White Rock is increasing the security presence at its waterfront following two stabbings near the city’s popular tourist attraction earlier this year.
On July 29, White Rock City Council voted unanimously to hire private security to monitor the area starting in August. Two guards have been patrolling the waterfront between 9 p.m. and 3 a.m. every day, according to Mayor Megan Knight.
This trial period will run until the end of September, she said in a statement to CBC News.
At the council meeting, city staff also clarified that the security guards are not replacing RCMP officers and that they would also have to call for emergency response if any situation arose.
The decision came several months after two stabbings in late April near the promenade that injured 28-year-old Jatinder Singh and killed 26-year-old Kulwinder Sohi. Dimitri Nelson Hyacinth, 27, has been charged with second-degree murder in Sohi’s death and with aggravated assault in relation to Singh’s case.
The incidents have raised concerns among residents of the seaside city of around 20,000 people, located about 35 kilometres south of downtown Vancouver.
In a town hall meeting shortly after the stabbings, the local RCMP detachment also promised to increase patrols in the area.
Tensions soared at a public meeting in White Rock following two stabbings on the city’s promenade last week. Investigators say a Surrey man has been charged with aggravated assault in relation to one of the stabbings. At the meeting, RCMP faced questions about public safety.
At the White Rock Pier Friday, Sabrina Jhaj said she lives in the area and feels “pretty safe” overall. She considers the extra security guards to be a starting point toward helping other people feel more secure.
“It might give some people a sense of feeling some security, but I don’t know if, in actuality, how much or how effective that would be,” Jhaj said. “But I think it’s probably a good first step.”
Nearby, Alex Bucos said his wife owns a restaurant in the area and that the extra security presence brings him more peace of mind.
“Obviously, just knowing that the city thinks about these kinds of things, it means, like, they’re proactive,” he said. “So that’s good.”
According to a report by city staff, hiring a security guard costs between $23 and $25 per hour. The trial run could cost up to about $18,000.
The city is also considering adding security cameras. An earlier idea to have them installed at multiple locations was deemed too expensive because each camera costs about $27,000, according to the report.