True Blue Podcast

Operation Pegasus - Donnie Graves & Laurie White

Fri, 10 Jul 2026 03:00:00 -0700

** Apologies for some poor audio in this episode. **

Thanks to Donnie Graves (serving RCMP member) for chatting with us about “Operation Pegasus” and to Laurie White (retired RCMP) for agreeing to jump out of a perfectly good airplane!

Donnie has been skydiving for his entire adult life and volunteers with Operation Pegasus which is intended to support Veterans, Serving Military and First Responders that are considered to be at a greater risk for developing Operational Stress Injuries (OSI) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) than most other occupations.

Good luck to Laurie who will be “stepping outside her comfort zone” and jumping at the end of July 2026 and speaking to all the other participants about her challenges and successes since being shot in the line of duty.

Listeners are encouraged to consider participating in this event in the future. Next year’s event notice is promulgated on Remembrance Day.

Check out the attached links to learn more:

https://operationpegasus.ca/

https://www.instagram.com/operation_pegasus_foundation/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Tiffany Parton - Director of Strategic Communications and Community Engagement for the Victoria Police Department

Tue, 23 Jun 2026 09:00:00 -0700

VCPU President, Angela Van Eerd hosts this episode to introduce Tiffany Parton, the Director of Strategic Communications and Community Engagement for VicPD.

Tiffany grew up in Stayner, Ontario a small town of about 3000 people before moving out to the West Coast to work in fundraising for a number of charities. She later moved to Vancouver Island in 2015 to work for the Victoria Hospitals Foundation. She first connected with the Police when she got a fundraising job at “Cops for Cancer”. A few years ago, she became the first Executive Director for the BC Association of Chiefs of Police.

As Director of Strategic Communications Tiffany and her team help to create a more connected and trusted organization in community and one that is more human focused. A significant change to the past where minimal information about our people and what police officers deal with on a daily basis. The VCPU believes the True Blue Podcast aligns with this new focus and is happy to see this effort being promoted.

Ange and Tiffany both believe the re-implementation of the Foot Patrol Squad in the downtown area is a great representation of being present in community. The Public needs to see the police and the more they know can only help them understand and appreciate the police role. VicPD Media will get the story out ahead of time versus having local media agencies drag it out after the fact.

Tiffany is proud of the work the Victoria Police Department is doing!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Experienced Officer Transition to VicPD - Sergeant Vlad Filatov

Tue, 19 May 2026 03:00:00 -0700

In this episode, Joel Durling is joined by Sergeant Vlad Filatov. Vlad has been with VicPD since 2015 but started with the RCMP in 2013. Vlad and his family immigrated from Romania when he was 9 years old, after spending some time in Montreal they moved West to Victoria where he graduated high school and completed a degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Victoria. He began volunteering with VicPD’s Crime Watch Program on the recommendation of now retired Sgt. Bill Laughlin as a path to gain experience before applying to policing.

Before his recent promotion to Sergeant Vlad has worked in Patrol, Traffic, Integrated Tech Crimes, Special Victims Unit and Cyber Crimes. He believes the police world has been lacking in use of technology to solve crime, although we’re getting better and the potential is so vast.

Vlad says he doesn’t have the magic keys to solving homelessness, but he wasn’t a big fan of the failed decriminalization of drugs and what that has resulted in. His promotion will move him back to Patrol Division soon and some time working in the VicPD Jail.

Enjoy the episode.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Experienced Officer Transition to VicPD - Dyanne Parker

Tue, 05 May 2026 03:00:00 -0700

Joel Durling hosts another really good episode of the True Blue Podcast. In this episode, you get a chance to meet Sergeant Dyanne Parker who previously served with the Toronto Police Service (TPS).

Sergeant Parker completed 13 years with TPS before applying to VicPD a little over 2 years ago. Dyanne shares some stories of what working in Toronto was like as a police officer - lots of gangsters to chase! She has an identical twin sister, she is a mother of 2, enjoys playing Pickleball and loves living near the ocean.

VicPD's recruiting push in Ontario a few years ago has paid off nicely by finding Dyanne. Her experiences in Toronto are a huge asset to VicPD and now that she's promoted to Sergeant, she will continue to pass along her vast experience to junior officers at VicPD.

Enjoy the episode.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Experienced Officer Transition to VicPD - Constable Adam Osmond

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 03:00:00 -0700

Constable Adam Osmond was a 10 year veteran of the Calgary Police Service (CPS) before moving to VicPD to continue his policing career. Adam and Host Joel Durling run through Adam's life before policing and some fantastic details on why he wanted to work in policing. Adam discusses his favourite hobbies to many of the great experiences he had in the CPS. On New Year's Eve in 2020, Adam and his Recruit were the first officers on scene when Sergeant Andrew Harnett was killed on duty by a teenaged driver who fled a traffic stop. Adam provided court testimony in the murder trail that led to a conviction.

Adam grew up mainly in Alberta but had also attended high school in Victoria so coming back here wasn't overly foreign to him. He credits VicPD's program of offering a cash incentive to helping him return to Victoria.

He continues to work in the Patrol Division but has aspirations of working in the Forensics Unit at VicPD.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Experienced Officer Transition to VicPD - Detective Joel Durling

Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:00:00 -0700

Joel Durling is a 10 year veteran of the RCMP and recently moved to VicPD to continue his policing career. It was Joel's idea to have experienced officers come on the podcast and share some of the details of their move over to VicPD. He will be hosting future episodes and chatting with more experienced officers to hear their stories.

Joel is originally from Nova Scotia, he was a Registered Nurse (RN) prior to joining the RCMP. His career in the RCMP includes small town work, big town faster pace experience and Provincial Traffic enforcement.

Joel credits seeing a promotional video created by the VicPD Recruiting Unit where members showed off being out on the ocean and enjoying life as a draw to join VicPD. He speaks highly of the Wellness Unit and VicPD's efforts to support every member's mental health.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

2026 WOUNDED WARRIOR RUN BC

Fri, 20 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0800

2026 WOUNDED WARRIOR RUN BC

8 DAYS
8 RUNNERS
800 KMS

February 22 – March 1, 2026

From Port Hardy to Victoria, no small feat. Come cheer along the route or meet us at one of 28 stops to support our runners, Canadian Veterans, First Responders, and their families.

Thanks to Capt(N) Kevin Whiteside (CFB Esquimalt) and Ret’d Deputy Chief Jason Laidman (VicPD) for taking time to chat about this year’s event. Kevin will be participating in his 2nd Wounded Warrior Run and this year Jason is on the support crew after his 2nd run last year.

https://woundedwarriors.ca/run-bc/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Marianne Alto - Mayor of Victoria

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 03:00:00 -0800

In this episode, VCPU President, Angela Van Eerd speaks with City of Victoria Mayor, Marianne Alto.

Many different topics get covered in this interview including some interesting personal details about Her Worship and the educational path she experienced as a young person which is certainly very different than most people.

You'll hear some views on Community Safety and Wellbeing, VicPD's lack of human resources, shelter and housing policies of Victoria, future budget support for the VicPD, and the potential for a Regional Policing model.

In July 2024, Sgt. Van Eerd (VCPU President) was in uniform and a first hand witness to the chaos and frustrations that occurred on Pandora Avenue when a Paramedic was seriously assaulted and other first responders were swarmed and required to defend themselves; she talks about a text message she sent to Mayor Alto that evening expressing her frustrations on the level of disorder and bedlam that City policies had created.

Mayor Alto has already announced that she intends to run for re-election in October 2026.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Regimental Mess Dinner

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 13:00:00 -0800

To kick off Season 6 of the True Blue Podcast, we chat with Sgt. David Jorgensen, current Vice-President of the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU) and Sgt. (Ret’d) Ole Jorgensen, former long time VCPU executive member. We discussed the Regimental Mess Dinner that occurred in late 2025. Well over 100 serving and retired members participated in the event, which is intended to foster camaraderie, promote an appreciation for the history of VicPD and to celebrate those who have served in the Victoria Police Department. The event is formal in nature but not intended to focus on rank or work topics. Good natured ribbing and frivolity are expected during the dinner. The event is co-sponsored by the VCPU and organized by the Victoria Police Mutual Benevolent Association (PMBA). Members regard this event as the one occasion where you get to celebrate friendships and can really feel a sense of belonging.

Lastly, we get a few career details from one of our father/son police officer perspectives. Thanks to Ole and David for participating.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

2025 Year End Wrap-Up Episode

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0800

The True Blue Podcast wraps up Season 5 with Host Tom Stamatakis interviewing the VCPU President Angela Van Eerd. Hear them discuss the successes and challenges of 2025. Furthermore, they look into the future and discuss what Contract Bargaining and Crime Fighting will look like in 2026.

Ang and Tom make it clear that the complaint process needs to be better, the lengthy delays are weighing on the membership and arguably it’s also hampering recruitment of new officers to the profession.

The Victoria City Police Union is so thankful for all the listeners of the podcast who support the efforts of the Union. We all believe that the policing profession is the best and that our members deserve praise for being brave and keeping our communities safe.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

National Police Federation - Rob Farrer & Chris Voller

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 03:00:00 -0800

Great interview with two NPF (National Police Federation) representatives, Rob Farrer - VP Pacific Region and Chirs Voller - Director Pacific Region.

https://npf-fpn.com/

The National Police Federation is the sole certified bargaining agent for regular Members and reservists of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police below the rank of Inspector. The NPF was certified to represent ~20,000 RCMP Members serving across Canada and internationally in the summer of 2019. We are the largest police labour relations organization in Canada, the second largest in North America and the first independent national association to represent RCMP Members.

Mission:
To provide strong, fair, and progressive representation to promote and enhance the rights of RCMP Members.

Vision:
RCMP Members are recognized as the best police officers in the world and are compensated accordingly.

Values:
Loyalty

Our Members’ best interests will always govern our decisions and actions.

Productivity

We focus on solutions for Members, applying evidence and best practice through an ethical framework.

Innovation

We are open to new opinions, new ideas and new ways of getting things done.

Inclusivity

We welcome Members of all communities. We are transparent and collaborative in achieving our objectives.

Collaboration

The NPF and our Members are committed to providing police services that support safer and more liveable communities, large and small.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Dr. Lydia - "Just F*ucking Do It" - A No Bullshit Survival Guide For First Responders - Part 2

Fri, 21 Nov 2025 03:00:00 -0800

Dr. Lydia Vallieres - "Just F*ucking Do It" - A No Bullshit Survival Guide For First Responders - What The Academy Didn't Teach You.

Hope you enjoy these episodes with Dr. Lydia as we talk about her book and experiences working with first responders on their mental well-being.

Seven Parts of the Book

1. The Hidden Toll of the Job

2. Cognitive Survival

3. Nervous System & Emotional Regulation

4. Psychological Injury & Repair

5. Strength That Holds

6. Protecting Your Relationships

7. Building Your Life Beyond the Badge

https://www.drlydiainc.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Dr. Lydia - "Just F*ucking Do It" - A No Bullshit Survival Guide For First Responders - Part 1

Sat, 15 Nov 2025 03:00:00 -0800

Dr. Lydia Vallieres - "Just F*ucking Do It" - A No Bullshit Survival Guide For First Responders - What The Academy Didn't Teach You.

Hope you enjoy these episodes with Dr. Lydia as we talk about her book and experiences working with first responders on their mental well-being.

Seven Parts of the Book

1. The Hidden Toll of the Job

2. Cognitive Survival

3. Nervous System & Emotional Regulation

4. Psychological Injury & Repair

5. Strength That Holds

6. Protecting Your Relationships

7. Building Your Life Beyond the Badge

https://www.drlydiainc.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Surviving the Discipline Process - Sgt. Ron Kirkwood

Sat, 01 Nov 2025 10:00:00 -0700

Sgt. Ron Kirkwood joined VicPD in 2009 after serving his country in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Ron's career includes time in Patrol, walking the Beat in the downtown core and a number of years on the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT).

In this episode Ron talks about his journey through the Police Discipline Process after discharging his ARWEN which unfortunately resulted in a death, he explains the excessively long investigations he went through, the ups and downs of thinking it was over and lastly the effect it had on him and his family. Nearly 6 years passed during this review - far too long.

Ron has returned to work now and we wish him well in his future career aspirations.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Introducing the New Chief Constable - Fiona Wilson

Fri, 10 Oct 2025 03:00:00 -0700

The VCPU is pleased to add this episode to the Greater Victoria Area Chiefs Series and introduce the first ever female Chief Constable for the Victoria Police Department, Fiona Wilson! Host, Tom Stamatakis helps us all to get to know Chief Wilson a little bit better.

