NANAIMO COMMUNITY 'SAFETY' OFFICER PROGRAM

 

“Let’s stop pretending this is about safety patrols or civic outreach. The CSO program is a front-line drug crisis response unit—because everything else in downtown Nanaimo has been swallowed by addiction.”

CSOs: Public Safety or Emergency Drug Response?

The Community Safety Officer (CSO) program in Nanaimo was introduced to improve public safety—but what it’s become is something much different. Today, over 90% of all CSO calls for service are either directly caused by, or strongly influenced by, the city’s growing addiction crisis.

The Numbers Behind the Reality

According to the City of Nanaimo, CSOs responded to 7,832 calls in 2024. Here’s the breakdown:

- 1,292 naloxone administrations (overdose reversal)
- 148 CPR interventions (often overdose-related)
- 1,482 welfare checks (unresponsive or distressed individuals)
- 927 social disorder calls (aggression, shouting, visible impairment)
- 1,079 encampment responses
- 620 social aid referrals
- 473 possession-related calls (property management, street-level interactions)

These categories overwhelmingly reflect street-level addiction and its downstream effects—not ordinary public safety.

What Does This Really Mean?

Despite being framed as a downtown safety initiative, the CSO program is functioning as a frontline health and crisis response team. Uniformed officers are reviving overdose victims, checking for signs of life in alleys and parkades, and managing the overflow of addiction, homelessness, and mental health breakdowns.

A More Honest Framing

It’s time for an honest assessment. A conservative estimate puts 85–95% of CSO activity as rooted in the drug crisis. This is not traditional law enforcement. It’s a high-cost triage unit sent to manage the social collapse brought on by unchecked street drug use.

Let’s stop pretending this is about safety patrols or civic outreach. The CSO program is a front-line drug crisis response unit—because everything else in downtown Nanaimo has been swallowed by addiction.

— Voice of Nanaimo Editorial