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Date: November 7, 2025
Mr. Glen Lewis
Assistant Deputy Minister, Policing and Security Branch
Province of British Columbia
Subject: Vancouver Police Board Support for a Temporary VPD Police Academy
Dear Mr. Lewis,
It is my understanding that the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) recently made a formal request to establish a temporary police academy. I wish to advise you that the Vancouver Police Board (Board) expresses its full and unequivocal support for Chief Constable Steve Rai’s efforts to create a temporary academy.
The Board recognizes the urgency and necessity of this temporary academy due to the persistent officer vacancies creating challenges to VPD’s operations and the financial results. The VPD, as the largest municipal police agency in British Columbia, is uniquely positioned to address this gap through the rapid deployment of a temporary academy, leveraging its existing infrastructure, instructional expertise, and operational readiness.
As the core city for the region and province, the VPD faces mounting pressures from ongoing protests, a mental health crisis, and street disorder impacting safety and commerce. Daily population surges and the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 further underscore the need for a stronger, well-resourced police presence. Compounding these demands are escalating overtime costs and growing concerns around officer wellness, as staffing shortages stretch personnel beyond sustainable limits and threaten operational readiness.
I wish to also emphasize that a comprehensive internal VPD staffing audit is needed at this time. The Board, through its HR Committee, will be discussing a full review of the VPD’s secondment model, which currently allocates approximately 100 experienced officers to external agencies. While these secondments have historically supported federal and provincial policing priorities, the current environment demands a reassessment. As part of this staffing review, we assert the need for strategic reallocation of select seconded personnel back into core VPD operations and investigative divisions to address existing service gaps and enhance frontline capacity, as well as ensure officer wellness.
The Board is concerned that without immediate action to establish a temporary VPD Police Academy, the VPD may be forced to reallocate seconded officers back to frontline duties. While this measure may be necessary to maintain policing functions, it risks destabilizing regional partnerships and undermining collaborative efforts that are vital to public safety across British Columbia. We are looking to you for assistance and support.
Please give serious consideration to VPD’s proposal. Should this request be conceptually supported by your office, we would move quickly to request the Chief and the VPD team to prepare an immediate plan to be delivered, with details on how the temporary academy can be established in an expeditious manner.
We thank you for your attention and support on this critical matter. We look forward to your response and your continued collaboration towards strengthening public safety across British Columbia.
Sincerely,
Frank Chong
Chair, Vancouver Police Board
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