Chief Wilson talks about the Esquimalt & Victoria “framework agreement” and how in her view it isn’t working well, specifically for the needs of either community or the police department. Tom and Fiona talk about her life before policing and then her progression through the ranks at the Vancouver Police Department. Chief Wilson goes through several other important topics relating to policing. Including a good discussion about amalgamation and the concerns and/or benefits that it brings in terms of investigations and for levels of service for communities.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Greater Victoria Area Police Chiefs (episode 5 of 5) - Chief Del Manak - Victoria Police Department

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 03:00:00 -0700

In the final episode of this series, we got a chance to chat with Chief Del Manak before he sailed off into retirement. Chief Manak made it through a 35-year policing career and spent the past nearly 10 years as the Chief Constable. A graduate of JIBC Class #44, recruited by Vancouver Police, however Del spent the majority of his career with the Victoria Police Department.

Del tells us about his career path and some details about why he chose police work. It becomes clear that giving back to his community was very important to him. You’ll hear a great quote from Del about some of the differences in police resourcing in Vancouver and Victoria. He also reflects on some of the great times working with Sgt. Doug Bond (a great mentor and legend).

Over the years, Chief Manak found himself challenging the antipolice rhetoric coming from elected officials; for many years the public sentiment was that they couldn’t believe how patient he was in that process. Chief Manak is not proud of turning over an under resourced police department to Chief Wilson. He believes VicPD needs at least an additional 35 to 40 officers.

We talk about many other important topics and get some stark opinions from Del.

The True Blue Podcast wishes Chief Manak and his family a long and happy retirement.

“Go Islanders”

https://vicpd.ca/

https://truebluevic.ca/

https://www.taylorswift.com/

https://www.nhl.com/islanders/

** Bonus Area Chiefs Episode with Chief Fiona Wilson ** 10 Oct 2025

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Greater Victoria Area Police Chiefs (episode 4 of 5) - Chief Dean Duthie - Saanich Police Department

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Thanks to Chief Dean Duthie from Saanich Police for participating in our podcast series. Dean is the 18th Chief of Police for Saanich since 1906. Chief Duthie had a variety of experiences throughout his career progression. His skills took him to many important investigative roles that included the Saanich Drug Enforcement Team and the Major Crime Unit.

As many of our listeners know, Saanich Police members ran towards the sound of gunfire during the 2022 bank robbery in their jurisdiction. Many of them suffered physical, emotional and psychological injuries but gratefully it seems like Saanich Police have worked hard to limit the long-term damage. Dean reflects on that horrible incident during this episode.

We get some insight from Dean on the state of policing and the criminal justice system. He perceives the rapid changes in communications, new equipment, appropriate funding and lastly the breakdowns in systems around the world of policing and subsequent downloading of services that police should not be involved in.

Episode 5: Chief Del Manak – Victoria Police Department 26 Sep

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Greater Victoria Area Police Chiefs (episode 3 of 5) - Superintendent Todd Preston - Westshore RCMP

Fri, 12 Sep 2025 03:00:00 -0700

It was great to chat with Todd before his retirement from his RCMP career which started over 28 years ago. After graduating from Depot, the RCMP sent him to Alberta as a young officer. In fact, he was so young that the Mounties sent him to work as an undercover operator because of those young looks! His career continued in the Yukon and throughout BC for a few years before his promotion to Sergeant which landed him in the Westshore Detachment. He had a few short-term jobs within the E Division office in Victoria before returning as Detachment Commander in Westshore.

Todd’s current position as “police chief” is one of the most complex in Canada, specifically he reports to 7 different governing bodies. (5 municipalities and 2 first nations) The Detachment strength is 125 members and becoming busier every year. They provide members with good work options both locally and to Nunavut in an officer exchange program that is unique in the RCMP.

We take time to chat about important things police do in his community and Todd makes a point to shout out Cole Brewer for his hard work with so many SD62 students. We reflected on the death of Constable Sarah Beckett (Todd was her former Watch Commander) and how thankful he was to have the community support his members and Sarah’s family over the years. It sounds like the Detachment is in good spirits and is ready to step up to the next challenges.

Todd will be building homes in retirement so give him a call if you need those services: https://www.qualisbuilders.ca/

Episode 4: Chief Dean Duthie – Saanich Police Department 19 Sep 2025

Episode 5: Chief Del Manak – Victoria Police Department 26 Sep 2025

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Greater Victoria Area Police Chiefs (episode 2 of 5) - Chief Ian Lawson - Central Saanich Police Service

Fri, 05 Sep 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Chief Constable Ian Lawson started his policing career in the RCMP back in 1988. He’s spent most of his RCMP career on Vancouver Island and after 32 years’ service he accepted the Chief Constable position in Central Saanich. Ian was the Primary Investigator on the BC Rail corruption scandal where Bribery and Fraud charges were pursued.

One of Ian’s favourite career moves was to become the Detachment Commander in Shawnigan Lake, a position he relates closely to his current job in Central Saanich. Recruiting new officers to Central Saanich has been a challenge for the past number of years but they’ve been able to secure 2 or 3 seats for recruits to attend the JIBC this year and next. Central Saanich has not signed on to the integrated K-9 service but does have several opportunities for his members to work in other integrated units.

Ian tells a story about how repeat criminals on court conditions used to be held in custody and how now it’s frustrating to see the Bail Reform Act not being applied correctly. Chief Lawson mentioned his concerns about hospital wait times and ability to respond to crime on the water. We get Ian to chat about Regionalization/Amalgamation/Integration from his perspective.

https://www.cspolice.ca/

Episode 3: Superintendent Todd Preston – Westshore Detachment 12 Sep 2025

Episode 4: Chief Dean Duthie – Saanich Police Department 19 Sep 2025

Episode 5: Chief Del Manak – Victoria Police Department 26 Sep 2025

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Greater Victoria Area Police Chiefs (episode 1 of 5) - Chief Julie Chanin - Oak Bay Police

Fri, 29 Aug 2025 03:00:00 -0700

Chief Constable Julie Chanin is the first ever female Chief of any police department in Greater Victoria. Julie started her policing career in January 2000 as part of the millennial troop at the RCMP Training Depot in Regina. Julie’s RCMP career was spent on Vancouver Island, first in Port McNeil for 5 years and then to the Westshore for another 7 years before making the transition to Oak Bay. Julie served as Union President in Oak Bay before taking the Deputy Chief job and ultimately the Chief Constable’s position in 2024.

Chief Chanin is obviously very committed to her community and her people and it was a pleasure to have her kick-off our Area Chiefs Series.

Episode 2: Chief Ian Lawson – Central Saanich Police Service 05 Sep

Episode 3: Superintendent Todd Preston – Westshore Detachment 12 Sep

Episode 4: Chief Dean Duthie – Saanich Police Department 19 Sep

Episode 5: Chief Del Manak – Victoria Police Department 26 Sep

https://oakbaypolice.org/careers/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

End2End Cycling Relay - Andy Dunstan

Fri, 15 Aug 2025 17:00:00 -0700

In this episode, we chat with Andy Dunstan to discuss his brilliant idea to create the End2End Cycling Relay in support of Island Kids Cancer Association (ICKA). Andy is a former police officer and has been supporting kids with cancer for over 20 years. He talks about how this unique fundraising event got started, the goals of supporting local families stricken by childhood cancer and so much more about how the inaugural ride with 7 of his friends over 1000 kilometers in less than 48 hours came to fruition.

Best of all they surpassed the goal of raising $100,000 for ICKA!

How to donate to Island Kids Cancer Association: https://ikca.ca/donate/

Visit the End2End webpage for more info: https://www.end2endcancer.com/

ICKA supported by Trek Bicycle Store: https://www.trekbikesvictoria.com/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

ForensicsWorld Podcast - Will Dodds, CSI

Fri, 25 Jul 2025 21:00:00 -0700

Will Dodds is the host of the ForensicsWorld Podcast and a recently retired Sergeant from the Saanich Police Department. Will began his police career in 2002, worked in Patrol Division to learn the basics and later was drawn to being a “crash analyst” in the Traffic Section, then transferred over to the Forensic Section as a Constable, and afterward was lucky enough to be promoted and to finish his police career as the NCO in charge of the Forensics Section.

Since retiring from Saanich Police, Will has decided to pass along his forensic experiences and knowledge to any interested listener through the ForensicsWorld Podcast. Links to his podcast and Instagram page are attached.

https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/forensicsworld/id1813755329

https://www.instagram.com/forensicsworld/?hl=en

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

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- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

The Disciplinary Process Must Change

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 21:00:00 -0700

On this episode of the True Blue Podcast, host Matt Waterman talks specifics about the Ron Kirkwood Police Act decision. It’s clear the BC Police Act process has failed again. Hear a little bit about how things unfolded over the past close to 6 years and most importantly learn a little bit about Ron Kirkwood, Medal of Valour recipient.

https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/comment-system-failed-everyone-in-lisa-rauch-case-10809432

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

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- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

"Overcoming Cystic Fibrosis" - Cst. Tyrus Sleightholme & Sgt. (Ret'd) Dale Sleightholme

Thu, 15 May 2025 06:00:00 -0700

The True Blue Podcast is proud to introduce Cst. Tyrus Sleightholme (Class #174) and so happy to see him achieving his goal of serving as a police officer. Tyrus was born with Cystic Fibrosis and thankfully remained healthy as a child, fortunately once he received the live changing medication “Trikafta” his goal of becoming a police officer became very achievable.

Tyrus was very active in sports as a kid and even played college baseball before getting the new medicine. He comes to VicPD with previous experience working as a By-Law Officer and you’ll hear about his compassion for people and his drive to serve the public. Thank you to his proud father, retired Sergeant Dale Sleightholme for sharing his memories and some anecdotes about Tyrus.

Good luck to Tyrus in his policing career. Go "Red Sox"!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

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- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Outsmart The Scammer Fraud Prevention Society - Cst. Berle Zwaan, Saanich Police

Tue, 15 Apr 2025 12:00:00 -0700

The True Blue Podcast is honoured to share Scam Prevention information with some help from Cst. Berle Zwaan of the Saanich Police. In today’s complicated world protecting yourself from those trying to prey on you is vitally important.

Berle is now in her 30th year of policing, she has experience in Patrol, Traffic, Mountain Bike Squad, Child Abuse Investigations, Financial Crimes and Community Engagement. It was during her time in the Financial Crimes Unit that she began to see the impact fraud artists can have on the public. In her current job she spends time passing on that knowledge to her community and helping them understand ways to “Beat the Fraudster”.

Recently Berle has created a company to do presentations outside of the Saanich jurisdiction. It’s called the Outsmart The Scammer Fraud Prevention Society. Feel free to reach out to Berle if you have questions or are looking for her to make a presentation and learn how to protect yourself.

Berle Zwaan

Berle@OutsmartTheScammer.com

https://www.OutsmartTheScammer.com

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61573233827122

https://www.linkedin.com/in/berle-zwaan-bsc-86104732/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Black History Month - Cst. Warren Sherman

Wed, 19 Feb 2025 09:00:00 -0800

In this episode of the True Blue Podcast, we chat with Cst. Warren Sherman a 13 year veteran of VicPD. Warren was Jamaican born and raised before moving the Florida to finish high school and then attend Wake Forest University on an athletic scholarship. Warren did some modelling and then acting in a Jamaican soap opera after graduating university. He also worked in the private security industry in Jamaica. Warren talks about wanting to be a police officer for much of his life but was hesitant to do so in his home country. He eventually decided to move his family to Victoria and start a new life in policing at age 39.

Warren is currently working in the General Investigation Section as one of the Missing Persons coordinators. He believes police work is a very important and rewarding career and certainly recommends that young people of colour consider the job if they’re interested.

Royal Palm Estate – Andre Lawson played by Warren Sherman

Royal Palm Estate (along with its spin-off, The Blackburns) is the longest-running television series in Jamaican history, and possibly the Caribbean's. It was a staple in Jamaican homes on a Sunday night from 1994 until 2015.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Invictus LEO - Jiu Jitsu Law Enforcement Collective - Cst. Ari Knazan

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 19:00:00 -0800

We start out Season 5 of the True Blue Podcast talking with Constable Ari Knazan an 11 year veteran of VicPD. Ari was hired a little later in life compared to the average recruit but obviously that meant he brought a breadth of life experiences with him to the job. He has a couple of great stories behind his motivation for becoming a police officer. Victoria Police was the only department that he applied for and loved that he got hired in the city he lived and played in.

