Victoria is facing a public-safety crisis

[Retired AF Guy]

Sauve qui Peut!!

Victoria businesses consider moving amid spiralling random violence​

Many store owners and staffs are used to almost daily incidents. Some have pepper spray for protection.

Ryan Burghardt, owner of Budget Brake and Muffler, shows where a fence around his yard had been cut. Ryan Burghardt was recently charged by a man brandishing scissors and a handful of his own feces.

It wasn’t the first time the owner of Budget Brake and Muffler, at Douglas and Bay streets, has had to ward off attacks and threats or absorb the costs of ongoing thefts and vandalism by an unsheltered population in the downtown core, many of them suffering from drug addiction and severe mental-health issues. And it isn’t going to be the last, Burghardt said.

“It happens all the time around here,” he said.

Vehicles have been damaged, staff have been put in danger and items have been stolen, including a cellphone off the front counter.

“You just wonder if it’s ever going to end,” Burghardt said. “Moving my business out of the downtown core is a weekly thought. Langford is an option, but it’s pretty hard to uproot a 40-year-old business. I already commute from Mill Bay because I’ve moved my family to a safer place to live.”

Burghardt’s nine staff are used to the almost daily incidents. Some have pepper spray for protection.

A block away on Government Street, David Screech of Gregg’s Furniture is considering moving his business; it has been there for 55 years.

Victoria businesses consider moving amid spiralling random violence

Many store owners and staffs are used to almost daily incidents. Some have pepper spray for protection.

www.timescolonist.com

"Some have pepper spray for protection."

Isn't that illegal?

 

[dapaterson]

Never know when a bear might wander into your store.

 

[daftandbarmy]

"Some have pepper spray for protection."

Isn't that illegal?

Whenever I leave pavement around here for a hike etc, I'm usually packing some... viz:

Cougar followed woman in Colwood park, RCMP say​

Mounties in Colwood are praising a 911 call-taker for helping to save a woman who was being followed by a cougar in a local park.
The call came in around 5:40 p.m. Friday, according to West Shore RCMP, who said in a news release that the woman was in Latoria Creek Park in Colwood.

"The woman was out for a run on the stairs in the park when she got to the bottom of the stairs she noticed the cougar several metres from her and immediately called 911," police said in their release.

Cougar followed woman in Colwood park, RCMP say

Mounties in Colwood are praising a 911 call-taker for helping to save a woman who was being followed by a cougar in a local park.

vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca

 

[Halifax Tar]

Whenever I leave pavement around here for a hike etc, I'm usually packing some... viz:

Cougar followed woman in Colwood park, RCMP say​

Mounties in Colwood are praising a 911 call-taker for helping to save a woman who was being followed by a cougar in a local park.
The call came in around 5:40 p.m. Friday, according to West Shore RCMP, who said in a news release that the woman was in Latoria Creek Park in Colwood.

"The woman was out for a run on the stairs in the park when she got to the bottom of the stairs she noticed the cougar several metres from her and immediately called 911," police said in their release.

Cougar followed woman in Colwood park, RCMP say

Mounties in Colwood are praising a 911 call-taker for helping to save a woman who was being followed by a cougar in a local park.

vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca

Lol gah cougar is such a loaded word any more lol

 

[torg003]

Lol gah cougar is such a loaded word any more lol

So you're saying that it wasn't a wild animal, but an older lady hanging around, looking for a younger man? Some of those kinds of cougars can look scary.

 

[mariomike]

Some of those kinds of cougars can look scary.

Not so much around midnight, after a night of drinking and dancing, the lights are down low, and the available pickings are growing slimmer by the minute.

I guess it's all done online now.

 

[Brad Sallows]

People resorting to questionable/illegal non-lethal means of self-protection is inevitable if they don't relocate. It's unreasonable to expect people to passively accept damage and risk indefinitely. Authorities will have to choose whether to clamp down on such infractions or turn a mostly blind eye. People are going to find ways to mitigate and rout around damage; the question is whether authorities are stupid enough to risk turning a mostly complacent/supportive population against the authorities. The experiment in switching allegiances-to-authority between right and left continues...

 

[daftandbarmy]

 

[CBH99]

People resorting to questionable/illegal non-lethal means of self-protection is inevitable if they don't relocate. It's unreasonable to expect people to passively accept damage and risk indefinitely. Authorities will have to choose whether to clamp down on such infractions or turn a mostly blind eye. People are going to find ways to mitigate and rout around damage; the question is whether authorities are stupid enough to risk turning a mostly complacent/supportive population against the authorities. The experiment in switching allegiances-to-authority between right and left continues...

Agreed.

People have a right to feel safe where they live or work - they shouldn't have to constantly be looking over their shoulder, or worried they might get beaten up, mugged, carjacking, etc

If the authorities can't offer reasonable enough security that the average citizen can walk down the street without carrying some kind of weapon, then the onus should be on the government to rectify that situation.

