---
title: "COPE on public safety | Vancouver 2026 | voche.me"
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COPE · Vancouver 2026

# Fund peer crisis teams rather than police

COPE would prioritise pools, recreation and social infrastructure over policing, and support peer-assisted care teams that respond to mental health crises without police.

[Compare all parties on this ](https://voche.me/parties/issues/public-safety) [All ten issues](https://voche.me/parties/cope/platform)

[**12**Candidates](https://voche.me/parties/cope/candidates) [**9/10**Issues with published policy](https://voche.me/parties/cope/platform) [**6**Sources on file](https://voche.me/parties/cope/money)

**9**Questions answered

POLICING AND PUBLIC SAFETY

## COPE on public safety

COPE is the clearest counter-position to ABC and TEAM on this issue. Where they commit to more police tools and enforcement, COPE commits to funding other services instead.

Its platform states the Vancouver police budget increased by about $100 million under the current administration. That is COPE’s own figure and we have not checked it against city budget documents.

Peer-assisted care teams, which COPE calls PACTs, send trained peers rather than police to a mental health crisis.

3 PUBLISHED COMMITMENTS

## What they say they will do

- ### Fund public services rather than policing

  COPE would prioritise pools, recreation facilities and social infrastructure over policing.<dl><dt>Who has the power</dt><dd>Council approves the police budget but the Police Board directs the department.</dd></dl>

  [COPE](https://www.votecope.ca/platform)
- ### Support peer-assisted care teams

  COPE would support peer-assisted care teams to respond to mental health crises without involving police.

  [COPE](https://www.votecope.ca/platform)
- ### Maintain safe supply and harm reduction

  COPE commits to maintaining support for safe supply and harm reduction programs.<dl><dt>Who has the power</dt><dd>Safe supply is a provincial and federal health programme.</dd></dl>

  [COPE](https://www.votecope.ca/platform)

## Sources

A source marked SAYS SO ITSELF is the party's own material. It proves what the party claims, not that the claim is true.

1. [COPE home page ](https://www.votecope.ca/)SAYS SO ITSELFCOPE · checked September 22, 2026
2. [COPE platform (April 2025 by-election platform, still published September 2026) ](https://www.votecope.ca/platform)SAYS SO ITSELFCOPE · published April 5, 2025 · checked September 22, 2026
3. [Who is running: official 2026 candidate list ](https://vancouver.ca/your-government/2026-candidate-information.aspx)City of Vancouver · checked September 22, 2026
4. [Local elections disclosure statement search ](https://contributions.electionsbc.gov.bc.ca/pcs/LESearch.aspx)Elections BC · checked September 22, 2026
5. [Elector organizations: registration and financial reporting duties ](https://elections.bc.ca/local-elections/elector-organizations/)Elections BC · checked September 22, 2026
6. [Making a campaign contribution ](https://elections.bc.ca/local-elections/making-a-campaign-contribution/)Elections BC · checked September 22, 2026

## Sitemap

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