Editor:
According to the 2021 census, the Town of Gibsons has fallen short of the 5,000 population mark. It was surprising, and more than a little disappointing, to read of Mayor Beamish’s reaction (press release, Feb. 9). The mayor was “pleasantly surprised,” since the town would not have to increase its current share of policing costs. That the town will now face at least another five years of inadequate policing did not seem to be an issue for him. Compare this with the view of former RCMP Staff Sgt. Ed Hill (Coast Reporter, Feb. 25), who contrasts the way the community was fully policed 20 years ago to the way it is under-policed now. For a town
to be properly policed, it needs adequate numbers of officers who live, work, and are invested in the community.
There is a reason why it is impossible to keep glass in the bus shelter at Sunnycrest Mall, why traffic signs and rules are treated as a joke. There is a reason for the regular theft and vandalism. The reason is that you usually have a better chance of seeing a skateboarding unicorn in Gibsons than a police officer.
According to the report Police Resources In Canada 2019 (Statistics Canada), a community is supposed to have 183 officers per 100,000 population. Following that ratio, Gibsons should have 8.7 dedicated officers. Do we? No. Sechelt has police officers – we have occasional police visitors at best. It’s not great to know that if there was a real violent emergency, the nearest police officer is probably 20 minutes away. And yet Mayor Beamish thinks it’s wonderful that Gibsons can now dodge a tax increase for five years at the expense of community safety and peace of mind. You get what you pay for and in Gibsons, we’re not getting very much.
Joseph Davis, Gibsons
