Let’s be clear: I’m for law and order.

But we’re not just talking about jaywalking (which is an offense carried out frequently on Robson St. or Granville St. without penalty). What Jeff Lee was talking about was smacking the poor of the downtown eastside with whatever trumped-up charge would result in a ticket; no-mercy cop behavior that has no corresponding equivalent in other parts of town. One can surmise why this would be the case.

As for why people might be stumbling around in the middle of the street, I suspect a large number of them are mentally ill. Mental illness is a scourge in the downtown eastside, only exacerbated by the drug problem. If we could have mental health professionals dealing with these people in hospitals, the cops wouldn’t have to deal with them using crude legal methods on the city streets. That’s my solution – hospitals, not jails.

I like your post.

My question is this:

What else can the City and the Police do to get Downtown East residents to follow basic norms of behaviour for their own safety and that of others?

I live in the Downtown Eastside and when driving in the neighbourhood I am CONSTANTLY having to dodge people walking/running into the middle of the street randomly.

The Georgia Strait recently published an article on the fact that the Downtown Eastside has the most hotspots for pedestrian injuries from being hit by cars.

http://www.straight.com/article-240551/traffic-puts-walkers-risk

Should the City and the Police not take action on this and let people know its OK to jaywalk and get hit by cars, just because they might be poor?

I say no and support the City and the VPD’s efforts to keep the neighbourhood safe.

Is there something wrong with not wanting to inflict ignorant, pushy, smelly vagrants on tourists? Personally, I’m all in favour, just don’t ship the worthless bums to Calgary, we have more than enough of our own:)