On behalf of the West Vancouver Police Department, I would like to express our gratitude for the opportunity to work on the unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples and the sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) and səl̓ ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) Nations. We are humbled to serve in a place of unparalleled natural beauty and with communities that are rich in culture and diversity.
It is important to recognize and state openly that the climate around policing has changed. Recent world events have caused the public to question the role of the police and there is now a heightened demand for police accountability and a significant increase in public scrutiny. At the West Vancouver Police Department, we view this critical examination of police agencies as an opportunity for us to listen to the expressed wants and needs of the people we serve. To maintain and build on our community’s confidence in us, we must continuously improve and evolve as a police department.
Serving as West Vancouver’s Chief Constable, I also recognize that this is a challenging time to be working in the policing profession and that it is essential to ensure that all of our staff feel supported while the eye of the public is on them.
All staff in our Department share in the privilege and responsibilities of protecting and serving our community and supporting one another. Our Strategic Plan focuses our attention on four goals: purposeful outreach with diverse ethnic groups, crime reduction, health and wellness of staff, and contributions to our community.
I am especially excited to see our department progress and to be a part of providing an unsurpassed service delivery to the residents of West Vancouver and Xwemelch’stn.
On behalf of all staff at WVPD, I am honoured to present our 2022-2025 Strategic Plan.
Chief Constable John Lo
