Vancouver Cop starts blog about Downtown Eastside
Sensationalistic? Exploitive? Colonialist? Yep.
While the blog reflects Addison’s experiences on the DTES beat enforcement team, the website is not a “soapbox” and won’t officially represent the VPD.
“This place can be very political, as we all know. A lot of people have different opinions on how to fix the problems down here and what the problems are.”
One woman, however, isn’t convinced the website will accurately portray those problems.
“For one single policeman to decide that he’s going to do an Internet commentary, to me, is stepping out of line,” said Dalannah Bowen, a former addict who now works with DTES community groups. “There’s two sides to that story. Let somebody from the Downtown Eastside community participate in that and have an ongoing dialogue.”
One woman, however, isn’t convinced the website will accurately portray those problems.
“For one single policeman to decide that he’s going to do an Internet commentary, to me, is stepping out of line,” said Dalannah Bowen, a former addict who now works with DTES community groups. “There’s two sides to that story. Let somebody from the Downtown Eastside community participate in that and have an ongoing dialogue.”
The cop has just as much right as anyone to blog about his experiences. If he's accurate then his blog will gain stature. If he lies, then people will tune out and it will wither and die. Freedom of expression is great.
How is it colonialist? Most people with addiction problems are white.
Good practical questions to be asking IMV; I have been personally involved in these issues in Toronto, and there are no easy answers.
Personally I wish he would take a positive stand on Insite, given all the research that has shown its benefits. But he's not against it, and gives a reasonable argument for his neutrality. Given that the federal government is opposed to Insite, the Vancouver PD's lack of opposition is almost subversive.
I don't understand your logic. Most prisoners in Canada are white as well. Most diabetics and most suicides are white. Canada is a majority white population. That doesn't mean that First Nations people are not vastly overrepresented in all four of these categories. Particularly in the DTES.
It's colonialist because we have an agent of the state--in this case a violent, coercive agent of the state which disproportionately targets FN people on unceded Coast Salish territory--telling the story of a vulnerable and marginalized community while withholding from them the means to tell that story themselves. Who is the audience of this blog? It's not the residents of the DTES--instead they have their images and words used without their consent for sensationalistic purposes. See this blog for more.
More attention on the Downtown Eastside the better I say.
So, what's he saying about the disabled woman Vancouver police knocked to the ground a while back?
repeat after me: 'the policeman is your friend"
What do you mean? The police never lie.
*puke icon*
It's colonialist because we have an agent of the state--in this case a violent, coercive agent of the state which disproportionately targets FN people on unceded Coast Salish territory--telling the story of a vulnerable and marginalized community while withholding from them the means to tell that story themselves.
Um...how is he doing this?
There was a hearing last spring where the residents of the DTES got to tell their story pretty well, actually, to those who cared to listen.
http://bit.ly/obX3aB
It's on a domain owned by the VDP and prominently features the department's crest. It's sanctioned by the department but doesn't "officially" represent it.
They're not even trying to disguise the astroturf.
I don't see anything about the DTES in that article, pookie. Is that the right link?
As for your "um" question, aside from the fact that the VPD targets residents of the DTES on a daily basis and silences their voices through criminalization, arrest, surveillence and other practices of othering, the blog itself offers a powerful narrative which relies on established emotional appeals and is already consonant with mainstream representations of the "poorest postal code in Canada" (sic). That's where the "to those who cared to listen" comes in--the VPD, and their officially sanctioned blog, assert a powerful voice which serves to further drown out marginalized voices already struggling to be heard.
On Saturday, when I was at a DTES housing march, the demonstration went right down to some fancy cafés in Gastown, at the site of gentrification, and tried to explain non-confrontationally to the people sitting on the terraces what was at stake in their struggle. Even that earned smirks and mockery. When the powerful drown out the voices of the oppressed, they are working to withold their ability to speak.
Sorry about that. It should be working now. It's a link to the Supreme Court hearing this past spring regarding whether Insite should continue to operate if the Federal Govt refuses to grant an exemption for its operations.
