POLICE departments throughout B.C. will have access to more resources to combat repeat violent offending, ensuring they have the tools they need to help keep people, businesses and communities safe.
The Province is investing an additional $6 million in the Special Investigation and Targeted Enforcement (SITE) program, building on its success as a critical initiative that is helping police departments target repeat violent offenders and disrupt the cycle of crime.
“With the help of our SITE funding, police have had a number of successes in targeting repeat violent offenders and have recommended 2,676 charges, thanks to the program,” said Garry Begg, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, on Friday. “We are ensuring SITE remains available to help police agencies expand their abilities to crack down on repeat violent crime more effectively and keep dangerous people off our streets.”
Since the launch of SITE, the program has supported 148 police operations in 38 communities throughout British Columbia. SITE funding has facilitated 5,425 investigations of individuals, 177 of whom were supported by the Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative (ReVOII). Police have recommended 2,676 charges resulting from SITE-funded operations, along with substantial seizures of various weapons, drugs and other items such as stolen merchandise and cash that was proceeds of crime.
“The B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police (BCACP) supports the Government of British Columbia for piloting the SITE program as part of the Safer Communities Action Plan,” said Chief Superintendent Wendy Mehat, president of the BCACP. “By providing vital operational funding to enhance proactive enforcement and investigative techniques, SITE equips police agencies across the province and jurisdictions to more effectively target prolific and repeat violent offenders. Through strengthened police capacity, we can strengthen public confidence, maintain vibrant downtown cores and ensure safer communities for all British Columbians.”
Introduced in 2023, the SITE program was launched as a three-year initiative to provide operational funding for police departments. The program is administered by the RCMP on behalf of the Province, and helps police agencies enhance proactive enforcement and investigative techniques to address repeat violent offending.
Key to the success of the SITE program is its core principles of supporting intelligence-led policing, fostering collaboration and information sharing between law-enforcement agencies, and augmenting the co-ordination of police efforts across jurisdictions, without disrupting other policing priorities.
SITE directly supports the ReVOII, with 12 intervention hubs closely monitoring more than 400 repeat violent offenders under community supervision. Although the two programs operate independently, they work in tandem, with the RCMP B.C. Police Repeat Offending Programs Team supporting police activities related to ReVOII.
Randy Fincham, deputy chief, Metro Vancouver Transit Police, said: “The Repeat Violent Offending Intervention Initiative and Special Investigation and Targeted Enforcement funding has given transit police the ability to proactively tackle crime on and around Metro Vancouver’s transit system. Thanks to the specialized funding, our officers have been able to remove repeat violent offenders, seize drugs and weapons, and make the transit system a safer place for transit users, staff and the surrounding community.”
Quick Facts:
* Budget 2025 invests $235 million in new funding in the next three years to help improve community safety through various public safety and justice programs.
* With the new $6 million in funding, the Province has committed $17 million to the SITE program.
* SITE funding can help support work with people already prioritized by the ReVOII program to manage public safety risks, while also identifying new individuals who can then be referred to ReVOII for extra support with case management, release planning and rehabilitation.
* The Vancouver Police Department reported that between October 2024 and January 2025, the SITE initiative led to a 27% drop in violent crime in Hastings Crossing and a 45% drop in weapons-related assaults in Gastown, with January 2025 recording the lowest violent and property crime rates in Hastings Crossing in more than two years.
BACKGROUNDER
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* Abbotsford Police Department:
A total of $643,000 in SITE funding was allocated to support the Abbotsford Police Department’s Project Spotlight, an eight-month initiative targeting repeat violent offenders involved in violent property crimes.
Combining uniformed and undercover resources, officers employed a variety of tactics including surveillance and patrols by vehicle, foot, bike and ATV. The project involved collaboration with loss prevention officers, business owners and criminal-justice partners to remove repeat violent offenders from the community and streamline justice processes.
The project resulted in 272 individuals investigated, 108 people charged with 271 offences, and 122 warrant arrests. Officers also seized weapons, drugs, cash and stolen property, issued 106 violation tickets, prohibited eight impaired drivers and impounded several vehicles.
