Welcome to the Vancouver Police Department Public Affairs Section. We are dedicated to keeping you informed on topics of public interest and how your police department is working to keep you safe.
The Vancouver Police Department was one of the first police departments in North America to hold a daily press conference for our local media. At the conference, we discuss what has happened in the city overnight, as well as give updates for ongoing investigations. We also give out any public advisories or suspect descriptions, asking for the public's assistance. Media relations is a major activity for this section, with our two media relations officers fielding hundreds of calls every week from local, national and international media for information and interviews.
The Public Affairs Section is also responsible for planning and coordinating events and ceremonies involving the police department, including our participation in remembrance and award ceremonies, parades, charity events, trade shows and community events such as the Children's Festival.
The Section produces the publication Beyond the Call which is dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the achievements of Vancouver Police Department officers and civilians who routinely go beyond the call of duty. It is available to the public, as well as employees, both in hard copy and on the internet.
In 2004, the Department took the unprecedented step of publishing our Annual Report in The Vancouver Sun, which was also produced by the Public Affairs Section, along with input from other sections of the department, and we have continued to do so every year since.
In December 2005, the VPD launched an innovative crime prevention program, called "Are You Helping Thieves?" This multimedia campaign, involving TV, radio, print, brochures, as well as bus shelters and Skytrain posters, produced media exposure worth more than a half a million dollars, all of it donated by partners interested in crime prevention. This Section was and continues to be the driving force behind the campaign.