Strategic Context

Vision, Mission and Values

Vision

Our communities and homes are safe places.

Mission

The mission of the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General is to ensure the security and economic vitality of communities through effective policing, corrections, liquor and gaming control and other protective and regulatory programs.

Values

With all government organizations, the ministry shares a commitment to affordability, efficiency, accountability, innovation and reform, and a healthy, supportive workplace.

In addition, the ministry strives to deliver its unique services in accordance with these values:

• Respect for the law
• Integration of services
• Community participation
• Risk management
• Self-regulation
• Balance of consumer protection with economic vitality

Planning Context and Key Strategic Issues

Many factors impact the ministry's ability to carry out its public safety mandate and achieve its objectives and goals. Some of these factors place the ministry in an advantageous position to build on past successes while others present new challenges and opportunities to continue to develop innovative approaches to public safety.

Strengths and Opportunities

Applying new technologies and innovative strategies is a key asset in the ministry. The Police Records Information Management Environment (PRIME), an online data-sharing system that provides up-to-the-minute information about criminals and crimes, is improving law enforcement and enhancing officer and public safety. British Columbia's justice information system (JUSTIN) provides a single integrated database comprising almost every aspect of a criminal case. In addition, an interface between JUSTIN and PRIME is further increasing the efficiency of case-tracking for law enforcement agencies throughout the province.

The Corrections Branch has updated its operational system using state-of-the-art technology that allows for more efficient, timely, and accurate data collection, integrates and enhances offender case management, amalgamates several internal systems, and interfaces with external systems. This is one of the most sophisticated systems of its kind in North America.

Corrections is also leading the development of the Primary Assessment and Care (PAC) module to capture all medical and mental health data originating in custody centres from nurses, doctors, psychologists and dentists. This will enhance the ability of health professionals within Corrections and community public health agencies to share appropriate client information.

The Coroners Service continues to work towards enhancing the statistical analysis of trends in causes of death. This capability is the basis for forming subject-specific reviews of common causes of death which is intended to lead to the development of a new process for death review beyond the current case-by-case basis.

The Office of the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles employs an effective case management system utilizing document imaging and other sophisticated technologies.

The Liquor Control and Licensing Branch is implementing new policies and procedures requiring applicants to consent to greater scrutiny in areas such as financial sources to reduce involvement of organized crime and criminality within licensed establishments. Existing licensees who have known associations with criminal organizations, including outlaw motorcycle gangs, will also be subject to investigations and possible enforcement action.

Recognition as a leader in public safety, nationally and internationally, reflects the exceptional quality of public safety services in British Columbia. The Corrections Branch is internationally renowned for its leadership in risk-based case management, and has hosted representatives from other nations wishing to learn about B.C. correctional practices.

In partnership with the Justice Institute of British Columbia, the Adult Custody Division of the Corrections Branch has restructured its correctional officer training and will be evaluating the impacts of the new training model. In addition, Community Corrections is undertaking a review of its training packages to more fully realize the principles of risk-based case management.

Linkages and partnerships with other ministries, jurisdictions, levels of government and outside institutions have enhanced the quality and delivery of public safety services. Partnerships with Simon Fraser University, the University College of the Fraser Valley, and the Institute for Canadian Urban Research Studies have enhanced the research capacity of the ministry. In addition, key strategic partnerships with institutions such as the Centre for Addictions Research of British Columbia assist the ministry in developing effective policy around critical public safety issues. Continued collaboration with other ministries and levels of government also assists in the delivery of efficient and effective public safety services.

The ministry has an excellent working partnership with police and law enforcement agencies in the province. This is demonstrated through the effective coordination of agencies such as the B.C. Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police and various working committees. In addition, the Victim Services and Community Programs Division of the Policing and Community Safety Branch continues to contribute towards sustaining and enhancing collaborative working relationships across ministries at the federal and local levels, with the justice system, other partners and community organizations. Currently, there are over 150 funded programs, run by non-profit agencies and local police detachments, which provide victims of violent crime and those affected by it with information about the justice system, practical help, emotional support and referrals to other appropriate programs.

The Corrections Branch also embraces collaboration amongst its justice partners, in B.C. and in other jurisdictions, and advocates a systemic approach to the management of criminal justice issues. In keeping with that approach, the ministry is working toward integrating the justice and public safety system with community agencies that serve the health and social needs of offenders.

