City council approves plan to deal with encampments
By Alejandra Pulido-Guzman - Lethbridge Herald on May 17, 2023.
Herald file photo -
City police watch as people put together their belongings at the Civic Centre field area last fall.LETHBRIDGE HERALDapulido@lethbridgeherald.com
City council has accepted an Encampment Strategy developed by city administration and the Lethbridge Police Service.
Andrew Malcolm, general manager of communitys social development with the City of Lethbridge, presented the strategy to council on Tuesday and said the plan considers things learned from previous years, engagement with key partners, research and approaches from other municipalities and recognizes the unique context and needs of those in Lethbridge.
 “The strategy’s strategic goals are that parks and open spaces within the community are enjoyable for everyone,” Malcolm told council.
He said the goals must also support the city’s most vulnerable people by connecting them to housing and social supports, preventing encampments from becoming entrenched, informing residents how to report encampments, and keeping the community informed.
He said one of the biggest keys of this response is that it’s adequately resourced in a year-round response, allowing them to debrief on what worked and what did not work over the summer months and make strategic improvements going forward.
Malcolm explained the strategy will be supported by funding previously approved by City Council for up to $500,000 a year for 2023-2026 and $250,000 one-time funding to support the Encampment Strategy. This includes two full-time encampment response positions and one full-time housing specialist, funding for LPS overtime resources, additional resource funding including, but not limited, to vehicle and fuel, biohazard cleanup resources, training, personal protective equipment and contracted outreach services.
“With the approval of the Encampment Strategy and dedicated funding, we are able to clearly define the level of service we can provide and be consistent in our response and prioritization. We know we have challenges in front of us and there is no quick fix but this new approach brings all of our efforts together, in a coordinated way, to make the most impact for our community,” said Malcolm.
Since encampments can appear anywhere in the city, residents are encouraged to report them by calling 311, and if they witness criminal activity within those encampments, they are encouraged to call 911.
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This is a very big step in the right direction, coupled with all of the free treatment now available, and with all the new treatment beds planned by the province it is the beginning of seeing an end to the carnage on our streets, the needless loss of life and destruction of families.
The province also announced it would pass a law for involuntary treatment of severely drug addicted, which many across North America are now considering or are putting together legislation to similar. This is another great move to help put an end to needless deaths.
Safe drug supplies have failed and decriminalization have failed and these new actions taken by our city council and the provincial government are a positive step in the right direction that will work. There is no magic silver bullet to end all of the fatal overdoses and we still see people dying of alcohol addiction, which are seen in the government overdose surveillance stats, but this is the best way to get the best results.
Portland Oregon had a 56% increase in fatal overdoses after the first year of decrimilization and those fatal OD’s continued to rise after, Washington state had similar rises in fatal OD’s and safe drug supplies have failed because the drugs do not give them the high, the illegal drugs with other drugs mixed in . . . addicts want that buzz that takes them away from reality and they want that drug that everyone is overdosing on, because it gives that extra high.
We need to go back to waht we know worked for years: effective treatment programs and a hard stance on drug use . . . drug courts work because the offender does not have a criminal record if they complete their treatment program.
Involuntary treatment, coupled with targeted crime reduction programs have proven to be very effective in the US and our drug courts and the system associated are only a small example of that, and they have had great success.
With the new drugs coming out that the addicts want because it takes them to that state of mind away from reality, we need to make sure we get this right.
What is the new zombie drug called tranq?
‘….Xylazine, or tranq, is also called the “zombie drug” because when injected it cuts off circulation, causing the user’s skin to peel. “Without that blood flow, hose wounds can become so seriously infected that they turn into really bad abscesses or ulcers,”….’ This drug is in Alberta now! People are dying from it now!
Taking the steps now announced by the city and provincial government is the best way to save lives and end this carnage! Enabling them and watching them die a slow, painful death on our streets is unacceptable and shows just how low our society has slipped into the abyss.
Watch what these drugs are doing to the addicts:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9478Uqe7co
https://www.cnn.com/2013/10/16/health/krokodil-zombie-drug/index.html
Safe drug supplies and decriminalization have proven to be a failure in BC, similar to what we have seen in other cities and states in the US.
We need to return to what we know worked to keep the numbers of addicts and fatal overdoses down, along with the crime that is associated with it.
Effective treatment for mental health and addictions and a hard stance on drugs!