Ari worked in Patrol for the first 7 years of his career, was a Domestic Violence investigator in support of Patrol before moving to the General Investigation Section (GIS). He’s now back in Patrol and looks forward to some Field Training of rookie officers and some acting Patrol Sergeant duties. Ari’s Martial Arts background allows him to be part of the Department’s Use of Force training cadre, which he does as a secondary duty.

Ari met Chuck Norris in Las Vegas when he was 9 years old, and he says that encounter became his motivation for getting into martial arts training. One of Ari’s hobbies is podcasting; he and Chad Lyman run the “No Zoo Lions Podcast” (available on Spotify) where they focus on motivations for law enforcement officers to train hard and to understand the best ways to gain compliance. He also is a co-founder of the Invictus LEO organization with Jason Rebsch and they also use the podcast platform to better inform law enforcement. (please check out the links added below)

https://nozoolions.com/

https://invictusleo.com/invictus-podcast

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

2 Years Later Series - Bank Robbery and Shooting - Incident Commander - Insp. Michael Brown

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 04:00:00 -0700

Inspector Michael Brown was on duty on 28 June 2022 and served as the Critical Incident Commander (CIC) for this event. Insp. Brown is a 29-year Police veteran, a former GVERT operator and Team Leader, he talks about wanting to be a police officer as a kid and the GVERT Christmas gift he got as a 15-year-old!
“Why Waltz, when you can Rock & Roll.”

Insp. Brown goes through some of the historical GVERT information and how the team has evolved and progressed since the inception. Mike also goes over the BMO bank hostage taking from his perspective as the Officer in Command of this operation. Hear Mike, discuss how Patrol 1st responders and ERT members stepped up and became heroes that day.

Inspector Brown importantly takes time to thank a few lower mainland law enforcement partners for their support and personnel contributions on the day of the bank hostage taking and for several days following. A big thank you to the police officers who have since volunteered to be the next crop of GVERT members and to those who will fill the role in the future – be safe!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

2 Years Later Series - Bank Robbery and Shooting - Amanda MacIntyre & Angela Reichert

Sun, 21 Jul 2024 04:00:00 -0700

"Your husband has been shot" - is anyone ever ready for this news?
A career in police work is inherently dangerous and the families are thereby subjected to wondering how safe their spouse or parent is while on duty.
The True Blue Podcast is delighted to have Amanda MacIntyre and Angela Reichert share their stories about what the past two years have been like after both their husbands were shot during the BMO incident.
Hear how they received information about the shooting, all the steps on that day and the many challenges over the next 2 years.
Special thanks to the Greater Victoria community for the continued support.
#GVERT
#TrueBlue

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

2 Years Later Series - Bank Robbery and Shooting - Cst. Steven Reichert

Fri, 28 Jun 2024 01:00:00 -0700

The "True Blue Podcast" is proud to chat with Cst. Steven Reichert from Saanich Police and the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT). He was injured during the BMO Robbery and Shootout, one gunshot wound to each leg and one to his left forearm.

Steven shares details of being shot, the amazing tactical response of his teammates and shortly thereafter the medical response efforts by GVERT and Saanich Patrol members to save his life and the lives of the other officers. Steven also talks about his personal family situation, his medical recovery process in hospital, the long physio process and the challenges of his mental and emotional wellness. Steven became addicted to opioid meds, and he describes in detail the efforts to get off those medications.

Moving forward, Steven will continue to work towards a full recovery and get back to an operational role, he looks forward to sharing his experiences in training opportunities with other ERT operators and police officers in general.

https://www.ntoa.org/conferences/tactical-conference/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Police Oversight - Rollie Woods, Retired Deputy Commissioner BC OPCC

Sat, 15 Jun 2024 02:00:00 -0700

Rollie Woods joins Tom Stamatakis in this episode to talk about Police Oversight in British Columbia. Rollie is a former Deputy Commissioner at the BC Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPPC). He has 35 years of policing experience, 10 years experience on the Executive of the Vancouver Police Union (VPU) and as President of the Senior Officer's Association before moving to work in Police Professional Standards at Vancouver Police and ultimately at the OPCC.

Rollie and Tom agree that Police Oversight has an important role to play in ensuring there are professional and accountable police officers working in BC. Rollie highlights how important open communications with the public, police agencies and police unions were during his tenure at the OPCC. He also brings light to the different standards of police oversight currently in place here in British Columbia and how confusing to the public it must be.

Tom gets some comments from Rollie about police body cameras and how they might influence future Police Act investigations. How it assists with confirming what really took place and provides the public with some assurance that proper accountability is being attained. Body cameras also come with challenges related to cost, storage and personal privacy.

Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) https://opcc.bc.ca/

Canadian Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement (CACOLE) https://cacole.ca/home-accueil-eng.shtml

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Good Morning Madam President

Fri, 24 May 2024 16:00:00 -0700

The Victoria City Police Union (VCPU) is proud to introduce Sgt. Angela Van Eerd (Union President) and Sgt. Joan Elliott (Union Secretary).
Hear directly from these two inspirational leaders as they join Matt Waterman to discuss their rise to important positions on the Executive of the VCPU.
The VCPU was organized in 1946 and after 77 years the members have elected their first female President!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Black History Month - Tim Kituri - Victoria & Esquimalt Police Board

Fri, 23 Feb 2024 08:00:00 -0800

In celebration of Black History Month, the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU) is proud to speak with Tim Kituri who is currently serving as a Provincial appointee on the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board.

Tim came to Canada a little over 20 years ago and now resides in Esquimalt. He is originally from Kenya and tells a very unique story while living in the capital Nairobi about a specific incident where he was in fear of the police. He also shares a positive story about his first police interaction in Halifax when he was a student at University.

Tim discusses some of his new experiences as a police board member over the first 9 months of his service. Learning more about who is behind the badge has given him a new appreciation for police officer dedication and commitment to the community.

Here is a link to Tim's impressive educational accomplishments:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/timothy1kituri/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Beyond The Blue - Vancouver Island Chapter

Thu, 15 Feb 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Erin Toplak, President of the Vancouver Island Chapter of "Beyond The Blue" joins VCPU Director and host Tom Stamatakis on this episode. Tom and Erin are life partners and share some of their own struggles of being a partner to a police officer.

VI Beyond The Blue (BTB) is a non-profit organization that provides peer support to the families and spouses of police officers. BTB wants to create a safe and comfortable place for family members to reach out to and find support. Erin reminds everyone that a specific incident doesn't need to happen before you reach out to BTB and she encourages families to be pro-active in finding a strong support network.

Find important links below:

https://www.vancouverislandbeyondtheblue.com/

info@vancouverislandbeyondtheblue.com

Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/vancouverisland_btb/

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/people/Vancouver-Island-Beyond-The-Blue/100087399397694/

Call direct to Canada Beyond The Blue: 1-647-249-7121

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Mobile Youth Services Team (MYST) - Mia Golden & Cst. Gord Magee

Wed, 31 Jan 2024 02:00:00 -0800

Meet the most important “Prevention and Intervention” team in Greater Victoria that focuses on Youth Exploitation. The incomparable Mia Golden has been in the business of Youth and Family Counselling for about 30 years and is the backbone of MYST. Her current partner is Cst. Gord Magee, he brings 26 years policing experience to the team and has been attached to MYST the previous 3 years.

Hear from Mia and Gord directly on what exactly their team does on a daily basis and how involved they are with youth and families being targeted by predators looking to take advantage of vulnerable youth.

The Victoria City Police Union (VCPU) wants to advocate for new and increased funding streams to support this team and their mandate of protecting our children. The workload is heavy and critically important.

26:45- 28:36 Hear direct from Mia on the issue of losing Police Liaison Officers in our Schools, she speaks from many different perspectives – as a youth worker in the community, as a parent, and as a black person. She recognizes the importance of building relationships with police officers ahead of a serious incident, is in her words, “so important through a trauma-informed lens.”

https://www.vicnews.com/news/new-funding-aims-to-stop-predators-from-exploiting-greater-victoria-youth-653739

https://pacificcentrefamilyservices.org/counselling/crime-reduction-and-exploitation-diversion/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Class #172 - Cst. Angelina Atkinson

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 04:00:00 -0800

Cst. Angelina "Ange" Atkinson is one of the 6 new recruits in Class #172. Ange comes to VicPD as an experienced BC Deputy Sheriff, looking to expand her law enforcement career into the policing world. She is a rare "home grown" Victorian, a graduate of Lambrick Park Secondary, the Camosun College Criminal Justice Program and also a graduate of the Greater Victoria Police Camp Program.

Ange is no stranger to training at the Justice Institute of BC, she completed her Sheriff training in 2019 and returned as an use of force instructor for the Sheriff Academy in 2023. She is now halfway through her Police Academy training and really looking forward to her Block II field training in the streets of Esquimalt and Victoria.

Anyone considering entering the "recruiting process" at VicPD should listen to this episode - Ange's story of perseverance and commitment to get hired is inspiring. We wish her good luck in her new career!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Cst. Chris ALLEN - 2 Year Veteran

Sun, 24 Dec 2023 14:00:00 -0800

In the final episode of Season 3, we get an update from Cst. Chris Allen who has now been working for VicPD for 2 years. Chris is working in the Patrol Division; he has been passing on his experiences and knowledge as a Field Training Officer (FTO) to new recruits. Chris is a former high school teacher, and we believe well suited to be training new recruits in their Block II.

Chris gives us insight into some of an operational police officer’s daily functions; he shares what he does to maintain his personal wellness; and he comments on de-criminalization of drugs from a patrol officer perspective.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

The White Hatter - Retired Staff Sergeant Darren Laur, M.O.M., M.G.C.

Thu, 30 Nov 2023 04:00:00 -0800

"The White Hatter" is a team of on-line professionals helping teens and their families with everything from sextortions to extensive digital literacy training. Darren Laur is a retired Staff Sergeant with 30 years service at the Victoria Police Department.

The White Hatter has assisted 294 children and their families, 18 of those identify as females and the remainder teen boys – the youngest being 12 years old.

The team continues to teach digital literacy and internet safety to students, parents and caregivers, businesses and organizations.
Visit their website for more information: https://thewhitehatter.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

"Daisy" - VicPD's OSI Dog

Sat, 18 Nov 2023 10:00:00 -0800

On this episode we chat with Cst. Matt King about VicPD's new OSI Dog. "Daisy" was sworn in October 2023 to be the first Operational Stress Intervention Dog at VicPD. She is a 3 yr old Golden Lab and comes from a long line of purpose bred dogs that are trained to help officers dealing with trauma and stress. Daisy came to VicPD through a partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada.

Police work includes officers attending high stress incidents repeatedly over a long career and the result can often be deterioration of one's mental health. Daisy will be there to provide comfort and joy to every employee.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Good News - Bad News

Fri, 27 Oct 2023 19:00:00 -0700

The True Blue Podcast has paused releasing further episodes related to the BMO Shooting incident from 28 June 2022 that involved officers potentially facing discipline.

Future episodes related to the shooting will be released when the OPCC investigation is concluded.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

1 Year Later Series from Bank Robbery and Shooting - Constable Mike Jarosz

Sun, 15 Oct 2023 06:00:00 -0700

You won't want to miss this episode! Mike Jarosz was 1 of 7 GVERT members inside the van that took multiple rounds from two gunmen. Mike is a TEMS Medic on the team and he shares amazing details from that horrible day. He also provides some remarkable insight into the stresses police officers have to deal with during and after a critical incident. The candidness of his psychological struggles are refreshing and speaks to why mental health supports are so important for all police officers.

GVERT - Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team
TEMS - Tactical Emergency Medical Support
NTOA - National Tactical Officers Association

**Trigger Warning**

This episode discusses the topic of a bank robbery and shooting where 2 people died and multiple others were seriously injured, some of the content may be distressing to the listener. This series of episodes was created with the objective that talking about the subject could in part provide the listener with more information about the event from many different perspectives. It could also provide the police officers, their families and others that were involved with an avenue to come forward and talk about their experiences and to encourage others suffering from mental or emotional distress to seek trauma support by reaching out to a professional or an advocate.

enter more here

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

1 Year Later Series from Bank Robbery and Shooting - Constable Ben King

Fri, 29 Sep 2023 06:00:00 -0700

Ben King is a tactical member of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) and took a rifle round in the leg on 28 June 2022 in an effort to keep our community safe. Hear Ben tell his story of being shot, the chaos at the scene, the heroes at the scene, the medical staff that put him and his friends back together, his long recovery to walk unassisted again. Ben shares his perspective on life and what's important and thanks his family, friends, colleagues and the community for their support.

