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 91裸聊视频渢hree critical fronts.91裸聊视频�

The letter, signed by 10 mayors, three First Nations leaders, Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 police chief and others, calls on the governments to bring in 91裸聊视频渕andatory care91裸聊视频� for people with severe mental health and addiction disorders, reform the bail system for repeat offenders and the 91裸聊视频渂olstering91裸聊视频� of policing at Metro Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 ports.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said at a news conference Monday that the 91裸聊视频渂road based coalition91裸聊视频� behind the letter is 91裸聊视频渄emanding immediate action to be taken on public safety and mental health crises gripping Vancouver and other communities.91裸聊视频�

91裸聊视频淲e can91裸聊视频檛 afford to let this continue any longer,91裸聊视频� Sim said. 91裸聊视频淲e can91裸聊视频檛 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.91裸聊视频�

Sim applauded Eby91裸聊视频檚 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 91裸聊视频渃urrent system91裸聊视频� has failed British Columbians, he said.

91裸聊视频淲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,91裸聊视频� Sim said. 91裸聊视频淲e also know that this issue is not isolated to just Vancouver, it is affecting our entire country.91裸聊视频�

Their letter says senior governments also need to bring in 91裸聊视频渕eaningful bail reform91裸聊视频� 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 91裸聊视频渞evolving door of justice.91裸聊视频�

He said a new approach is needed to deal with mentally ill people who 91裸聊视频減ose a serious and immediate danger to themselves and others,91裸聊视频� 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 man91裸聊视频檚 hand in Vancouver.

Palmer said crime has been trending down in the city, but it91裸聊视频檚 91裸聊视频渃old comfort91裸聊视频� 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 Vancouver91裸聊视频檚 ports are often the source of the continued proliferation of illicit drugs and other illegal items into the province.

91裸聊视频淲e know that all of these things impact our sense of safety and well-being and can cause fear in our communities,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淓xisting public policy decisions and approaches by higher levels of government have been inadequate and are not working. They91裸聊视频檙e full of gaps and they have led to significant public safety concerns.91裸聊视频�

Activist Garth Mullins with the Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users saidMonday that the system of mandatory care that91裸聊视频檚 on the table in the lead up to the provincial election is 91裸聊视频渁 big step backwards.91裸聊视频�

He said the solutions put forward by politicians and police seem intent on 91裸聊视频渓ocking up drug users,91裸聊视频� instead of creating an accessible system of voluntary treatment.

He said the province has tried involuntary care in the past, 91裸聊视频渂ut what we91裸聊视频檝e learned is it doesn91裸聊视频檛 work.91裸聊视频�

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.

91裸聊视频淚 don91裸聊视频檛 know if I91裸聊视频檓 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 doesn91裸聊视频檛 like the progress I91裸聊视频檓 making,91裸聊视频� he said. 91裸聊视频淪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.91裸聊视频�

Mullins said he fears more people will die and B.C. will gain a 91裸聊视频渃ruel reputation91裸聊视频� if involuntary care becomes the norm.