The New Westminster Progressives have committed to making the safety and security of the community a key priority ahead of the Oct. 20 civic election.
NW Progressives city council candidate and former Vancouver police officer Paul McNamara understands the importance safety plays in a thriving community.
\”The residents and business owners of New Westminster deserve to live and work in a safe and secure community,\” says McNamara. \”That starts with ensuring we better listen to the needs and ideas being put forward by our first responders.\”
Working as a team, the NW Progressives are committing to the following as part of their plan:
- Dedicating new and shifting existing resources toward more non-traditional policing methods such as community policing offices, bike and foot patrols.
- Working with the New West Police Department (NWPD) to determine opportunities to significantly expand the Community Policing Office in Queensborough by 2020.
- Working with the NWPD to ensure they develop a capital plan which eliminates the need to purchase new fossil-fuel dependent vehicles by no later than 2028.
- In partnership with the labour unions, developing and implementing strategies to reduce the high turnover rates and increase morale at the New West Fire Department (NWFD) and the NWPD.
- Increasing transparency and inclusivity and encouraging the opportunity for front-line NWFD and NWPD staff to provide feedback to senior management, Mayor and Council.
- Restoring key programs that increase community outreach previously conducted by the NWFD such as elementary school visits.
- NWFD personnel will receive regular high-angle rescue training to ensure they are better equipped to deal with major earthquakes in an increasingly densified city, which is home to taller towers.
“A dense compact city like ours requires us to develop unique solutions for our police protection and fire prevention needs,\” says McNamara. \”This includes better connecting our first responders with our community – and that starts in our schools.\”
The NW Progressives have released a number of key policy platforms on other topic areas which are posted on their website. Additional policy announcements are planned for the coming weeks leading up to the October 20th civic election.