It has been just a year since I last wrote to you in the VPF Newsletter but what a year it has been.
As the year began we were still flush with pride from the 2010 Winter Games. We proved then as the world watched that with a combination of advance planning, decisive action, and measured restraint we could safely police this mammoth event. The feeling of high-fiving support we received from our citizens was truly overwhelming.
But there is a saying that says good times are not a test of friendship; you only know who your true friends are during the bad times. On June 15th things turned bad, very bad, as rioters took over our city. Once again our members responded with planning, action and restraint.
Remarkably they were able to quell the riot in just over three hours without serious injury or complaints of excessive force. And once again, our members enjoyed overwhelming support from our citizens. There was a flood of messages from well-wishers, one of our police cars was completely covered in Post-Its from those thanking us for our efforts and paid messages of support appeared in the media.
As remarkable as those outpourings seemed to many of our members, we know that level of support is echoed every day among the good men and women of the Vancouver Police Foundation. In good times and bad your support has never left us. Thank you for that!
The Vancouver Police Foundation supports programs and initiatives that fall under one of four pillars: Youth Programs, Mental Health & Addictions, Community Outreach & Engagement, and Technology & Special Equipment. You can help build a safer Vancouver by donating to the Vancouver Police Foundation.
