Vancouver community centre wants policy for policing costs after expensive bill

The operators of some Vancouver community centres aren’t happy with the fees they’re being charged to have police staff their events.

A Vancouver community centre says it was told it would have to pay thousands in policing costs only days prior to holding its annual summer event.

Ken Charko, president of the Riley Park Hillcrest Community Association, said following the Lapu Lapu Day Festival tragedy, he contacted the City of Vancouver to inquire whether there were any additional protocols he should follow for the Hillcrest Summer Festival held June 21.

Charko said he asked about requirements related to policing, and was told there were none. A few days prior to the event, he said, the city changed its mind.

“They then said we need to pay about $3,500 for two police officers for four hours each,” he said.

Charko said he was surprised to hear the amount, especially considering the organization plans its budget one year in advance.

“It’s a lot of stressful nights, days,” he said. “We had to cut wherever we could. Keep in mind, we don’t charge for this festival.”

Charko added he’d like greater clarity from the city on whether there is a policy related to policing at community events. He said he raised the issue at a July meeting held for community centre organizations.

“Some didn’t know about it,” he said.

City defers to VPD

CTV News contacted the city for comment. They directed CTV to the Vancouver Police Department, who in turn referenced a website that outlines the rules for special events.

According to the VPD’s site, “these events are staffed by officers working overtime, which is paid for by the organizers, productions, and businesses.”

‘It seems really excessive’

Tom Digby, a park board commissioner with the Green Party, said he’s heard from many community groups who are concerned about security fees.

“Small organizations find it really difficult to pay for these large police fees,” he said. “I mean, it’s a risk for them to even host these events, which are so valuable for the community. And so they get slapped at the last minute with a substantial policing cost. They were unexpected. It seems really excessive to me.”

Digby said the park board is looking into policing fees.

“The police are extremely well-compensated in this city,” he said. “And I think some of these expenses should just be rolled in under, you know, ordinary policing costs in the city, not charged to specific community centers.”

Policing cost reduced

On Tuesday afternoon, Charko told CTV News, the event policing fee had been reduced.

In an email to CTV News, the Vancouver Board of Parks and Recreation said, “the $3,500 amount you were initially given was based on a previous quote for a similar event hosted by another association, which required comparable staffing but ran for a longer duration. However, we can confirm that the final amount for the Hillcrest Summer Festival was $1,656, as the event required fewer hours of staffing.”