BC NDP candidate in Vancouver-Yaletown. He recently retired from a distinguished 30-year career as a police officer, and volunteers on the boards of Covenant House and SUCCESS.

No one in any community should feel unsafe, or insecure, anywhere, and especially in their own neighbourhoods.

My name is Terry Yung, and I’m running with David Eby and the BC NDP in Vancouver Yaletown, because I want to make life better for you, and public safety is at the heart of my commitment.

As a long-serving police officer, I have seen problems with public safety, addiction and open drug use worsen with the introduction of dangerous opioids. I’ve had to be the one delivering the hard news to families who have lost their loved ones to addiction and violence. It’s why I am so passionate about doing the hard work to take on this challenge.

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In my time as a police officer, I’ve also seen governments of all political stripes come and go at all levels. And I can tell you this: the politicians who tell you they can fix public safety in our communities with the wave of a wand are guaranteed to make the problem worse.

I’m concerned, especially, about John Rustad’s promises. My experience tells me that the BC Conservative plan will push more people into the streets and our backyards, will cause more open-drug use, and will impact our community more negatively than any other community in BC.

As a province, we need to focus on three core priorities to improve safety in our community.

First, we must get people off the streets and into housing, with proper security and support.

Secondly, we must do more to get people the help they need to manage their addictions, support their mental health, and provide a pathway to recovery.

And thirdly, we must give police and the courts stronger tools to deal with repeat offenders, especially those with an escalating pattern of violence and those who supply toxic drugs.

Community policing is also part of the solution. That’s why I worked hard to secure provincial funding for a community policing centre and an increased police presence in Gastown.

I also believe that we must work harder to support young people who, often because of poverty and abuse, find themselves in our streets. As a director of Covenant House, it breaks my heart to hear the stories that led to homelessness for these young people. Providing strong support early to these kids is critical to preventing them from becoming homeless in the long term.

I’m running with David Eby and the BC NDP because I believe David gets it. He knows the challenges are big and complex and has started the work to make it better. And, he and I both know, there is a lot more to do.

As your MLA, I will be your advocate for public safety and bring my voice as a 30-year police officer who understands the depth of the challenges we face. Together, we can take action to make life better and to make our community safer.

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