Law enforcement and public health: Vancouver Police and drug use in the Downtown Eastside

Despite international recognition, the intersectional field of “law enforcement and public health” (LEPH) is not referenced by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) or generally across Canadian policing. This study examines how the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) demonstrates LEPH in the context of drug use in the Downtown Eastside (DTES) through evaluation of strategy, operational actions, residents’ experiences of VPD practices, and police officers’ perspectives. The study uses secondary data analysis, particularly thematic coding and reflexive analysis from a diverse selection of community-based research and police-based sources. Findings indicate that the VPD predominantly demonstrates LEPH through collaborative initiatives and strategic statements, which are generally aligned with LEPH principles identified through an international literature review. However, there is a gap between strategic intentions and the operational realities experienced by people who use drugs in the DTES. Exacerbated by power imbalances and other systemic factors, this endangers lives in the community. This study is significant in improving understanding of LEPH in the DTES, and puts forward recommendations to the VPD and future research.