Public Safety is one of the most fundamental services provided by government. Here in Port Moody, we are privileged to live in one of the safest jurisdictions in the Lower Mainland, and indeed, the world. This level of safety for our citizens living in our beautiful city did not happen on its own, or by accident. Rather, it is the result of decades of deliberate prioritization and investment in keeping our City safe.

The Port Moody Police Board is comprised of Port Moody residents, appointed to provide civilian oversight for the Port Moody Police Department. Public discourse regarding race and policing, the culture of police departments, and the role of policing in general has picked up in recent weeks. As a Board, we take these discussions very seriously, and I am pleased to say that we are taking a pro-active approach to listen, consider, and respond with action.

At our July 6, 2020 meeting, the Port Moody Police Board unanimously carried a resolution that takes the first steps in this conversation at our local level:

First, a Task Force on Public Safety Evolution was struck. This Task Force consists of all Police Board members, and will expand as public outreach efforts get underway.

Second, the Police Board has directed public outreach, to expand and diversify voices at the table in relation to the conversation on public safety evolution. Members of the public, whether individual or as part of a larger advocacy group, are invited to participate in this crucial discussion by emailing board@portmoodypoliceboard.com

Finally, a report has been commissioned to provide background and implications on several police issues, including body-worn cameras, street checks, police involvement in mental health calls, the level of militarization of uniforms, vehicles, and equipment, as well as police contact in our local schools. This report will serve as a critical foundation for the months ahead, as these, and many other, issues are discussed and considered. Our Chief Constable, Dave Fleugel, has also been empowered to bring forward any additional issues from the staff level deemed appropriate for the Board to consider in the context of this report.

We wake up grateful every day to live in a place as safe as Port Moody, and this gratitude extends to the officers of this department, who work tirelessly to keep it that way. As a Police Board, we are united in our resolve to ensure a thorough assessment and discussion of these global concerns take place, without the need for a tragic incident locally to serve as a catalyst.

As Mayor, and as Chair of the Police Board, I welcome every member of the public, regardless of where you stand on any of these issues, to get involved in the discussions around Public Safety, and to help us ensure that Port Moody remains the amazing city we know and love.

Mayor Rob Vagramov

Chair, Port Moody Police Board