Monday, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and several other politicians from around B.C. announced the request to senior levels of government, touting a letter sent to Premier David Eby and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau calling for action on 含羞草研究社渢hree critical fronts.含羞草研究社�

The letter, signed by 10 mayors, three First Nations leaders, Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 police chief and others, calls on the governments to bring in 含羞草研究社渕andatory care含羞草研究社� for people with severe mental health and addiction disorders, reform the bail system for repeat offenders and the 含羞草研究社渂olstering含羞草研究社� of policing at Metro Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 ports.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said at a news conference Monday that the 含羞草研究社渂road based coalition含羞草研究社� behind the letter is 含羞草研究社渄emanding immediate action to be taken on public safety and mental health crises gripping Vancouver and other communities.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社淲e can含羞草研究社檛 afford to let this continue any longer,含羞草研究社� Sim said. 含羞草研究社淲e can含羞草研究社檛 afford to let people fall through the cracks. The number of individuals that are battling severe mental health and addiction issues and pose a risk to themselves and others due to a lack of adequate care has reached a critical point.含羞草研究社�

Sim applauded Eby含羞草研究社檚 announcement Sunday to provide mandatory involuntary care under the Mental Health Act for those with severe addictions who are mentally ill with the creation of 400 mental health beds across the province.

The 含羞草研究社渃urrent system含羞草研究社� has failed British Columbians, he said.

含羞草研究社淲e know this is going to require a ton of effort, years of effort, millions of dollars, and a transformative investment in a new approach to health care,含羞草研究社� Sim said. 含羞草研究社淲e also know that this issue is not isolated to just Vancouver, it is affecting our entire country.含羞草研究社�

Their letter says senior governments also need to bring in 含羞草研究社渕eaningful bail reform含羞草研究社� for repeat offenders, and the federal government must improve policing at Metro Vancouver ports to stop illicit drugs from coming in and stolen vehicles from being exported.

Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer said at the news conference that repeat violent offenders are too often released on bail due to a 含羞草研究社渞evolving door of justice.含羞草研究社�

He said a new approach is needed to deal with mentally ill people who 含羞草研究社減ose a serious and immediate danger to themselves and others,含羞草研究社� especially in light of the deadly stranger attack on Sept. 4, where a mentally ill man is accused of killing one man and severing another man含羞草研究社檚 hand in Vancouver.

Palmer said crime has been trending down in the city, but it含羞草研究社檚 含羞草研究社渃old comfort含羞草研究社� to people in light of news of repeat offenders being let out of jail who go on to commit violent acts while in a state of psychosis.

The chief also said Vancouver含羞草研究社檚 ports are often the source of the continued proliferation of illicit drugs and other illegal items into the province.

含羞草研究社淲e know that all of these things impact our sense of safety and well-being and can cause fear in our communities,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淓xisting public policy decisions and approaches by higher levels of government have been inadequate and are not working. They含羞草研究社檙e full of gaps and they have led to significant public safety concerns.含羞草研究社�

Activist Garth Mullins with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users saidMonday that the system of mandatory care that含羞草研究社檚 on the table in the lead up to the provincial election is 含羞草研究社渁 big step backwards.含羞草研究社�

He said the solutions put forward by politicians and police seem intent on 含羞草研究社渓ocking up drug users,含羞草研究社� instead of creating an accessible system of voluntary treatment.

He said the province has tried involuntary care in the past, 含羞草研究社渂ut what we含羞草研究社檝e learned is it doesn含羞草研究社檛 work.含羞草研究社�

Mullins said the prospect of being subject to involuntary treatment could scare people away from asking for voluntary care, which he said is often not an option for those who want it.

含羞草研究社淚 don含羞草研究社檛 know if I含羞草研究社檓 going to be feeling very good going to my methadone doctor if I know that she has the power to lock me up if she doesn含羞草研究社檛 like the progress I含羞草研究社檓 making,含羞草研究社� he said. 含羞草研究社淪o, we should build a voluntary treatment (system) that opens the door for people before we build a system of involuntary treatment that locks it behind them.含羞草研究社�

Mullins said he fears more people will die and B.C. will gain a 含羞草研究社渃ruel reputation含羞草研究社� if involuntary care becomes the norm.