VPD appoints 3 new leaders
Recent retirements make way for promotions to key roles
The Vancouver Police Department is getting a trio of new leaders.
Chief Adam Palmer announced Monday that Supt. Howard Chow is being promoted to deputy chief constable, and inspectors Marcie Flamand and Martin Bruce are being promoted to superintendent.
Chow will take over for retiring deputy chief Warren Lemcke as head of the operations division. Lemcke is retiring at the end of the month.
Flamand and Bruce are both long-standing officers. Flamand has been leading the diversity and Indigenous relations section while Bruce has been heading up the organized crime unit.
Their new roles as superintendents are yet to be determined.
The department has three deputy chief constables at any time; the other two divisions are investigations and support services.
There are six superintendents who report to the three deputy chief constables.
The VPD said in a news release that the selections were made after an internal completion was held for the three positions after recent retirements. “I am very proud to welcome three great leaders into key leadership roles,” Palmer said.
“Our new Deputy Chief Constable Howard Chow is a skilled and experienced police officer, and an innovative and respected leader.”
Chow joined the department in 1989, after completing a degree in criminology at SFU. He’s worked in patrol, on the dog squad, in the crowd control, recruiting and traffic sections. As an inspector, he headed District 2, which covers the northeastern areas of the city, including much of the Downtown Eastside. He was also in charge of the department’s facilities for a time.
He was also the department’s media liaison from 2004 to 2008.
Flamand joined the VPD in 1987. She has worked in patrol, the public information counter, strike force, recruiting, and as a neighbourhood officer. She has also worked as duty officer. As an inspector she led the diversity and Indigenous relations section. A graduate of Langara College, she is involved with the Vancouver Police Officers’ Association, the DTES Sisterwatch Program and the Pulling Together Canoe Journey. She’s been recognized for her service many times, including an outstanding alumni award from Langara last year.
Bruce was a police officer in Northern Ireland with the Royal Ulster Constabulary for six years before moving to Canada in 1993. He joined the VPD in 1995. He has worked in districts 2 and 3 (which covers the southeastern part of the city), the gang crime unit, the missing women’s task force and the national weapons enforcement support team.
As a sergeant he worked at the city jail and in the criminal intelligence unit. He was the inaugural staff sergeant for the organized crime section. He also worked for the professional standards section. As an inspector, he has returned to lead the organized crime section.