1. Surrey Outreach Team (SOT)

2. GOAL
To address the challenges in City Centre in a comprehensive and collaborative manner which addresses both public safety and public health concerns without simply temporarily displacing individuals to other areas.

6. Surrey Outreach Team (SOT)
Surrey RCMP
City of Surrey Bylaw Enforcement & Licensing Services
City of Surrey Fire Service
Fraser Health
British Columbia Ambulance Service
Lookout Society

7. Location
A Street, Surrey, BC

9. What is the SOT?
The SOT is made up of police officers, City staff and service providers. The purpose of this team is to increase the health and safety of residents, businesses and vulnerable persons in the area of 135A.
The SOT is out in the area of 135A street to engage, offer assistance and ensure safety.
The SOT is available to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

10. SOT Main Focus
The focus of the team is to build relationships and trust with the people on 135A, assisting with connections to services, and increasing the safety of those who live and work in the area.

11. Daily Operational Patrols
7:30am - Well being checks conducted of all tent occupants . Tent and occupants are also counted;
8:30am - Briefing is conducted with all partners;
10:00am - Engineering attends and conducts street clean up; and
12:00pm and onwards - Patrols of the areas surrounding 135A street are conducted. Looking for displacement or anyone in need of help. Monday, Wednesdays and Fridays the CPO’s attend to conduct business visits.

12. SOT and Daily clean up

13. Surrey Fire Service
The SOT conducts with Surrey Fire Service for safety concerns and education regarding open flames, propane, fire hydrant clearance and to ensure there is a minimum of a 1 meter distance in between tents.
Education regarding dangerous burning, fuel powered devices for heat and light is provided. These were exchanged for solar or crank powered LED light, good quality wool blankets and hot water bottles.

14. Surrey Fire Service

15. Fraser Health Expanding substance use treatment services;
Additional Overdose (OD) prevention outreach worker available 12 hours a day;
Staffing of the Winter Shelters 12 hours a day;
2 outreach nurses per day as needed during OD volume peaks; and
ACT Team and housing outreach workers during OD volume of OD’s BCAS (EHS) presence.

16. Needles

17. Needles (Fraser Health)
The Rig Dig has been expanded to 6 hours of service, 7 days a week;
Increased funding has been allocated to Lookout’s Outreach Van which also conducts needle pickups; and
Fixed Harm Reduction Site on 135A street will allow individuals a place that they can return used needles.

18. What Has Been Achieved Thus Far
Decrease in RCMP calls for service
Decrease by 36% in cases of Assault (Common / Weapon)
Decrease by 40% in Utter Threats-Person
No cases of Sexual Assault (compared to 4 in 2016)
Decrease in Bylaws calls for Service
Reduction of displacement
Built trust and relationship with the homeless
Portable Toilets provided (decreasing public defecation)
Sidewalk cleared on one side (people can walk on the other sidewalk)

19. Conclusion Public Health and Public Safety Partnership
Variability in number of individuals and tents
Better understanding – matching solutions to problems
Crimes Against Persons down
Overdose high – deaths averted in City Centre
Overdose crisis continues across City, Region and Province

20. Question and Answer Period