High levels of cooperation at local, regional, executive and interagency levels have resulted in high levels of satisfaction with emergency services in the province. Furthermore, the addition of Emergency Social Services to the Provincial Emergency Program (PEP) and the addition of the Office of the Fire Commissioner to the ministry will enhance the ministry's reputation as a leader in emergency planning, response and recovery. Establishing partnerships with local governments, other organizations and other jurisdictions is a key strategy of the Office of the Fire Commissioner. The Office has entered into partnership with the Alberta Fire Commissioner's Office, establishing a commitment to share programs and best practices between the provinces. Similar agreements will be pursued with other jurisdictions.

The Integrated Illegal Gambling Enforcement Team, partnering RCMP and Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch investigators throughout the province, is a key strategy to reduce the incidence of illegal gambling in British Columbia. In addition, partnerships with other law enforcement agencies are being established to ensure cross-jurisdictional cooperation in illegal gambling investigations.

Integration of services continues to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of policing through consolidation of police jurisdictions and creation of specialized police units. In addition, the success of integrated teams of firefighters, police, and electrical inspectors in combating the proliferation of marijuana grow operations in Surrey has provided the opportunity to expand these integrated initiatives in response to this mounting problem in the province.

Opportunities exist to further integrate policing with PEP to respond to local emergencies, and for the Film Classification Office to work more closely with the Vancouver Police Department and the RCMP to fight child pornography.

Highly skilled and dedicated staff continue to be a key asset in the ministry. Now in its third year, the ministry-wide Learning and Leading Program encourages teamwork, innovation, communication and opportunities to learn new skills. The program was launched as part of the ministry's Human Resource Strategy to both strengthen the organization and to support the people who work within it.

Enhanced employee performance will continue to be maintained through Employee Performance and Development Plans (EPDPs) developed for employees to identify goals that are in line with their positions and with the strategic goals of the ministry, and to identify their training needs.

Challenges and Risks

Human resource challenges have increased for the ministry. Faced with the pressures of an aging workforce, the ministry is in competition with other agencies for new staff with demonstrated strong performance. There are time and resource challenges in expanding existing competencies, and in recruiting and training new, younger staff who have significant expectations for professional development and work-life balance.

Managing multi-needs offenders has become increasingly challenging for Corrections and for other sectors of the justice system. Following consolidation of adult custody facilities, housing offenders of different risk classifications in the same institutions has had implications for offender management. Remand costs have been driven up by more remand admissions, longer stays in remand, and more frequent stays in remand and these factors present a significant challenge to maximizing operating capacity. Also, a large number of violent or high-risk offenders have or will be returned to the community after serving time. These trends have significant implications for staff training, security, program development and delivery, and offender management.

Access to communities in rural and remote areas is a key challenge for Victim Services as well as for other programs that are faced with increasing expectations and demands for service delivery during a time when funding and human resources are finite.

Growth in illegal gambling has been stimulated by increased demands resulting from the growing popularity and availability of games in the media, on the Internet and in the community. New technology and the ability to operate from anywhere in the world over the Internet makes online gambling in British Columbia very difficult to regulate. Due to these trends, services are increasingly necessary to promote awareness of responsible gambling activities as well as to address illegal gambling.

Human trafficking has become a global business that generates substantial profits for traffickers and for organized crime, rivaling those of drugs and weapons smuggling. The main targets of human trafficking are women and children in developing countries who are sold into the sex trade abroad against their will. British Columbia is particularly vulnerable to human trafficking given that the location and size of Vancouver provides mobility and anonymity for human trafficking networks to enter Canada and establish their operations.

Crystal methamphetamine is highly addictive, inexpensive, and easy to obtain. Severe health and mental health problems are associated with use of the drug and there are serious environmental and public safety concerns related to its production. In addition, it is believed that organized crime is increasingly becoming involved in the production of the drug, which has implications nationally and internationally.

Emerging global trends in terrorism and organized crime present unique challenges for public safety services which need to balance preventative security measures with civil liberties and human rights. In addition, with more sophisticated technologies and expertise becoming increasingly available to organized crime and terrorist groups, another key challenge is to keep pace by continuously integrating and developing new and innovative responses.

Global climate change and land development pressures have increased the exposure of people to natural hazards which are more extreme in nature. Unprecedented interface fires, landslides, severe weather, floods, ice jams and drought challenge communities and the province with regard to response and recovery capabilities and costs. This is particularly challenging for First Nations communities as federal government support to these communities has not kept pace with capacity improvements in other communities in the province.