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North Vancouver RCMP close community policing office in Lower Lonsdale

Police say they’re looking at other alternatives to serve the community
Nick Laba
Nick Laba
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The community policing office at 112 East Third St. first opened in 1993. | North Vancouver RCMP

A Lower Lonsdale crime prevention hub that was once bustling with people from the surrounding community has closed its doors for good.

At the end of May, North Vancouver RCMP closed the community policing office at 112 East Third St. after more than 30 years in operation.

While the facility was busy when it opened in 1993, it was no longer being used to its full potential so police decided to shut it down, said detachment spokesperson Cpl. Mansoor Sahak.

“When it opened there was a lot of foot traffic on Third Street, but now … the foot traffic has migrated towards the shipyards,” he said, listing restaurants, the skating rink and water park as attractions that are now drawing people to the waterfront.”

Sahak said community policing offices are common in B.C., depending on the size of a municipality.

“The public could go there and get some crime prevention information, tools, pamphlets, and there was a station available for officers to work out of there,” he said, adding that there wasn’t an officer permanently stationed at the location.

But the public can still access policing resources at the North Van RCMP detachment at 147 East 14th St., Sahak said.

“Everything’s still available at our main detachment," Sahak said. "They can come in. They can speak to a police officer – essentially 24/7. They could get crime prevention tools, and there’s still a community policing window that’s open to the public if they wish to come in and seek information on how to prevent crime,” he said.

Police are in the early stages of finding an alternative to serve Lower Lonsdale, Sahak said.

“I don’t know what it’s going to entail … but we’re considering other options, or ways to connect with the Lower Lonsdale community,” he said.