**Trigger Warning**

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

1 Year Later Series from Bank Robbery and Shooting - Sgt. Laurie White

Sat, 09 Sep 2023 15:00:00 -0700

Hear the amazing story of Retired Sergeant Laurie White (RCMP) and her struggles to survive and persevere after being shot on duty in November 1998 while serving a search warrant at a residence in Kitimat, BC. She was air lifted to Vancouver and due to severe damage to her right leg Laurie awoke to finding out that her leg had been amputated just below her right knee. After ten painful months and numerous failures she was able to return to full uniform duty with the RCMP in Kitimat.

Now 25 years later, Laurie is a proud mother of 2 children and retired from policing. She also talks about her connections and willingness to share her story with Victoria and Saanich Police Officers who suffered gunshot wounds on 28 June 2022. Her book “10-33 An Officer Down Steps Back Up” is an emotional memoir and highly recommended for supporters of law enforcement everywhere.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurie-white-14643874/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

1 Year Later Series from Bank Robbery and Shooting - Police Medical Director Dr. Mark Vu

Mon, 21 Aug 2023 06:00:00 -0700

**Trigger Warning**

On this episode we hear from Dr. Mark Vu, Medical Director for Police in Greater Victoria. Today you’ll hear Dr. Vu talk about the hard work he and others have committed to the past few years and how the medical training provided to police officers saved lives on 28 June 2022.

Mark gives an amazing account of how much training police medics have taken on, how well they performed under stress and consequently, many lives were saved that day! He shares some great anecdotal stories from that day and the many days following this incident. So many different people that work at our hospitals are heroes and Mark does a great job of describing the amazing efforts that took place.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

1 Year Later Series from Bank Robbery and Shooting - EComm Dispatcher Matt Spaans

Fri, 11 Aug 2023 06:00:00 -0700

**Trigger Warning**

On this episode we hear from Matt Spaans, EComm 9-1-1 Dispatcher that was on duty at the very moment this terrible event unfolded. Matt, at that time, was 21 years old and responsible for the radio dispatch for Saanich Police; amazing! Matt talks about what it was like being in the background of the incident, having said that, you’ll realize how important the EComm 9-1-1 staff are to police officers when high risk events take place. Gunshots rang out over the radio and the 9-1-1 system went wild!

All police officers are thankful for the dedication and professionalism of Matt and all his colleagues at EComm 9-1-1. Another group of people who helped keep our community safe on that day.

https://www.ecomm911.ca/join-our-team/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

1 Year Later Series from Bank Robbery and Shooting - VCPU Director Tom Stamatakis

Mon, 31 Jul 2023 06:00:00 -0700

**Trigger Warning**

On this episode we hear from Tom Stamatakis, Executive member of the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU). Tom describes his day from 1 year ago and goes into some of the work done by the Union after all critical incidents. On this day, Tom was also deployed with a surveillance team when his day was interrupted by news of the shooting.

Upon returning to police headquarters Tom describes a state of shock he observed on police officers’ faces as he walked down the hallways. Many police members needed the support of the Union in the IIO Investigation; the transition from wondering how your colleagues were doing to becoming a helpful witness is critical to a successful investigation.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

1 Year Later Series from Bank Robbery and Shooting - Staff Sergeant John Musicco

Sat, 15 Jul 2023 06:00:00 -0700

**Trigger Warning**

On this episode we’re joined by John Musicco, the former GVERT Tactical Team Leader, who tells his story about what took place on 28 June 2022. He was one of the six police officers shot that day and was fortunate to not be seriously physically injured. You never know what a police officer will deal with on any given shift.

John’s description of the events that day provide a real perspective of the obstacles police faced that horrible day.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Pandora's Box - Cst. Mark Jenkins

Fri, 30 Jun 2023 03:00:00 -0700

VCPU Director Tom Stamatakis hosts this episode with repeat guest Cst. Mark Jenkins who serves as a "Community Resource Officer" in downtown Victoria. Mark's perspective comes from his expansive frontline experience and excellent insight into the issues the public sees and hears about.
The host, Tom Stamatakis also relates his experiences after working an overtime shift in the Pandora Avenue area and how much worse things have become since he last worked on the road. Tom and Mark go into depth about Mark's recent trip to New York City which hosted a "homeless study" for police and other service providers working with homeless populations. Much of the conversation focuses on what Victoria is doing wrong and may be shocking for people to hear.
Question - “Mark what are the biggest issues we face on the streets of Victoria?” Answer: “Drugs, Drugs, Drugs!”
Reportedly it takes 6-9 months to get into a drug treatment bed in the Victoria area. The routine includes putting addicts asking for help back into the "wet shelter" community where drugs are widespread. New York City has a much different perspective on how to manage these issues and Mark shares some of his thoughts.
What is the overall impact on the community of the large homeless encampments becoming entrenched in our parks? Mark shares a couple of stories that should enlighten the listener.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Retired Staff Sergeant Chris Horsley - Part 3 of 3

Tue, 20 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0700

In the 3rd and final part of this 3 part series with Retired Staff Sergeant Chris Horsley we go over a few topics that are currently in the news.

The complex policing issue in Surrey BC.

Amalgamation in the Greater Victoria area.

Safe Supply – not a true description of what’s happening on the streets.

Breaching Court Orders and continued lack of accountability; resulting in police having to use firearms to bring a situation to a conclusion.

Bank Robbery and shootout with Police in Saanich last year on 28 June 2022.

Police Officers dealing with trauma.

Police informing and educating the public through the media.

Chris talks about the support for the police in Oak Bay, BC.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Retired Staff Sergeant Chris Horsley - Part 2 of 3

Sat, 10 Jun 2023 06:00:00 -0700

In Part 2 of the series, with Retired Staff Sergeant Chris Horsley, we chat about some of the more interesting police investigations he touched during his career. Many of these have unique circumstances that highlight the difficulties police officers face regularly when investigating. Chris reflects on some the details he remembers.

Topics:

Peter Lee Homicide – King George Terrace

Rocket Scientist – Attempt Murder in Saanich

DNA Submissions through GEDmatch

1990 Murder of 18 yr old Cheri Lynn Smith

Missing Person December 8, 1973 – Carmen Robinson

Not guilty of infanticide in 2011 – Narumi Bito

2008 murder of real estate agent Lindsay Buziak

RCMP Shooting investigation in Surrey, BC

Catch and Release – Criminal Justice System

Bill C-48 Proposed Changes – predicts less effectiveness than being purported

Crown Counsel lack of accountability

Judicial lack of accountability

Treatment programs and facilities to help manage unaddressed mental health and addiction issues

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Retired Staff Sergeant Chris Horsley - Part 1 of 3

Wed, 31 May 2023 06:00:00 -0700

We chat with Retired Staff Sergeant Chris Horsley about his career path and some of the finer details of what he got involved in while serving the community of Saanich for the 29 years.
Chris was born and raised in Victoria, he credits the Police Reserve Program for creating an interest in a policing career. His experience includes spending time in School Liaison, Crime Prevention, Youth Detectives all while serving as the media relations officer in a part-time capacity for most of those years. The murder of Reena Virk was easily the most high profile and challenging case he dealt with while serving in the media role.
The majority of Chris' career was spent in the Major Crime Unit and he finished his policing career as the Detective Staff Sergeant. After his retirement in February 2022, Chris was enticed to take on a "Special Municipal Constable" position with the Oak Bay Police. In his spare time you'll find him in his shop working on some of the vintage cars he treasures!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Class #170 - Cst. Sarah Kaufman

Wed, 17 May 2023 08:00:00 -0700

Meet Cst. Sarah Kaufman one of the 5 new recruits in Class #170. Sarah is a former 5X World Bantamweight MMA Champion, she had an impressive 17 year career in the MMA fight world. Sarah originally went to University to become a cardiovascular surgeon but later decided that working in a laboratory wasn’t going to be for her. During Sarah’s fight career she spent a lot of time teaching young kids martial arts skills to help them prepare for life!
Moving to a policing career became the new challenge for her and with her self-confidence and need for structure and upholding rules she committed to getting hired. Sarah has a great attitude and arrives to VicPD as a mature recruit with lot of life experience. Police use of force training has evolved over the years and due to the increase of MMA training amongst the general population, police officers need to be properly prepared.
Sarah is looking forward to a diverse policing career but admits she’ll never be a K-9 handler! In her spare time Sarah is an avid jig-saw puzzler and enjoys the challenge of difficult puzzles. Sarah will continue to participate in the BC Law Enforcement Memorial “Run to Remember” and encourages others to join her on Saturday 23 September for the last 11 kilometers in support of Fallen Police Officers.

https://bclem.ca/
5th Annual BC Law Enforcement Memorial Run to Remember – West Coast

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Co-Response Team - Cst. Tristan Williams & Rob Schuckel

Sun, 30 Apr 2023 06:00:00 -0700

Learn more about the new Co-Response Team (CRT) - a partnership between VicPD and Island Health. The CRT has been up and operational since early 2023 and is intended to be "a central response resource for calls involving presumed mental health issues."
https://vicpd.ca/2023/01/30/island-health-and-vicpd-launch-co-response-team/

Our guests help describe the role and effectiveness of the CRT and discuss many other aspects surrounding the challenges of mental health issues on our streets. Rob Schuckel, Coordinator of Acute Access and Crisis Response Services at Island Health and Cst. Tristan Williams (CRT officer) have great insight and experience to share with our listeners.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

5 Canadian Police Podcasts

Sat, 15 Apr 2023 12:00:00 -0700

The Victoria City Police Union (VCPU) is honoured to share a discussion with other Canadian Police Podcasters on this unique episode of the True Blue Podcast.

"10-5" - Ontario Provincial Police Association - Josh Jutras & Scott Mills
"10-33" - Nathan Kapler (former RCMP)
"Bend Don't Break" - Delta Police - Chief Neil Dubord
"The Quiet Professional" - Edmonton Police - Nathan Romas

https://www.instagram.com/tenthirtythreeco/

https://www.instagram.com/deltapd/

https://www.instagram.com/edmontonpoliceassociation/

https://www.instagram.com/oppassociation/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Double Homicide Confession in 1 Long Day - S/Sgt. Jen Ames

Fri, 31 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0700

Daryl Baswick interviews Staff Sergeant Jennifer Ames in this fantastic episode. Jen talks about her time in the Homicide Unit and the day she got a confession from the killer - but don't stop listening - she gets another confession for a previous murder as well! (Traigo Andretti — convicted for the 2013 homicide of Jennifer McPherson, to whom he was married, and for the 2006 killing of Myrna Letandre — he later died by suicide in his cell in a Saskatchewan psychiatric facility.)
S/Sgt. Ames is a 27 year member and currently assigned to the Professional Standards Unit at VicPD. Jen is also the VicPD representative on the Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee; when you hear her background and experience you'll know why.
We also learn that Jen (as well as other VicPD members) have taken to Beekeeping in their spare time - fascinating to hear her talk about the life of the beehive. She shares her thoughts and insights on topics like Harm Reduction, drug investigations, what female police officers face in their career, how much dedication and love goes into being involved in the Tour de Rock event and her personal experiences of police managing PTSD. As a Watch Commander in Patrol, Jen observed numerous times where police officers would deal with multiple traumatic incidents in their shift.

This episode is dedicated to the memory of René Soto-Taylor. RIP

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/victoria-boy-had-9-short-years-lived-to-the-fullest-4625753

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Hostile Takeover of the Podcast

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 06:00:00 -0700

Angela Van Eerd and Fiona Ford take over hosting duties of the True Blue Podcast and decide to interview regular host Matt Waterman.
Matt served VicPD from 1991-2022 and is most proud of his 15 years of service on the Executive of the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU).