There are plenty of great people who can't afford to live in upscale neighborhoods, or even nice middle class suburbs.

They shouldn't have to worry about walking down the street because of it.


I can't wait until the violent and/or petty crime starts to directly affect those on the fringe who think law enforcement is somehow a bad thing.

Maybe a common sense middle ground will be agreed on sooner than thought possible once the scumbags start to impact them directly.

 

[CBH99]

"Some have pepper spray for protection."

Isn't that illegal?

As someone who caught a face full of bear spray 2 years ago, let me testify to its effectiveness...

Holy s**t

 

[Grimey]

Whenever I leave pavement around here for a hike etc, I'm usually packing some... viz:

Cougar followed woman in Colwood park, RCMP say​

Mounties in Colwood are praising a 911 call-taker for helping to save a woman who was being followed by a cougar in a local park.
The call came in around 5:40 p.m. Friday, according to West Shore RCMP, who said in a news release that the woman was in Latoria Creek Park in Colwood.

"The woman was out for a run on the stairs in the park when she got to the bottom of the stairs she noticed the cougar several metres from her and immediately called 911," police said in their release.

Cougar followed woman in Colwood park, RCMP say

Mounties in Colwood are praising a 911 call-taker for helping to save a woman who was being followed by a cougar in a local park.

vancouverisland.ctvnews.ca

That happened to me a few weeks back, until her heels got caught in the steps…..

I actually know the area well, walking the dog there a few times a week. A bear was in the same area last month. This isn’t exactly the sticks, with suburban sprawl surrounding it and getting denser by the month. It amazes me that the critters make it that far without getting spotted somewhere else.

 

[OldSolduer]

As someone who caught a face full of bear spray 2 years ago, let me testify to its effectiveness...

Holy s**t

OC sprayed - twice. Not fun.

 

[brihard]

OC sprayed - twice. Not fun.

Full blast right in the face, and then had to move, fight, and communicate with my eyes full. Worst physical experience of my life. I’d ride the taser or get tear gassed multiple times any day over going through that again.

 

[Bruce Monkhouse]

OC mostly just made me mad....mace turned me into a quivering bowl of warm jello.

But I'd still take both over getting tasered again....

 

[brihard]

OC mostly just made me mad....mace turned me into a quivering bowl of warm jello.

But I'd still take both over getting tasered again....

Really? Wow. I mean, taser sucked, a lot, but it’s five seconds then it’s done. OC is with you for a good while. That was my experience, anyway.

That said, OC debilitates; an effective taser hit incapacitates. I’d use the taser over OC in nearly any realistic situation.

 

[RedFive]

Full blast right in the face, and then had to move, fight, and communicate with my eyes full. Worst physical experience of my life. I’d ride the taser or get tear gassed multiple times any day over going through that again.

When I did the use of force instructor course for the RCMP earlier this year, I got sprayed for the second time. First was at Depot.

I then did a significantly more challenging and lengthy move fight and communicate course than the one done at Depot. Worth it? Yes. Would I do it again for fun? Absolutely not.

 

[CBH99]

OC sprayed - twice. Not fun.

Nope. Not fun at all.

I got a face full of bear spray (forearms too as I went to block what I could) and at first it just pissed me off. I actually thought to myself “This little shit…I’m going to pound the stuffing out of him, hard, and won’t feel bad about it!”

I then continued to chase him for…oh, 3 seconds or so…before it really kicked in and I was just like “Nope, nevermind!”


Broke into a nearby house so I had an address for backup to attend, and ended up in their bathroom for hours. I was absolutely combat ineffective after the first minute or so.

Had no idea my body could produce mucus so damn instantaneously, or for that long…

 

[medicineman]

I remember covering a use of force course with OC spray in Haiti - the infanteers that were carrying had to get sprayed and man, those folks were turned into 6 month olds in a heartbeat.

Funny thing - the locals got more worried if the spray can came out than if we pointed a gun at them...

 

[daftandbarmy]

I remember covering a use of force course with OC spray in Haiti - the infanteers that were carrying had to get sprayed and man, those folks were turned into 6 month olds in a heartbeat.

Funny thing - the locals got more worried if the spray can came out than if we pointed a gun at them...

The problem with various gasses and sprays is that the rioters can get acclimatized to them, and they keep on fighting.

Plastic bullets OTOH

 

[medicineman]

The problem with various gasses and sprays is that the rioters can get acclimatized to them, and they keep on fighting.

Plastic bullets OTOH

View attachment 75247

Oh I know that - surprised at how little CS bothered me my last run through the chamber, whereas there were a few youngsters that didn't tolerate it well, and in fact panicked. Mind you, I could see in there, so it wasn't that concentrated...and just said "Oh well, this'll suck a bit until I get some fresh air and a breeze"...and did my drills.