WHALLEY — The new Surrey Outreach Team has had “several successful interventions” since it hit the ground, the city’s top cop told the Public Safety Committee Monday.
A report to the committee notes that from Jan. 10 to 23, an average of 53 people a day were counted in a total of 49 tents.
In that time, 12 people were moved to locations outside of 135A Street, 10 people moved to shelter beds and six missing people located on 135A Street.
The report also notes that since the start of the initiative, there has been a 20 per cent reduction in calls for service in and around 135A Street.
“We’ve been able to intervene and first off, identify with individuals who are coming to the strip for the first time,” said Chief Superintendent Dwayne McDonald.
“That includes people living out of their car, people who have recently lost their jobs or been evicted, and we’ve been able to connect them with services right away,” he added.
“In addition, there’s been another six or seven individuals in the last month that we’ve been able to get off the strip who have been there for quite some time and direct them into services, housing, treatment.”
See also: Surrey RCMP and bylaw team to tackle 135A Street
McDonald said fire safety has been a concern on 135A Street, with tent occupants using open flame or fuel-powered equipment. But BC Housing has stepped in with funding, and when tent residents surrender the items, they are given a safe solar or crank-powered LED light, good quality wool blankets and hot water bottles in exchange.
McDonald cautioned that this is a long-term approach.
“I don’t believe we can anticipate drastic change in the first few months, but I think what we’re doing is an incremental approach that will have longevity in terms of its success.”
The Surrey Outreach Team is a pilot project consisting of 12 Mounties and four bylaw officers that became operational 24/7 on Jan. 4.
The team is primarily in the area from 104th to 108th avenues between City Parkway and King George Boulevard, operating out of a Surrey Command Centre on 135A Street.
Alongside creation of the RCMP-bylaw team, Fraser Health has increased its services on 135A Street by way of additional overdose prevention workers, nurses and outreach workers.
Since adding the resources, Fraser Health reports a decrease in the number of visits to Surrey Memorial Hospital for overdoses for December.
And, since expanding Opioid Agonist Treatment at the SHOP Clinic on Jan. 3, nine people who live on 135A Street started treatment in the first week.
Asked if the new “team approach” is responsible for some of the decline in drug overdose deaths reported in recent weeks, Medical Health Officer Dr. Shovita Padhi, replied. “I would say so…. I’ve been pleasantly surprised at how effectively we’ve all been working together and the synergy that’s been achieved.
“We all have the same common goal and I actually feel very optimistic that we will be able to get all these individuals off the street, into stabilized housing and into treatment.”
Meanwhile, McDonald said enforcement is being stepped up in the area.
Last November, Surrey RCMP launched a strategic drug investigation as a result of the high number of overdose related deaths.
Last month, Surrey RCMP arrested three people and seized thousands of dosages of street level drugs, including fentanyl, and about $16,000.
See also: Three arrested, thousands of suspected fentanyl doses seized in Surrey drug busts
“We have made arrests and seizures in relation to a group that’s been distributing fentanyl on the strip. There’s also been search warrants in different locations,” said McDonald. “As promised, we have been engaged in a lot of criminal enforcement.”
A search warrant executed on Jan. 13 in the 10100-block of 127th St. resulted in police seizing about 240 doses of suspected heroin/fentanyl, 21 doses of meth and about $13,000. A 30-year-old Surrey man was arrested.
Then on Jan. 26, police seized another 3,600 doses of suspected heroin/fentanyl, 500 doses of meth and 410 doses of crack cocaine in the 9500-block of 127th Street, as well as about $3,000. Lee Roy Brazen, 54 of Surrey, is charged with three counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purpose of trafficking.
Surrey resident Wanda Stopa, 47, was arrested in the 10600-block of 135A Street and police seized another 300 doses of suspected heroin/fentanyl. Stopa is charged with two counts of possession of a controlled substance for the purposes of trafficking and one count of failing to comply with a recognizance.
Surrey Mayor Linda Hepner said it’s “good to see the needle is moving,” adding she is “happy we’ve seen some early indications of success.”