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

33 Years in Policing - Cst. Chantal Ziegler

Tue, 28 Feb 2023 06:00:00 -0800

We chat with Chantal Ziegler as her 33 years of policing is coming to an end. Chantal joined the RCMP in 1990 at 21 years old, she attended her basic training at Depot in Regina as part of an all French speaking troop. Upon graduating, the RCMP decided to post her to the small Hamlet of Evansburg, Alberta an all English and Portuguese community! One of her favourite memories in the RCMP was being trained for the Musical Ride and being posted to Banff where she was photographed for the front page of National Geographic. In 1999, Chantal joined the Calgary Police Service. More importantly she met her future husband at the Calgary Stampede! After a few years in Calgary, Chantal relocated to Victoria and joined VicPD. Chantal enjoyed working in Esquimalt as the Community Resource Officer (CRO), in the Detective Division as the Missing Persons Coordinator, as an ACT (Assertive Community Treatment) Officer, as an Under Cover Officer (UCO) and with the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT) as a Crisis Negotiator.
Chantal plans to be back working soon but not before she travels to Spain to trek on the Camino Trails. We wish her luck in her post policing career.
https://followthecamino.com/en/camino-de-santiago-routes/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Victoria Police High School Basketball - 50 Years - Cst. Jenna Carver

Tue, 14 Feb 2023 05:00:00 -0800

We talk basketball with Cst. Jenna Carver and celebrate 50 years of high school basketball tournaments put on by the Victoria City Police Athletic Association (VCPAA).
Jenna played college basketball for the VIU Mariners and grew up in Nanaimo, BC. She headed the organizing committee this year on behalf of the VCPAA and hopes to grow the tournament over the next 50 years!
The VCPAA also hosts a local high school golf tournament and provides scholarships to student athletes for their post-secondary education.
The Athletic Association would like to thank the following groups for their support of this years' tournament: Greater Victoria Police Foundation; VicPD Reserve Officer Program; St. Michaels University School; Passion Sports; Showcase Awards; Referees from Basketball Victoria.
https://www.facebook.com/VCPAthleticAssociation/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

VicPD Spokesperson - Cst. Terri Healy

Mon, 30 Jan 2023 05:00:00 -0800

Get to know the 2023 VicPD Spokesperson a bit better in this episode. Cst. Terri Healy has been a police officer for the past 14 years. She is a mother of two and loves working with and for the public. Terri discusses the mindset required to be a new mom and returning to police work after 18 months off the road and everything that could come with that. We spend a few minutes hearing Terri's opinions related to some of the dehumanizing behaviour she's experienced while wearing a police uniform. Hear Terri's thoughts on the necessity of police humour and funny stories from the street. We also get into some thoughtful comments about member wellness and resiliency.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Season 2 - Year in Review - Sgt. Hollingsworth & Sgt. Jorgensen

Sun, 15 Jan 2023 19:00:00 -0800

The President and new Vice-President of the Victoria City Police Union joined us in studio to talk about 2022 in review. Len Hollingsworth has now completed his 2nd of a 3 year term as President and Dave Jorgensen was recently acclaimed as the new Vice President of the Union replacing S/Sgt. Mike Johnston. We thank Mike for his service to the members of the Union and send him good wishes for his retirement.

Municipal Elections, Contract Bargaining, a Police Board resignation, recruiting & retention, the June 28th bank robbery, as well as updates from the BC Police Association and the Canadian Police Association are all covered in this episode.

We also wrap up with our choices of best episodes in 2022.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

MLA for Surrey South - Elenore Sturko

Tue, 22 Nov 2022 22:00:00 -0800

Former Police Officer Elenore Sturko joins us in studio to talk about her recent election to the Provincial Legislature and becoming the new representative for the residents of Surrey South. Elenore has a very diverse background and appears to be ready for her new position as MLA. Her experiences in policing make her a valuable asset to the official opposition which continues to hold the government accountable on important issues such as public safety.
https://twitter.com/elenoresturko

Interview Details:

2:30 Family influence to join the RCMP

4:20 Worked in TV and Radio

4:40 Served in the Royal Canadian Air Force

4:55 Joined the RCMP – working in Langley first

7:50 Would love to become the Sol. Gen.

9:00 Describes involvement in police media relations and then to the Diversity Unit

13:25 LGTQB rights in the RCMP – story about Sgt. Dave Van Norman

19:11 Coming out as Lesbian in her early 20’s and the stigma attached to that

23:00 Published her uncle’s diary about his police experiences and donates the proceeds to residential school survivors and young students in Nunavut schools

31:15 Discussion about being elected and the skills a former police officer brings to the role

35:30 Gang violence and the out of control illicit drug trade

37:00 Overdose deaths and lack of access to treatment

41:54 Mental Health Outreach Teams – need police to be involved

47:00 Recent announcement by NDP Government to reduce chronic repeat offenders?

52:40 Updated Crown directive regarding bail conditions and charge approval

59:00 David Eby tries to tell people “he hit the ground running” – Elenore has her doubts

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Recruiting NCO - Sgt. Joan Elliott

Fri, 11 Nov 2022 06:00:00 -0800

We get to know Sgt. Joan Elliott a bit better on this episode. Her current assignment is to manage the difficult job of recruiting new officers, jail guards, special constables and reserves. Joan has served her Country as a member of the Canadian Armed Forces; she played rugby in university and after watching the TV show “Cops” she decided to apply at VicPD in October 2000.

Her career includes time in Patrol, the Mountain Bike Squad, Detectives, Regional Crime Unit, and the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit. Joan enjoyed the change of scenery when she worked in integrated units around Greater Victoria. Joan was also a long time member of the Public Safety Unit (PSU) and specialized in the tactical less lethal squad and the search team.

Joan shares some personal insight into being a mom and police officer working shift work while being married to another police officer. The VicPD recruiting process can be lengthy and challenging but Joan takes time to highlight the positive work environment she’s enjoyed and great support from the community.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

GVERT Tactical Leader - Sgt. JJ Musicco

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 06:00:00 -0700

Sgt. Musicco currently serves as the Tactical Team Leader of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT). We’re happy that he recently joined us in studio to chat about how he and his team are doing after a very busy and traumatic past few months. Six tactical team members were wounded by gunfire on 28 June 2022 in Saanich. The GVERT serves Victoria, Esquimalt, Saanich, Oak Bay and Central Saanich.
JJ has spent 13 of his 18 years of policing in uniform on the front lines, and his service on the tactical unit of GVERT has been 12 years. He believes that police officers who choose to join GVERT are making an extraordinary commitment to their community. GVERT deals with many high stress and potentially very traumatic events anytime of the day and every day of the year.
JJ talks about some of his feelings surrounding the resolution of the high-end critical incident on 28 June 2022. Every day the GVERT is an important line of defense in keeping the citizens of Greater Victoria sheltered from violence, and unfortunately even with great training and preparation some members of GVERT suffered life altering injuries on that day. GVERT and many other police officers who responded that day need to be recognized as heroes – they kept us safe!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Delta Police Association - Sgt. Mark McKinnell (President)

Thu, 20 Oct 2022 07:00:00 -0700

While attending the 2022 BC Police and Peace Officers’ Memorial Weekend in Victoria, we got a chance to speak with Sgt. Mark McKinnell, President of the Delta Police Association. Mark has worked in Victoria and Esquimalt during his 21 years of policing but has served the remainder of his time with the Delta Police Department. Mark grew up in Campbell River, BC but seems to like mainland life more!

Mark and his Delta Police Association executive finalized their collective agreement (CA) in 2022 and he believes Delta members now have the best CA in Canada. Delta Police officers enjoy a very supportive relationship with their Mayor, Council and Police Board.

Sgt. McKinnell is currently seconded to CFSEU and specifically the Covert Asset Support Team which provides support to police agencies throughout the province needing help or resources for complex investigations.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #9 - VicPD Recruiting - Join us!

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 13:00:00 -0700

Sergeant Joan Elliott outlines the Victoria Police Department’s recruiting process for new recruits and for experienced officers looking to work in Victoria and Esquimalt. She mentions that VicPD is hiring for Civilian positions and often needs to replace Jail Guards, SMC’s and Reserve volunteers, so go to https://vicpd.ca/joinvicpd/ to learn more about all the opportunities.

VicPD offers very competitive wages and benefits, good long-term opportunities for promotion and a good variety of work within the different sections of the department. There is a positive and fun work environment in the building and around Victoria and Esquimalt you’ll meet lots of fantastic citizens who support the police.

https://vicpd.ca/joinvicpd/sworn/

https://vicpd.ca/joinvicpd/civilians/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #8 - Dean Jantzen

Thu, 06 Oct 2022 13:00:00 -0700

We hear from Detective Sergeant Dean Jantzen of the Saanich Police Association and current Councillor for The City of Colwood. Dean has over 26 years service in policing and 4 years of experience in his current Council position. We talk about some highlights of his police career and even more about his community involvement and vision for Colwood as he stands for re-election.
Dean’s experience as the media relations officer for the Saanich Police and 10 years of service on the Executive of the Saanich Police Association provide him solid knowledge that relates to work as a Municipal Councillor. He’s campaigning on a public safety platform of course which compliments the other great work being done at Colwood Council.
To learn more about Dean go to:

https://deanjantzen.ca/

https://www.facebook.com/councillorjantzen/

https://twitter.com/deanforcolwood

or send him an email at: deanforcolwood@gmail.com

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Maternity & Paternity Benefits - Cst. Chloe Staiger and Cst. Jaclyn Flaten

Thu, 15 Sep 2022 08:00:00 -0700

Two frontline police officers talk about knowing you're pregnant and when might be the best time to notify the employer to ensure a safe work environment for yourself and your child. Both Chloe Staiger and Jaclyn Flaten share their experiences relating to the Collective Agreement benefits and some of the challenges others might face when becoming a mom on Patrol.

The Victoria City Police Union is committed to enhancing the Maternity/Paternity benefit package in the Collective Agreement and working with the employer to ensure VicPD is a preferred employer for those wanting to be parents.

Jaclyn reveals the name of her unborn daughter on this podcast, and we wish her all the best on her maternity leave. Chloe is returning to frontline policing as this episode is launched and we wish her safe shifts.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Protect the Protectors – Todd Mason – Part 2

Wed, 31 Aug 2022 05:00:00 -0700

In Part 2 of this episode, Todd talks about the challenges of dealing with his Work Safe BC claim while managing his anxiety, depression and paranoia.
Todd also says, “I want to de-stigmatize mental health injuries that we all get at work, we need to change the culture, if you’re struggling, you’re not alone, you need to reach out and talk to someone.”
Todd's recovery and road back to work included an 8 week residential treatment program at the Homewood Ravensview facility. He learned a number of skills and methods that will help him deal with his anxiety and paranoid thoughts in the future. https://ravensview.com/
Lastly Todd goes into detail about the court process he participated in as a victim and the eventual sentence the offender was handed.

“It is impossible for police officers to maintain law and order unless they enjoy the support of the public and unless they are seen to have the solid backing of the courts when they are entitled to it. It is absolutely essential that all members of the public understand that violence against police officers in the course of their duties will be severely sanctioned.”

– Justice Eric F. Macklin

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Protect the Protectors – Todd Mason – Part 1

Sun, 21 Aug 2022 08:00:00 -0700

Cst. Todd Mason talks about dealing with a challenging situation in his negotiator role only 2 weeks before being rundown by a stolen car on Pandora Ave on September 27, 2021. Not only did he suffer physical injuries but the mental and emotional effects of both incidents were just as devastating. Todd talks about the lack of support from Victoria City Council and other factors that contributed to a long and dark few months after the incident.
Later in this episode, Todd goes into detail about what he remembers after being hit by the car and how he thought he was going to die.
Part 2 of Todd's interview will be out soon where he talks about the challenges of dealing with life after a severely traumatic incident and his residential treatment program at Homewood Ravensview.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

25th Anniversary - Tour de Rock - Tristan Williams & Trent Edwards

Sun, 31 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0700

Meet 2 police officers riding in the 25th Anniversary Tour de Rock event. The ride spans the length of Vancouver Island and takes place between 24 September and 7 October 2022.

Constable Tristan Williams of VicPD and Retired Saanich Inspector Trent Edwards are two members of this year’s team. Hear from them about what inspired them to participate in the event.

Cops for Cancer Tour de Rock is an exciting annual event where law enforcement and emergency services personnel raise money for childhood cancer research and support services at the Canadian Cancer Society.

Please support Tristan and Trent at the attached links:
https://www.tourderock.ca/dt_team/tristan-williams/
https://www.tourderock.ca/dt_team/trent-edwards/

https://twitter.com/@TourdeRock
https://www.instagram.com/tourderock_/?hl=en
https://www.facebook.com/CopsTourdeRock

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Class #168 - Cst. Elle Hamilton

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 08:00:00 -0700

The True Blue Podcast is proud to introduce Cst. Elle Hamilton, one of our two new recruits in Class #168 that will be training this Spring/Summer at the Police Academy. Elle was born and raised in Victoria and she continues a legacy of Hamilton's in policing as both her parents were members of the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU). She attended University in Tiffin, Ohio for 5 years on an athletic scholarship, playing Lacrosse for the Dragons! She studied Forensic Psychology obtaining a bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and in her 5th year she completed a master's degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Leadership and Change.

Elle had some experience working as a student intern while in the US and even worked security at Cleveland Browns games. She also worked as a Parking Ambassador for the City of Victoria during her summer breaks from school. Before being hired at VicPD in a full-time role she also completed the Reserve Police Program in preparation for her Justice Institute training.

