The Vancouver Police Department is taking extra safety precautions after receiving intelligence there may be a plot on the Downtown Eastside to kill an officer.
In an internal email obtained by Global News, officers are advised of the possible threat, which indicates there’s a group of young men considering the plan.
Acting Chief Constable Steve Rai sent the email, which says extra safety precautions are being put in place, including the deployment of additional officers.
Sgt. Steve Addison confirmed the threat, adding that extra precautions could also include a move to “deploy our public safety trailer, which is a large trailer that has a pole camera that acts as a deterrent for crime and records activity.”
“And as we progress through this there may be additional steps,” Addison added.
Last week a Vancouver Police officer was set on fire and recently a VPD officer was slashed in the legs.
The Vancouver Police Union and BC Police Association are also concerned.
“Our members are doing their jobs by bringing people before the courts, but the courts need to ultimately support our members by holding people in custody, particularly the violent offenders,” said Vancouver Police Union Acting President Sgt. James Hubert
The escalation in violence against officers follows the launch of Task Force Barrage in February, when additional officers were deployed to the area.
Police say robberies, violent crimes and serious assaults are down. Drug and gun seizures are up.
“With the work that we’ve been doing, we’ve made life uncomfortable for criminals, predators, people who have been able to operate in that neighbourhood for too long,” Addison said, adding that they continue to investigate details of the possible plot.