While working in the Strathcona neighbourhood last summer, VPD Constables Nathan Johre and Chris Birkett saw kids of all ages and backgrounds simply having fun and being kids. They often encountered kids that were out for bike rides with their family or friends. But there was also something concerning they noticed amongst the young cyclists […]...

Personal Safety Kits Provided to 500 Community Members
In response to changing populations and increased public violence in Vancouver’s downtown core in recent years, the Vancouver Police Foundation is proud to fund a new initiative in 2022 that provides vulnerable residents with a personal safety kit – completely free of charge. Each kit includes a convertible tote bag with reflective striping that contains […]...

VPD Providing Emergency Phones to Vulnerable Individuals
What would you do if you found yourself alone in a dangerous situation? You’d likely reach for your cell phone to call for help. But for thousands of marginalized people across Vancouver having a cell phone, even a simple calling-only one, isn’t always possible. For more than ten years VPD front-line officers have been discreetly […]...

VPF Grants: Building Relationships & Supporting Indigenous Communities
Fostering an ongoing relationship with the Indigenous communities across Vancouver and beyond has been a priority for many years for both the Vancouver Police Foundation and the Vancouver Police Department. A process of listening, understanding and healing has been at work for decades with years of important work in this area still to come. The […]...

Keeping Grandma Safe – Raising Awareness about Elder Financial Abuse
Too many seniors are being scammed out of their hard earned savings and assets. In response to more than a dozen incidents involving Vancouver seniors scammed out of money this past winter, Detective Constable Mariya Zhalovaga and Acting Sergeant Robert Dairon are ramping up efforts to raise awareness among seniors in Vancouver. These so-called “grandchild” […]...

Part 3: Insp. Colleen Yee & the Women’s Personal Safety Team
Part 1: Insp. Colleen Yee – Protecting Her Vancouver Part 2: Insp. Colleen Yee – Making an Impact for 27 Years & Counting As we’ve learned through Part 1 and Part 2 of this blog series, Inspector Colleen Yee is one of the most accomplished female members at the Vancouver Police Department. She has extensive […]...

Part 2: VPD Inspector Colleen Yee – Making an Impact for 27 Years & Counting
Last week we shared the moving story of how VPD Inspector Colleen Yee was inspired to become a police officer. Her innate instinct to be a protective presence in all aspects of her life led Colleen to a career in law enforcement where she could also protect ‘her Vancouver’. This week we take a closer […]...

Part 1: VPD Inspector Colleen Yee – Protecting Her Vancouver
Inspector Colleen Yee is one of the most accomplished female members at the Vancouver Police Department. With nearly 28 years on the job, Colleen has had extensive experience and success in nearly every section within the VPD and has grown through the ranks to be the current Inspector of Training and Recruiting. She has received […]...

VPF Food Vouchers: Gavin’s Incredible Story
Meet Gavin Crooks. He is a 57-year-old Vancouver resident who has navigated many challenges in his life. He has spent the better part of recent years battling a terminal illness without reliable housing, often sleeping outside, and without sufficient access to food. He would panhandle to scrape together just enough to buy some simple food, […]...

Mental Health Week: Cst Michele McKnight on Supporting Mental Wellness
VPD Constable Michele McKnight and her colleagues in the VPD Employee Wellness unit provide comprehensive support to all VPD staff through a peer support program, critical incident and stress management team and athletic therapy team. It is a total body and mind wellness approach – with a heavy focus on mental health. Michele has been […]...