My comment was directed to the idea that the blog, itself, works to drown out voices. I dislike that kind of reasoning because of where it takes us. I don't take issue with your comments just above. In this case I would just point out that we do have some clear state support (provincially) for the people of the DTES by insisting that initiatives like Insite are a health and not criminal law matter.
Reminds me of the excruciating experience of watching the film Beyond the Blue Lens when I was exploring volunteering for the local Community Policing Centre. I was thoroughly offended by the police narrator's tendency to divert away from the narrative of the actual people on camera and make offhand comments about how this proves safe-injection sites are not the answer, among other things. After the film I tried to talk about my concerns with other people around me, and some lady who apparently pulls a lot of weight around there got very upset with me and belittled me until I left. I was subsequently asked not to return as a volunteer.
Somehow I had the mistaken impression that community policing was about opening a dialogue between the community (which includes me) and the police. Even though the VPD has been there for me when I was a victim of violence, I still can't shake off this experience. Police culture is so completely at odds with the fact that law enforcement is supposed to be for the people, by the people.
@ theleftyinvestor
Agreed.
I was surprised recently to hear a Saskatoon police spokesperson talking about why the downtown bus loop was on the police radar (following an assault). She offered no crime statistics, but said only that some people were making some other people nervous.
Regardless of what was happening on the ground, for a police rep to pass off such discrimination as a professional response is despicable.
On the other hand. without passing judgment on this blog, I am glad that the logo is there so it is clear whose opinion it is. And I think it will thrive or wither on its merits.
Frankly, I would have thought if the VPD were at all honest or proactive they would have initiated something like this a decade or more ago. This seems like damage control to me. But of course, I think the proof will be in what actually winds up being published - and the reaction.
..i agree. damage control. also trying to drive a wedge betwen people. most people do not see the police as on their side.
Daily Struggle and Resistance in the Downtown Eastside
In particular, single parents endure crushing levels of poverty in this province. Fifty-six percent of lone parent families headed by women are poor, compared with 24 percent of those headed by men. One-third of BC welfare recipients are single-parent families, 88 percent headed by women. Single parents do our best to provide a good home for our children. If we are forced to accept housing that we do not find adequate for our needs, there is a tendency in many cases to blame ourselves and to feel guilty, although we are trying our best to care for our family.
Daily, we remind ourselves that our oppressors cannot take our power away. Our power can only be taken from us if we give it away. Not even involuntarily or unintentionally will we relinquish our power! We remember that "What does not kill us only makes us stronger." The Twisted Sister's Song "We're Not Gonna Take It" often runs through my head. Yes, our earning capacity might not be up to many others in society, but we are not ruthless, we do not worship money, we keep our values, and we have a rich spirit. On the other hand, those who have a poverty of spirit number many, and among them you will find politicians, police officers, and big businesses. They think they are strong, but we believe we are stronger.
About the author:
Joan Morelli has resided in Canada for over thirty years and has raised her children on limited wages. She has been a tireless activist, actor, and writer in the Downtown Eastside for approximately two decades. As long as she breathes she truly believes that we must fight for housing and that housing is a universal right, and that no one should have to live and suffer in poverty.
and let us not forget 'Piggie's Palace' on the Picton pig farm and the reputed frequent attendance there of 'Vancouver's finest' for a little R&R...
perhaps instead of complaining about the cop blogging, some people in vancouver could organize to get a blog that actually has input from local residents and tells their story.
in terms of organization, this would be so easy it's stupid if no one does it. All you need is access to a computer for local residents and maybe a workshop or some help learning to use the computer and navigate making a blog post. Hell, they could even write it on paper and someone could type it in for them if that's easier.
perhaps insite would even sponsor this and provide a space?
Many DT eastsiders already have blogs. For example, Joan's blog above. As for Insite, it's a good initiative, but a very, very small part of the DTES puzzle. Much more needs to be done. Heroin addiction is a significant challenge, but far from the only or most representative one.
Lawyer links serial killer Pickton, Hells Angels at inquiry
http://www.montrealgazette.com/life/Lawyer+links+serial+killer+Pickton+Hells+Angels+inquiry/6128439/story.html
Yes, notice how adroitly Wally Opal derailed that dangerous line of inquiry...
see #16 above.