For nearly 50 years, the Foundation has been working to support the VPD’s efforts to make Vancouver safer for all, through community engagement, crime prevention and public safety initiatives that are not part of essential policing of the VPD’s regular operating budget.
It’s been four years since I joined the Vancouver Police Foundation, and every year, I become more and more in awe of the charity work undertaken by VPD officers and civilian professionals that is funded through the VPF and the generosity of our donors.
At our recent AGM, when I became the VPF’s new Board Chair, we celebrated over 200 VPD officers and civilian professionals who volunteer their time, after shift, on days off and on weekends to make our community safer and to make life better for so many in need.
The passion, creativity and dedication of these individuals is more striking when we hear, learn and sometimes see the challenging, and even horrific situations they come across. Chief Palmer, in a recent meeting with the VPF Board, noted that the average police officer goes through 170 traumatic experiences in their lives, compared to just 5-6 for the rest of us.
And yet, these same individuals provide blankets to the unhoused; help youth avoid a life of crime; empower women to defend themselves; teach youth sports, arts and music to help them realize their full potential; demonstrate the destruction of driving while impaired; keep our seniors safe from scams and so much more.
It is my honour to serve as Chair for the next two years, and to build on the legacy of the Chairs before me. Most importantly, I am looking forward to supporting the VPF Board and staff to continue to grow our awareness in the community, to grow our fundraising and the VPF family all to support our incredible VPD.
David Sung, Board Chair
Vancouver Police Foundation
