Cleaning up Hamilton's core
Social agencies asked to weigh in
January 08, 2010
Daniel Nolan
The Hamilton Spectator
http://www.thespec.com/News/Local/article/701114
The city wants to bring downtown stakeholders together to devise ways to tackle crime and safety concerns and turn around the negative perception of the core.
The idea comes from Hamilton police -- who have been criticized by Councillor Bob Bratina for not clamping down on downtown crime and letting "unfriendly persons" occupy Gore Park. It's being endorsed by members of the police services board, including Mayor Fred Eisenberger.
The Downtown Business Improvement Area shares concerns about panhandlers and unsavoury characters hurting convention business and has called for action.
Eisenberger will ask city manager Chris Murray to convene "a multi-stakeholder forum ... with the eye to knocking this (issue) down and resolving it."
Those invited will include social agencies and business groups.
Police say they are not ignoring crime in the core and note in a eight-page report by Division 1 Superintendent Bill Stewart that "there are more police officers assigned to this small geographic area than any other area in the city."
The complement of core officers stands at 16 and a permanent foot patrol officer has been assigned to James Street North. Stewart also noted Hamilton police work with the local BIAs to tackle crime and local police get help covering the core in the summer months from the RCMP and auxiliary officers.
He also noted surveillance cameras have been in the core since 2004, regular drug investigations have culled dealers and a mounted unit will hit the streets this spring and its "primary responsibility will be in the downtown core."
Bratina, who is calling for a downtown cleanup prior to the 2015 Pan Am Games, backs the strategy and says social agencies should have been part of the solution for a long time. He said he will propose a freeze on social service agencies locating in the downtown core because of the problems with street disorder caused by anti-social behaviour.
He noted at the Remembrance Day ceremony in November there was a woman wandering around swearing. After the ceremony, he said those in attendance left quickly and the downtown was soon deserted.
"It's just ridiculous and it's got to stop," said Bratina. "The police are right. They can't solve all of these problems. The social service agencies have to be part of the solution."
Stewart said police do face legal limitations in their efforts, including the fact panhandling is not illegal. Police can only act if a panhandler is being aggressive, abusive or is intoxicated.
"In many cases, no offence is committed by the panhandler," Stewart said. "For example, someone sitting or standing with a cup and sign would not be considered aggressive."
He noted police have arrested and charged 14 chronic offenders. They have been hit with in excess of $82,000 in fines, but have not paid any because Stewart said they have no means to do so. Police no longer have authority to arrest and jail those who refuse to pay their fines.
Stewart noted the city passed a new public nuisance bylaw earlier this year in which police can charge people for urinating in a public place or knocking over garbage cans or mailboxes. He said police cannot charge loiterers because they have constitutional rights.
"Persons are allowed to stand on a public street," Stewart said. "The police can encourage them to move along; however, we are limited as to how far we can push the issue. Most of the regulars in the core are keenly aware of this."
While the mayor backs a multi-agency forum, he did wonder if concerns expressed about the core were perception.
"People remember the downtown of old," the mayor said.
"They hear about the downtown of the new and maybe what they hear is not the way it is."
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