You can expect Elle to continue her connection with Lacrosse in Victoria by participating in coaching other young students.

https://www.tiffin.edu/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #7 - Six officers take rounds

Thu, 07 Jul 2022 13:00:00 -0700

We are joined by Jason Whittaker, President of the Saanich Police Association and Len Hollingsworth, President of the Victoria City Police Union for a discussion on what took place in Saanich on 28 June 2022. Both organizations are working together to support the 6 officers injured in this incident. Emergency medical care and bravery were paramount on the day.
Member wellness and recovery are what's down the road for the Saanich Police Association and the Victoria City Police Union; it will be a marathon as described so nicely by Jason Whittaker.
In a joint effort, the "Stronger Together" campaign on GoFundMe has been a rousing success and speaks to the community support for the officers and their families.
The attached link is available for anyone wishing to make a donation to this worthy cause. https://gofund.me/6b77df55

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Trauma Resiliency Training - Dr. Tim Black

Thu, 30 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0700

Host Tom Stamatakis is passionate about Mental Health Wellness in Policing, and he was super thankful to interview Dr. Tim Black, Counselling Psychologist and Associate Professor at the University of Victoria. Some of Dr. Black’s focus is on First Responder Trauma and he recently provided instruction to several VCPU members in Trauma and Resiliency Training (TRT). Dr. Black’s program is a partnership with Wounded Warriors Canada. https://woundedwarriors.ca/our-programs/trauma-resiliency-training-trt/

Tim wants First Responders to understand what Trauma is, what PTSD is, how you get diagnosed and lastly how your employer/workplace treats people suffering from Trauma. His goal of educating employers and staff to better know what to look for and how to respond to maximize the treatment response. Stigmatization is always a huge barrier and the teaching model of Peer to Peer has proven effective to getting employees to take steps to get better rather than hiding their trauma.

What is Trauma? Exposed to an event where there is actual or threatened death, actual or threatened serious violence or actual or threatened sexual violence. “So much of policing is daily exposure to traumatic events” – Dr. Tim Black.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/tim-black-32208310/

https://www.facebook.com/WoundedWarriorsCanada

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

VicPD Medical Director - Dr. Mark Vu

Wed, 15 Jun 2022 08:00:00 -0700

Dr. Mark Vu has been serving as the Medical Director with VicPD since 2016. His expertise has been so important in developing programs and improving equipment at VicPD and ultimately has provided enhanced medical care and improved overall member safety.

Dr. Vu has been training all Patrol officers on basic medical care and also concentrates on making sure on duty police have access to advanced medical support while deployed at critical incidents. He is an anesthesiologist at local hospitals and has been a massive asset at VicPD helping us navigate the COVID pandemic.

25:20 - Comments on the Fentanyl Crisis
40:30 - Dr. Bonnie Henry
41:45 - Todd thanks Dr. Vu for his efforts
46:45 - Dr. Vu suits up in a CS Gas training environment

https://twitter.com/drmarkvu
https://ca.linkedin.com/in/mark-vu-07679835

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

2022 Wounded Warrior Run - Sgt. Steve Kowan

Tue, 31 May 2022 08:00:00 -0700

We're joined by Sgt. Steve Kowan who was the VicPD 2022 representative for the Wounded Warrior Run that takes place on Vancouver Island in late February. Steve and a number of his family members are police veterans, including his uncle, Sgt. Larry Young, who was killed in the line of duty while serving on the Emergency Response Team with Vancouver Police. https://vpd.ca/about-the-vpd/history/in-memoriam/fallen-officers/#larry-young
Sgt. Daryl Baswick also joins us for this interview and was a participant in the run in 2020.

Steve talks about some of his memories from visiting small towns on Vancouver Island and some of the motivation he had for participating in the run. Meeting other first responders and military veterans who suffer from trauma related injuries was inspiring for Steve. PTSD is known as the silent injury that can have a devastating effect on family as well.

https://woundedwarriors.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

A Wounded Warrior - Cst. Janis Carmena

Sun, 15 May 2022 08:00:00 -0700

We're joined by Cst. Janis Carmena who continues to be off work with PTSD. Janis talks about her incident that contributed to her not being able to continue to work on the road as a police officer. Janis participated in the Tour de Rock Cancer ride in 2016 and discusses the emotional effort attached to that annual event that police have supported for so many years. Janis wants other police officers to know what trauma support has worked for her. She speaks highly of Wounded Warriors Canada and how it helped her go through the grieving process and understanding PTSD.

We share her blog website: www.onboardtangaroa.com

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Victoria Police Reserve Program - Cst. Ryan Wilson

Sat, 30 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0700

Cst. Ryan Wilson joins us to talk about the VicPD Reserve Program. Ryan tells us what the process for applying looks like and the training that a candidate will take on. VicPD Reserves are depended on for their dedication and commitment to their community.
Anyone wanting to volunteer their time with VicPD and gain valuable experience should visit the link below:
https://joinvicpd.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Community Resource Officer - Cst. Mark Jenkins

Fri, 15 Apr 2022 08:00:00 -0700

Cst. Mark Jenkins is assigned to work as the Burnside-Gorge Community Resource Officer (CRO) at VicPD. Mark has a very difficult job of working as liaison for the citizens in that zone and working with multiple supportive housing organizations all in an effort to harmonize the needs of both. Mark is an excellent communicator and is willing to talk to anyone.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

A Rant on the Rejection of the Police Budget

Wed, 06 Apr 2022 18:00:00 -0700

Host, Matt Waterman goes on a rant about the continuous problems we see at Victoria/Esquimalt Council table where elected officials keep playing politics with Public Safety.
The Police Board system in BC is broken.
Mental Health supports outside the police department need to be shored up.
BC's Criminal Court process is allowing way too many criminals to roam our streets without considering the safety of everyday citizens.
The VCPU needs the citizens of Victoria and Esquimalt to vote in October 2022 for elected officials who support Public Safety and that will honestly and completely support our members who everyday strive to make our communities a better place to work, live and enjoy as a visitor.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Transcendental Meditation - Garry Foster & Les Sylven

Thu, 31 Mar 2022 07:00:00 -0700

Transcendental Meditation (TM) is a simple, natural technique... This form of meditation allows your body to settle into a state of profound rest and relaxation and your mind to achieve a state of inner peace, without needing to use concentration or effort.

Many police officers and other first responders practice TM to help alleviate the stresses of the job, while others use it to reduce anxiety, depression and anger. Over 10 million people around the world have been trained in TM.

We hear from Garry Foster a certified TM teacher and Les Sylven a retired police officer and long time user of TM in this episode. Garry has delivered training to some members at VicPD and wants to encourage others to consider learning the TM method. Les, in retirement, continues to further his education at UVIC studying the effects of TM on senior police leaders from across Canada.

Some useful links:
https://ca.tm.org/en/transcendental-meditation-sidney
https://www.davidlynchfoundation.ca/en/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uh7Yru3cHoA

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Retired Chief Constable - Scott Green

Tue, 15 Mar 2022 08:00:00 -0700

We speak with Retired Saanich Police Chief Scott Green and hear from him after 34 years of service to his community. Scott grew up as a Victoria Police kid; his father Detective Inspector Blake Green served for 32 years. He talks about his diverse policing career that prepared him for the ultimate position of Chief; he served as exhibit officer for the Reena Virk homicide, he spent many years on the Greater Victoria Police Emergency Response Team (GVERT) and became Team Leader and he served as Incident Commander for the Peter Lee homicides in Oak Bay. Scott talks about the Lindsay Buziak investigation and speaks positively towards the efforts put forward by his officers involved in this case. We couldn't get Chief Green to agree with our amalgamation views but you'll hear his personal opinion.
Thanks to Scott for sharing his experiences and thoughts with us on the True Blue Podcast and we wish him a long and happy retirement.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

VCPU Director at Large - Tom Stamatakis

Fri, 25 Feb 2022 08:00:00 -0800

Meet the newest Executive member of the VCPU, Tom Stamatakis will hold the Director at Large position for 2022 through 2024, congratulations to Tom. Hear him tell you about his career highlights and what he looks forward to as your Union representative.
Tom plans to make sure the Union remains a voice of reason in the community and specifically to encourage the taxpayers of Victoria and Esquimalt to vote in local Municipal elections and support the Police Department. Tom calls out Ben Isitt on this episode for his actions and behaviour while serving as a City Councillor.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Wounded Warrior Run BC - Captain Jacqueline Zweng, CD

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 08:00:00 -0800

You don't want to miss this episode! Daryl Baswick interviews Jacqueline Zweng (JZ) who is the Executive Director of Wounded Warrior Run BC. JZ is a serving member of the Cadet Instructor Cadre (CIC), a breast cancer survivor and the energy behind the Wounded Warrior Run on Vancouver Island.

Her story of surviving cancer is amazingly emotional and she turns that story into motivation for so many veterans and first responders suffering from trauma. JZ describes the beauty of Vancouver Island, it's people and their spirit so eloquently.

The Victoria City Police Union will be represented in the 2022 run by Sergeant Steve Kowan.
The 9th Annual Wounded Warrior Run will take place between 27 February - 6 March from Port Hardy to Victoria.
To donate visit https://woundedwarriorscanada.akaraisin.com/ui/woundedwarriorsvirtualrun

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Class #167 - Cst. Steve Austin

Sun, 30 Jan 2022 07:00:00 -0800

The True Blue Podcast introduces you to one more of the 7 new recruits from Class #167 being trained at the Police Academy in New Westminster in the Spring of 2022. Cst. Steve Austin was born in Melbourne, Australia but grew up in Nanaimo; he is a dual citizen of Canada and Australia. He has great experiences travelling the world before becoming a police officer. Steve set out for Nepal right after high school to teach first aid and he made it to Everest Base Camp but describes that experience as not enjoyable. He came back to Canada to get married before going to China with his new wife to teach English; after that they decided to spend time in Brisbane, Australia where Steve completed his Criminal Justice program. That landed Steve a job with the Queensland Police as an intel analyst working in the Child Abuse & Sex Crimes Unit. Steve also serves in the Australian Army Reserve and currently keeps active with the Army at the 5th Field Artillery Regiment. Steve will be away from his wife and 2 very young children while at the Police Academy but he looks forward to the experience.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Class #167 - Cst. Justin Reed & Cst. Chris Allen

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 07:00:00 -0800

The True Blue Podcast introduces you to 2 of the 7 new recruits from Class #167 being trained at the Police Academy in New Westminster in the Spring of 2022. Cst. Justin Reed and Cst. Chris Allen both previously served as Reserves with VicPD and you will hear from both of them about their own unique path to becoming a police officer. Justin has a degree in Psychology from UBC, worked at the Garth Homer Society and then for UVic Security before getting hired. Chris has a degree in History as well as a teaching certification, he spent 5 years teaching high school at Belmont and serving in the Canadian Armed Forces as a Cadet Instructor for Royal Canadian Sea Cadets in his spare time.

https://joinvicpd.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Retired Victoria City Councillor - Chris Coleman

Mon, 10 Jan 2022 07:00:00 -0800

Chris Coleman served on Council for the City of Victoria for 20 years. His love of Victoria and it's people become evident in this interview. Chris believes that if you're going to serve the public you should learn the most you can about all City functions. Chris experienced multiple police ride-along adventures and got a chance to see the professionalism and dedication of police officers working in Victoria and Esquimalt.

Chris highlights the need for governors to understand the way police are effected on the street by decisions at the governing table. He believes the principles of Sir Robert Peel still have a place in today's society and he quotes Principle #9 and notes how it can be incorrectly interpreted at times. Chris wants everyone to watch a video developed by the University of Washington on the Peelian Principles: http://police.uw.edu/faqs/the-peelian-principles/

Chris is a supporter of Restorative Justice and believes it should be an available option for law enforcement. He comments briefly about the Defund the Police movement and how the unintended consequences have proven the movement untenable. He knows addressing the perception and reality of public safety in the downtown area needs to be a priority to achieve a vibrant city.

Will Chris commit to running for another Municipal election?? We ask him.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Season 1 - Year in Review

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 19:00:00 -0800

Season 1 of the True Blue Podcast is dedicated to the memory of Marisa Neilson, may she Rest in Peace.

The podcast team runs through the list of episodes and the list of topics to highlight our challenges, our successes and our goals for Season 2.

