Police can bolster support

Victoria Police Chief Del Manak’s request to hire six new officers has run aground for the second time this year. He might have more success if the department worked harder to get the public onside.

Esquimalt council has refused its part of the funding, just as it did in January. That means the new officers will not be hired at this point.

While Esquimalt’s local focus — which borders on parochialism — played a big part in the decision, the department might generate more of a groundswell of public support if it put more effort into telling people what it does.

About five years ago, under Manak’s predecessor, Vic PD clamped down on the information it releases about what its officers are doing. Reporters suddenly found it hard to get information that had formerly been readily available.

This isn’t about how easy or hard it is for reporters to do their jobs. It’s about the people of Victoria wanting to know about what’s going on in their community.

When people see or hear of incidents in the city, they want to know what’s happening and how it might affect them. All of them could phone police headquarters to ask, but it’s more efficient if a handful of reporters ask the questions and pass along the information.

When reporters are stymied, the public is left in the dark — not only about specific events, but also about what the department is doing generally. If residents had better information, they might see for themselves why the department needs more officers, and be vocal in Manak’s cause.

We all sleep better knowing the police are on the job. If the new officers would keep us safer, there’s reason for residents to get behind the request.

Just don’t shut us out.