The North Shore Business Improvement Association says more accountability is needed for intentional vandalism and other crimes that have the city in a “state of siege.”

In an open letter, NSBIA executive director Jeremy Heighton used a recent act of vandalism at the Jamaican Kitchen as an example. On Sunday night, the small, family-owned business on Tranquille Road near Yew Street had its front door smashed before its safe was stolen, along with cash and alcohol.

Heighton says restaurant owner Kamau Metsinela was cleaning up the mess when he was told by “two street thugs” that “we own these streets, so f*** off.”

“It illustrates so clearly what we have been telling the city, RCMP and others over the last 18 months: we are in a state of siege in our city over the lack of accountability for vandalism, criminality and issues which erode our sense of safety,” Heighton says.

The NSBIA represents 420 businesses on the North Shore, and Heighton says in the first three months of 2021, the collective cost for businesses on the Tranquille corridor to deal with vandalism, theft and graffiti, and the cost of crime prevention measures, have totalled just under $168,000. He says that cost is in additional to overnight security, saying businesses in the 400-block of Tranquille Rd are paying $9,000 a month to supplement the cost to the city.

Heighton did not place blame on security guards or police, nor on the city or on social issues. “We are strong proponents of a system focused on healthy community outcomes including sobering and detox, complex care, and graduated community recovery services,” Heighton says, adding a formal position and approach from the NSBIA will be forthcoming.

“We are formally stating what many in our community know: our justice system appears to be significantly dysfunctional and not tuned to community order or safety,” Heighton says. “We no longer wish to see criminals released on their own recognizance, resulting in an inability to keep our cities safe and secure.”

In March, Kamloops mayor Ken Christian said during council he wondered if criminals felt they had somewhat of a “free pass,” based on charge assessment standards in the judicial system that generally let people off the hook for lower-level crimes.

Heighton says the NSBIA is looking for action on a lack of accountability for willful crimes, and is requesting a formal review of community safety mechanisms.

“We wish to clearly understand who is responding to our community safety concerns, what that response is, the cost of this response, and wish to work with our response agencies to define clear tasks, actions, and recommendations on methods to regain safety of our streets, alleys, and neighbourhoods for our residents.”

(Photo: Jamaican Kitchen)