Opioid Crisis; Meth Crisis; Mental Health Crisis; police involved shootings; illegal protests; defund the police movement; Crime Severity Index; assaults on Police; random attacks on citizens; treatment and care for young persons; the RCMP organize a Union; $20,000 recruiting bonus; public support of improving public safety and the police budget; Charlayne Thornton-Joe and Canada Day; atmospheric river; our favourite episodes; 2022 Municipal Elections.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Human Trafficking - SVU Detectives - Det. Rosheen Lord and Det. Art Volk

Fri, 10 Dec 2021 07:00:00 -0800

Two experienced Detectives from the Special Victims Unit (SVU) at VicPD talk to us about Human Trafficking (HT). HT is a complicated crime that involves Force, Fraud and Coercion - it occurs in stages and it is very difficult to get out of. Human Trafficking is one of Canada's fastest growing crimes. Victoria Police doesn't currently have an HT Unit but many frontline officers have been trained by these Detectives to watch out for signs that might indicate the crime is occurring.
If you know anyone or are concerned you're involved in Human Trafficking you can call:
Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010, or find more information at
Children of the Street at 1-877-551-6611.

https://www.canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca/

https://www.childrenofthestreet.com/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Citified Media - Mike Kozakowski

Tue, 30 Nov 2021 19:00:00 -0800

Mike is the President of Citified Media which tracks the real estate construction industry in Greater Victoria. He joins us to chat about development in downtown Victoria. The potential for new development is about to burst! At times it seems amazing that developers would spend money in a downtown that isn't always that friendly or safe but the almighty dollar talks. It's hard to dispute that a new building with amenities in the neighbourhood for the residents will help improve our community. Mike also talks about his positive personal experiences of the Esquimalt Police officers he got to know as a teen in Esquimalt High School.

https://victoria.citified.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Remembrance Day (Part 2) - Sgt. Sean Cowperthwaite, CD

Thu, 11 Nov 2021 11:00:00 -0800

For generations, Canadians have dedicated their lives to preserve peace and freedom. To honour those who have served and continue to serve, we pause for 2 minutes of silence on Remembrance Day. Make November 11th the most unforgettable day of the year.

Sgt. Sean Cowperthwaite served 20 years in Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) and as part of Canada's peacekeeping missions to Cypress and to Bosnia on four separate occasions.
http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/lord-strathconas-horse/index.page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Strathcona%27s_Horse_(Royal_Canadians)
Three members of the LSH (RC) have been awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) - the highest military honour for "conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy".

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Remembrance Day (Part 1) - Rick Anthony

Mon, 08 Nov 2021 19:00:00 -0800

Canadians often take freedom for granted.
We have the right to exist and move about our country without threat, we are able to freely express ourselves, and we enjoy so many other freedoms that are protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
This certainty has been threatened before; those who serve or have served in our armed forces for the good of Canada and their fellow Canadians deserve our respect.

Wear a poppy and reflect on November 11th every year and remember how lucky you are!

Rick Anthony (retired VCPU member) talks to us about some of VicPD's men who gave their lives in the protection of Canada and our freedoms. He also talks about his own Peacekeeping mission to Kosovo while serving as a police officer.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Class #166 - Cst. Chris McMahon & Cst. Matthew Wesley

Sat, 30 Oct 2021 07:00:00 -0700

The True Blue Podcast introduces you to 2 more of the 6 new recruits from Class #166 being trained at the Police Academy in New Westminster in the Fall of 2021. Cst. Chris McMahon and Cst. Matthew Wesley hadn't even been on the road at the time of this interview but you will hear from both of them about their own path to become a VicPD member. Cst. McMahon is a 22 yr veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, a father of 6 children and has served overseas on 4 different occasions. Cst. Wesley is a trained US Marine Corps member, a huge fan of Formula 1 racing and has also served overseas in Afghanistan. Anyone wanting to become a police officer should listen to this episode for advice and to understand what it takes to be employed with VicPD.
https://joinvicpd.ca/

https://thercr.ca/
https://www.marines.com/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #6 - Crisis at VicPD (Part 2) - Cst. Jenna Carver and Cst. Kris Greffard

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 18:00:00 -0700

In Part 2, we have two more guests who will tell us about the violence police face everyday. Cst. Jenna Carver and her partner Cst. Lisa Forcier were both assaulted in the course of their duties; Jenna was punched in the face and she can't get the images out of her head watching Lisa being assaulted. Jenna describes the feeling of waiting, seemingly forever, for help to arrive and how satisfying it is to have her colleagues come to her aid.

Cst. Kris Greffard then talks about watching her close friend and our podcast team member Todd Mason be struck by a stolen vehicle while on duty in the 900 Block of Pandora Avenue. Todd Mason is well known amongst the street population and by those who help manage them, he is a caring individual and he will be off work for months now. Kris shares her thoughts with us and how terrible this event was.

Both of these events further highlight the violence being brought onto police officers while serving a protecting. This episode also serves as evidence that our mental health system is broken and not accountable for the random violence that police and others suffer when clients are turned back out in the community without real treatment and care.
We need to do better.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #6 - Crisis at VicPD (Part 1) - Cst. Jenny LeQuesne

Sun, 17 Oct 2021 18:00:00 -0700

Union President Len Hollingsworth joins us in the studio to set up these Bonus Episodes where we hear about the effects of the lack of resources and the increased hostility against our Union sisters and brothers. In Part 1 of the Bonus Episode, you will hear from Cst. Jenny LeQuesne who was injured two years ago while apprehending a disturbed male in need of hospitalization. The details of the assault on her are scary and violent.

Jenny is a 14 year veteran of the police department, a mother of two children and now so severely injured she will never be able to return to operational policing. She has been diagnosed with PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, the kick to her head has left her with a serious neuro-cognitive disorder which has changed her life. Jenny has written a "break-up letter" to policing and tells us about how hard it was to write that letter.

Later in this episode, Jenny talks about her volunteer work where she walks dogs at the local animal shelter as part of her recovery therapy. Unfortunately, Jenny was assaulted by another disturbed person recently further highlighting the violence in our streets.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Class #166 - Cst. Lee Jackson & Cst. Lyndon Jarvis

Sun, 10 Oct 2021 07:00:00 -0700

The True Blue Podcast introduces you to 2 of the 6 new recruits from Class #166 being trained at the Police Academy in New Westminster in the Fall of 2021. Cst. Lee Jackson and Cst. Lyndon Jarvis hadn't even been on the road at the time of this interview but you will hear from both of them about their own path to become a VicPD member. Anyone wanting to become a police officer should listen to this episode for advice and to understand what it takes to be employed with VicPD.

https://joinvicpd.ca/
@JIBCnews

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce - Bruce Williams

Thu, 30 Sep 2021 08:00:00 -0700

Meet Bruce Williams, the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and hear him talk about the state of business in Victoria and area. We discuss the need for a swift financial recovery as the pandemic restrictions are lifted. Bruce talks about reducing crime and diversifying the economy to help get Victoria back on track. The 1340 members of the Chamber have selected an excellent representative to advocate for enhanced relationships, strong partnerships and good Chamber policy that supports commercial vitality.
https://twitter.com/ChamberVictoria
https://www.victoriachamber.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Homicide Detective - Det. David Bratzer

Mon, 20 Sep 2021 07:00:00 -0700

Guest host Daryl Baswick talks with Detective Bratzer who currently works in the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit and is well known for his successful BC Human Rights Tribunal case against the Victoria Police Department in 2013 - case heard in 2015 and decision released on 4/20/2016. He served as President of L.E.A.P. (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition) and has given evidence in front of the Senate to advocate for changes to drug laws.

Dave tells the world he learned to drive during his Block II training and over the following couple years as a patrol officer. Great story about working with Murray Bayles.

Detective Bratzer talks about suffering an OSI (Operational Stress Injury) while investigating a file in the homicide unit. He highlights the need for officers to feel supported by the employer, your family and your colleagues.

The VCPU is thankful to Dave for standing up for everyone's right to express their political beliefs!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Jeff Bray - Executive Director, Downtown Victoria Business Association

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 07:00:00 -0700

Join us on this episode and hear Jeff Bray talk about his vision for a vibrant and diverse downtown core in Victoria. Jeff is the Executive Director at the Downtown Victoria Business Association (DVBA) and has great insight on street disorder problems and his opinion on decentralizing services that support the homeless population should be heard. The DVBA wants the BC Provincial Government to move quickly on implementing complex care supports for the addicted and mentally ill people living in a toxic environment. Downtown Victoria should not be a scary place to work or visit.

The DVBA continues to work with the police on initiatives like "Block Watch for Business" and deploys their "Clean Team" throughout the downtown core to promote safety and cleanliness. The VCPU wants to thank the over 1300 members of the DVBA for their support.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Esquimalt Ribfest - Tom Woods

Tue, 31 Aug 2021 09:00:00 -0700

This is an excellent interview with Tom Woods, Committee Chair of the Esquimalt Ribfest which occurs 10-12 September 2021 at Bullen Park in Esquimalt.
https://www.esquimaltribfest.com/welcome/
https://www.facebook.com/EsquimaltRibfest
Esquimalt Ribfest (@EsqRibFest) | Twitter
Ribfest supports the Esquimalt Firefighters Charitable Foundation and partners with SD61 with a goal of putting in a turf field facility at Esquimalt High School. https://www.esquimaltribfest.com/es-whoy-malth-community-field-collaboration/

Special thanks to these sponsors of the Esquimalt Ribfest.
https://www.onni.com/
https://farmer-ltd.com/
https://brewiselectric.com/

Tom is a long time Esquimalt resident and former Esquimalt Police/Fire member who served his community throughout a long and distinguished career. Tom was a member of the VCPU in 2003 during the police amalgamation of Victoria and Esquimalt. Tom's dedication to supporting youth sports and giving back to his community is second to none.
His efforts as a founding member of Rock Solid and the WITS Program have garnered national recognition and focusses on preventing youth violence and anti-bullying. https://witsprogram.ca/about-us/

Plan to visit Esquimalt Ribfest for great food and to support these great causes. On Saturday night hear the headliner band "Bad Moon Riders" and enjoy recognition efforts for frontline nurses and Emma Entzminger, from Canada's Bronze Medal Softball Team.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Restorative Justice Victoria - Gillian Lindquist

Fri, 20 Aug 2021 07:00:00 -0700

The Executive Director of Restorative Justice (RJ) Victoria drops into the podcast studio to talk about this important alternative measures program. Gillian Lindquist has been working with Restorative Justice since 2009. http://www.rjvictoria.com/

"Restorative Justice is a set of principles and values about how to deal with a harm or wrongdoing." There is an opportunity for the people involved in the offense to sit down and talk about what happened, but the offender must have already committed to accepting responsibility for their actions and this is an opportunity to make things right.

The VCPU wants the provincial government to properly fund these programs and provide suitable training to the police to properly prepare our members for the RJ process.
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/bcs-criminal-justice-system/understanding-criminal-justice/restorative-justice

Police play an important role in determining which offenders or events are referred through for an RJ resolution.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Victoria By-Law Services - Shannon Perkins

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 07:00:00 -0700

Guest host Daryl Baswick interviews retired Sergeant Shannon Perkins and current Manager of By-Law and Licensing Services for the City of Victoria. Shannon has 30 years policing experience with London (Ontario) Police, Esquimalt Police and Fire and VicPD. She talks about her memories of investigating the Reena Virk (14 year old teen) homicide file, managing the High Risk Offender program at VicPD and finishing her career as the Traffic Section Sergeant. Her career in policing prepared her for her current role managing By-Law Services for the City of Victoria; she has been at the helm throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and managed all the related challenges. Shannon loves her motorcycle and laughing with friends away from work; we wish continued success and safety to Shannon and her By-Law Services staff.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Integrated Canine Section - Sgt. Calvin Ewer

Fri, 30 Jul 2021 07:00:00 -0700

Sgt. Calvin Ewer is the NCO in charge of the newly formed Integrated Canine Section (ICS). The K-9 handlers and their police service dogs are valuable resources to Patrol Officers in both VicPD and Saanich PD. Everyone likes to talk about dogs!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wm4qHBTBek8
https://twitter.com/ics_k9

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Treating PTSD with EMDR - Psychotherapist Peter Ciceri

Wed, 21 Jul 2021 11:00:00 -0700

We talk with Peter Ciceri, a psychotherapist and trauma counsellor certified in the use of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) to manage trauma and PTSD. His practice is generally used by first responders and he's really beginning to understand the struggles Police Officers are dealing with on a daily basis. He says the brain can't distinguish between a psychical injury or an emotional injury, so get treatment or help for that injury.

He knows the goal for every police department is "to have a high functioning police force not suffering from PTSD or trauma" and he can help meet that goal.
His website is: http://www.ciceri.com/

Peter also wants to remind police officers that "getting mental health assistance is not a weakness".

