The Vancouver Police Department said it needs 100 new officers next year just to break even, but applications are decreasing because of the hot job market.

Police Chief Jim Chu said those 100 officers will fill vacant or anticipated positions and will not increase the number of police officers in the city.

Vancouver Police spokesperson Howard Chow said the department is facing one of the most daunting recruitment challenges in its history.
(Kirk Williams/CBC)

"The Vancouver Police Department is facing a major recruiting challenge," he said. "It's possibly the most daunting in the history of the VPD, because of retirements and a number of other factors. We need to recruit 100 officers next year."

The flourishing job market in the province is driving away prospective applicants, he said.

Another challenge for the department is property crime, Chu said.

A number of police efforts, such as the bait-car program, have helped to decrease property crime, but the department still hasn't reached the goal it set in 2004 of a 20 per cent decrease, he said.

Police are focusing their attention on the five per cent of criminals who commit 90 per cent of property crime, he said.

The report says residential break-and-enters in 2006 rose by 3.4 per cent after falling 16 per cent in 2005. Thieves invade more than 8,000 homes every year.

The chief made the pitch for officers during the release of the department's 2006 annual report Friday.