* Cranbrook RCMP:
Two projects with more than $148,000 in funding were used to engage with a prolific repeat violent offender who had committed armed robbery. The investigation and subsequent arrest disrupted the individual’s ongoing criminal activities, resulting in seized firearms and yielding evidence that resulted in Criminal Code charges.
* Kelowna RCMP:
Three projects with more than $216,000 in funding were used to support a joint Lake Country and Kelowna RCMP operation targeting a violent offender’s property.
Surveillance led to investigations into various property crime offenders and drug traffickers, resulting in recovered stolen vehicles and the seizure of drugs (meth, cocaine, fentanyl) and weapons, including 20 firearms, ammunition and a live grenade.
Twenty-two individuals were investigated during this time, of whom five individuals were charged with 16 offences. Since the search warrant was enforced, there was a notable decrease in activity at the residence and the surrounding area.
* Prince George RCMP:
To address rising violent crime and street disorder linked to the opioid crisis, homelessness and public disruptions in downtown Prince George, the RCMP secured more than $93,000 in SITE funding to support overtime patrols from November 2023 to April 2024.
Overtime members conducted high-visibility patrols in violent crime hot spots, assisted with the removal of illegal encampments and disrupted ongoing criminal activity. The initiative resulted in more than 380 individuals investigated, including 12 ReVOII-prioritized individuals, 50 arrests on outstanding warrants, five breach-related arrests and 32 individuals charged with a total of 86 charges. Officers also seized numerous weapons and illicit substances. Throughout the initiative, officers engaged directly with business owners and civilians, who expressed strong appreciation for the increased police presence and its impact on community safety.
* Surrey Police Service (SPS):
The SPS has received more than $181,000 for two projects focused on dealing with repeat violent offenders in the community.
In December 2024, the SPS was notified of the imminent release of a high-priority ReVOII individual from provincial custody.
In response, the SPS swiftly implemented an operational plan to conduct surveillance of the individual over a weekend period. This proactive approach allowed officers to gather updated intelligence on the offender. Within two weeks, the individual breached probation conditions and was arrested by SPS officers. During the arrest, a knife and a conducted energy weapon were seized. At the conclusion of the SITE-funded initiative, the ReVOII offender remained in custody.
* Surrey RCMP:
When police of jurisdiction, the Surrey RCMP received almost $314,000 in SITE funding for six projects focused on dealing with repeat violent offenders in the community.
Projects involved visible, proactive police work in specific areas of the city to prevent crime. Some were also done in conjunction with the Metro Vancouver Transit Police and involved uniformed foot patrols around Surrey’s transit hubs. These patrols aimed to make people feel safer and deter violence.
Projects also focused on taking quick action to deal with a violent repeat offender living in the community.
* Vancouver Police Department (VPD):
In Vancouver, more than $2 million has been allocated to the VPD to support 16 police operations to address repeat offending in the downtown core, particularly street disorder and associated forms of violent crime, including projects focused in the Downtown Eastside.
In September 2024, the Province committed up to $1 million in SITE funding to the VPD for Project Brighthaven (part of Task Force Barrage) to address public safety concerns related to violence and street disorder in the Gastown and Hastings area.
On February 20, 2025, the VPD reported that in Hastings Crossing, violent crime decreased 27% between October 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025, compared to the preceding four months and was down 18% compared to the same period one year previously.
In Gastown, assaults involving weapons and assaults causing bodily harm decreased by 45% compared to the preceding four months and were down 59% compared to the same period one year previously.
Thanks to the SITE initiative, January 2025 saw the fewest number of violent crimes and property crimes in Hastings Crossing in more than two years.
* Victoria Police Department (VicPD):
VicPD secured more than $150,000 in SITE funding to implement three iterations of Project Lifter, an initiative targeting organized retail theft involving violence.
Through overtime patrols, officers worked in partnership with 13 retailers and more than 30 loss-prevention officers over 11 days. The initiative focused on individuals engaged in violent thefts and incorporated outreach efforts to connect repeat offenders with housing, substance-use and other community supports.
The projects led to 141 individuals being investigated, 113 individuals charged and 155 charges recommended to Crown. Police also made 31 arrests for warrants or breaches, including 13 individuals arrested multiple times and two identified as ReVOII-prioritized. Officers seized a range of weapons, and recovered more than $65,000 in stolen merchandise.