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #5 - Surviving Cystic Fibrosis - New Miracle Medication - "Trikafta"

Wed, 14 Jul 2021 14:00:00 -0700

**Update**
On Tuesday October 5th 2021, the BC Government agreed to fund Trikafta as new medication for many people living with Cystic Fibrosis. The VCPU is happy to see this announcement.

Sgt. Dale Sleightholme is passionate about a new miracle medication for those living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and the reason is that his son has been living with CF his whole life and he wants him to be able to live a long life. Dale is advocating to have Provincial Governments approve the distribution of Trikafta; this new medication has recently been approved by Health Canada. You will hear Dale describe what kids/adults with CF have to struggle with; a severely reduced lung capacity and how they will die without this new medication.

We are also joined by serving Winnipeg Police officer Jeremy Vosbourgh who lives with CF - we want Jeremy to be able to complete his police career and enjoy a healthy retirement and see him get access to Trikafta.

Go to this page to sign the petition to approve Trikafta:
https://action.cysticfibrosis.ca/page/81341/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=webbanner&_ga=2.127899211.779444189.1621289247-627863890.1621289247
Talk to your local MLA to voice your support to have this medication available to save lives!

https://www.cysticfibrosis.ca/news/health-canada-approval-of-transformational-cystic-fibrosis-medication-brings-hope-to-cf-community?p=1

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

E-Comm 9-1-1 - Tanya Silletta

Sat, 10 Jul 2021 07:00:00 -0700

We talk with Tanya Silletta from E-Comm 9-1-1 and a long time VicPD Communications Centre employee. Tanya gives her views on what a call-taker or dispatcher has to deal with in today's busy 9-1-1 world. The job done within that field is critical to the success of any first responder attending calls for service.
VCPU members are thankful for the dedicated employees at E-Comm for the great job they do 24/7.
Remember don't call 9-1-1 to ask when the next earthquake will be!

https://twitter.com/EComm911_info
https://www.instagram.com/ecomm911_info/
https://www.facebook.com/EComm911info
https://www.ecomm911.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

VicPD Jail Facility - S/Cst. Eric Hinrichsen

Wed, 30 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0700

Hear from Special Constable Eric Hinrichsen on the difficult job he and other guards have in caring for prisoners in the VicPD cells. Working in the cells environment is often an under appreciated roll within the VCPU. Eric's stories about growing up on Vancouver Island playing basketball at UVIC and for Team Canada in the Olympics are pretty cool.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

"The Scientist" - Cst. Mike Jarosz

Sun, 20 Jun 2021 08:00:00 -0700

Cst. Mike Jarosz is a recently trained as a Police Explosives Technician and serves as a tactical member of the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team (GVERT). Mike has 5 years experience at Victoria Police, his interests before policing included completing his degree at the University of Victoria in Chemistry and a couple of summers fighting fires in BC's forests. Mike and his wife have both committed years of their time towards youth development in the Royal Canadian Sea Cadet organization, specifically teaching Cadets to sail.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Openly Lesbian Police Officer - Cst. Jen Gilroy

Thu, 10 Jun 2021 17:00:00 -0700

In this episode, get to know Jen Gilroy and her path to becoming a police officer. She has completed 2 years service in the Patrol Division and loves being a street cop. She has a background that includes service as a Corrections Officer and was a long time catcher for Team Canada in Women's Baseball. Jen was previously mentioned in episode #9 when she and her partner saved the life of a male who suffered a knife wound to his carotid artery. Believe us when we say "you will be thankful if Cst. Gilroy is the cop who comes to investigate your criminal incident". Jen is a proud lesbian working as a police officer and an inspiration to other young women thinking about a career in policing.
#Pride

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Openly Gay Police Officer - Cst. Tom Clandening

Sun, 30 May 2021 08:00:00 -0700

Meet VicPD's only openly gay male police officer and hear him talk about the process of getting hired as a police officer and achieving his life-long goal! Tom is currently posted to the mountain bike squad and is in his 6th year of policing. Tom also provides some sage advice for young gay males thinking about becoming a police officer. #Pride

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Homicide Detective - S/Sgt. Craig Harper

Thu, 20 May 2021 08:00:00 -0700

He drove from Victoria to Edmonton in his 77 Camaro to join the Edmonton Police Service in November 1987. Staff Sergeant Craig Harper has been a Major Crimes Detective for half his career and was well-known for his affiant writing on homicide files. We wish a happy retirement to Craig after a long and satisfying career.

https://twitter.com/YEGPA

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Meet one of our newest Recruits - Cst. Allie DeLarge

Mon, 10 May 2021 09:00:00 -0700

As one of our newest Union members Allie gives you some insight into becoming a police officer. She has less than 1 year experience but her background has prepared her for taking on the role and she's willing to learn. Born and raised in the Victoria area Allie is committed to her community and to serve as a police officer in a respectful manner. She is a graduate of the University of Washington and competed on their rowing team. We wish Allie a safe and long career!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Esquimalt Police and Fire - Retired Insp. Clark Russell

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0700

In January 1978, Clark was almost hired by the Victoria Police but he was deemed "too tall"; so a short time later he was hired by Esquimalt Police & Fire. He continued as both a Police Officer and Firefighter until 2003 when the Provincial government ordered the amalgamation of Victoria and Esquimalt Police.
Clark talks about some of the things that were part of why the amalgamation was necessary, including the Gijon ship fire in the Esquimalt Graving Dock which lasted a couple of days. Clark's career carried on successfully with VicPD for another 10 years - many Union members enjoyed working for Clark!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #4 - Too Many Guns on the Street

Sat, 24 Apr 2021 08:00:00 -0700

The podcast team talks about the frequency of guns on the street that VCPU members are having to deal with. Real or replica weapons are a disaster waiting to happen. Gun violence is no joke and will impact our community in the worst way - offenders must be held accountable.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Media Liaison Officer - Cst. Cam MacIntyre

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 09:00:00 -0700

You have probably seen Cst. Cam MacIntyre on television but this podcast episode will provide you with much more insight into his life past and present.
He grew up in Sooke, BC, he played hockey in the BJCHL, he is a Princeton University graduate, he was an NHL prospect, he enjoys being the media liaison officer and he's a new father!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #3 - Hate Crimes

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 11:00:00 -0700

Recent hate motivated incidents in the Victoria area have been occurring at places of worship and this is becoming a very disturbing trend. Hear Detective Rob Horne (VicPD Hate Crimes Coordinator) talk about the difficulty of prosecuting hate motivated offences. Breaking the cycle of hate needs to a priority in our community.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Volunteering with the Victoria Royals Hockey Team - Cst. Ross Smith and Cst. Rae Robirtis

Wed, 31 Mar 2021 07:00:00 -0700

Ross and Rae are two senior members of the Union with a great background and lots of life experience to pass on to young WHL hockey players. Ross and Rae have been volunteering with the Victoria Royals for the past 10 years helping to make Victoria a great place to live and play hockey. Numerous VCPU officers contribute to their local community by volunteering.
@victoriaroyals
http://www.victoriaroyals.com/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #2 - Police involved shooting

Sun, 28 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0700

The True Blue Podcast team talks about a recent officer involved shooting in the Royal Jubilee Hospital emergency room. The VCPU has recently expressed concerns in the media about the level of violence in the community and some of the gaps in the services provided to people with mental health issues, people dealing with addictions and persons experiencing homelessness. This episode highlights our belief that further discussion needs to occur regarding potential solutions that might help avoid incidents like this in our community.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Bonus Episode #1 - Meet the Podcast Team

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 20:00:00 -0700

This is your chance to hear directly from the True Blue Podcast production team. They will introduce themselves and talk a little bit about how busy members of the VCPU can be and how many different hats we wear outside of our regular policing duties.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Partners in Life - Cst. Fiona Ford and Cst. Angela Van Eerd

Sat, 20 Mar 2021 10:00:00 -0700

Both guests had no intention of being police officers until they experienced a ride-a-long! Fiona and Angela were hired by Vancouver Police where they started busy and challenging careers but found they wanted to explore options that might give them a better work/life balance. Vancouver Island became an attractive option and the Victoria Police was recruiting exempt (fully trained and experienced) police officers. These members have energy and will entertain the listener with some good stories and fun memories. Anyone considering a career with Victoria Police should take the time to listen to this episode. Fiona and Angela tell their spur of the moment marriage proposal story that took place on a Lanikai Pillbox hike.

*Update* Angela Van Eerd becomes the first ever female elected to an Executive position in the VCPU. Congratulations!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Cross Fit Constable - Cst. Jaclyn Flaten

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 11:00:00 -0800

With only 1 year experience on the road get to know Jaclyn and what she went through to get into a policing career. Jaclyn was part of the first JIBC Police Academy class to graduate during the COVID-19 pandemic. She ran the POPAT wearing a medical mask and rubber gloves but as a competitive cross-fit athlete that was not much of a challenge!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

A Police Manager recognizes great work on the Road - Insp. Colin Brown

Sun, 28 Feb 2021 10:00:00 -0800

Hear this compelling story from one of our Manager's getting out on the road to witness the hard work and commitment of VCPU members. Inspector Brown is a practicing lawyer, husband and father of two children, his family has a long history of policing in Victoria and Esquimalt.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Twins on the Job - Cst. Morgan and Mackenzie Humphries

Sun, 14 Feb 2021 11:00:00 -0800

These two young Constables from small town BC are full of energy and living out their dreams of being a police officer. Citizens of Victoria and Esquimalt may think they're seeing double in 2021 when both Mack and Morgan get deployed to the Beat Section.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Retired Chief Constable - Doug Richardson

Sat, 30 Jan 2021 09:00:00 -0800

Chief Doug Richardson is a well respected former leader of the Victoria Police Department. He talks about his policing career and how things have changed so much since he started with VicPD in 1967! He has a great story about chasing a track and field champion from a crime scene.
Doug lead the way and helped bring the Victoria Police Department into the future throughout his 8 year term as Chief Constable.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Addiction and Treatment - S/Sgt. Conor King

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 10:00:00 -0800

Listen to S/Sgt. Conor King describe his experience with people addicted to opioids and his view on the future of Drug Laws in Canada. Conor is qualified to present evidence in BC Courts as an "expert". He has years of experience as a drug enforcement officer.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Special Victims Unit - Sgt. Jan Malinosky

Sun, 10 Jan 2021 10:00:00 -0800

Sgt. Jan Malinosky is the NCO in charge of the Special Victims Unit and will be talking about her experiences and the difficult files her Unit works on. She is also on the Executive of the Vancouver Island Association of Women Police (VIAWP), a new organization working to support, promote and empower the personal and professional development of women in law enforcement.
https://instagram.com/viawomenpolice?igshid=10782i461m3g6
https://www.facebook.com/viawomenpolice

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Working Patrol during an Opioid Crisis - Sgt. Darrell Fairburn

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 10:00:00 -0800

Sgt. Fairburn is an experienced Patrol supervisor with varied experiences in his policing career. He completed the "toughest foot race on earth" the Marathon des Sables on his 40th birthday! Darrell is considered a pioneer when it comes to saving lives during the Opioid Crisis in Victoria - he estimates saving over 50 lives. Awesome!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Undercover Mom - S/Sgt. Kerrilee Jones

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 14:00:00 -0800

Guest host Sergeant Daryl Baswick talks to Kerrilee Jones about the variety of things she's been able to accomplish in her career. The details of her work in an undercover role is a very compelling story. The operation was conducted in support of a Victoria homicide file.
This interview provides good insight into how in depth police investigations can be and the effort officers make to get a resolution. Hear Kerrilee talk about the complications related to the cycle of domestic violence and her experience as a crisis negotiator with the Greater Victoria Emergency Response Team.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

Some Historical Perspective - Sgt. Jonathan Sheldan

Sun, 06 Dec 2020 14:00:00 -0800

Sgt. Jonathan Sheldan is currently the NCO in charge of the Forensic Identification Section (FIS) and has been integrally involved in the Victoria Police Historical Society throughout his career. Sgt. Sheldan talks about conducting police patrols in the downtown core on horseback!

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast

The Union President (2006-2020) - Sgt. Sean Plater

Wed, 25 Nov 2020 14:00:00 -0800

Meet the President of the Victoria City Police Union (2006-2020) and hear from Sean Plater to learn more about his policing career. Sean was a K-9 handler with his partner "Alf". He talks about taking rounds from career criminal and heroin addict Stephen Reid of The Stopwatch Gang during a bank robbery!

Sean served half of his career as the Union President.
https://truebluevic.ca/
https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/?ref=page_internal
https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEzbit-cePS3z8pe11l8Jyw

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

- Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

- Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

- Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

- Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

- Email us at media@vcpu.ca for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast