4226 replies to this topic

[Victoria Watcher]

Dear Communities, 

As part of our commitment to community-first policing, the Victoria Police Department (VicPD) is seeking your input and feedback on our current services and future priorities through a 10-minute survey. 

Your feedback is essential in shaping our future strategic direction an ensuring we continue to meet and prioritize the needs of our communities. Your responses will remain anonymous. The final summary of findings will be made public, reflecting our commitment to transparency and accountability.  

On behalf of the VicPD team, I thank you for your time and effort in helping us further improve the safety and well-being in our communities.  

To ensure your responses are included in our final report, please complete the survey by April 15, 2026. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at engagement@vicpd.ca or (250) 995-7265. 
 
Chief Constable Fiona Wilson 

 

 

 

https://ca.decipheri...HF16WK4fDjwfQ#?

[pontcanna]

[Victoria Watcher]

VicPD not the victims in this story

 

VicPD has made quite a show lately about how they will no longer offer support to the weekly pro-peace marches, how, after 126 weeks and 10,000 hours, their officers need a rest.

They say they will be ­“prioritizing officer wellness” as if policing peace ­protests every Saturday was an ­unreasonable burden.

After 2.5 years of Benjamin ­Netanyahu’s relentless mission to wipe out all Palestinians, those of us who have been demanding peace are also exhausted, but we will not stop protesting these atrocities until they stop.

I am in awe of the people who have committed so much time, compassion and energy to protesting this horrific war on Palestinian men, women and children who had nothing to do with the also-horrific Oct. 7, 2023, attacks.

After 2.5 years and tens of thousands of innocent deaths, I guess that the ­surviving Palestinians who still face ­Netanyahu’s relentless assaults every day are even more exhausted than all of us together who live in peaceful places like Victoria.

VicPD has decided to no longer ­protect the people who show up every week for peace and to demand an end to this ­brutal war that has been condemned by all ­international aid agencies, the UN and the Pope.

That’s fine, but while an entire­ ­population is being annihilated, it seems pathetic that VicPD has painted itself as the exhausted victims in this story.

 

Jessica Duncan
Victoria

 

 

https://www.timescol...ng-22m-12143517

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 15 April 2026 - 11:28 AM.

[pontcanna]

No ‘intentional concealment’ by VicPD in botched drug bust

April 23, 2026

3rd party investigations have found no “intentional concealment” by VicPD leadership during a drug trafficking investigation that later fell apart due to the involvement of a now disgraced officer.

Project Juliet was celebrated in Dec 2020, when VicPD said it took down a fentanyl drug ring, resulting in 3 arrests and $30m worth of drugs, cash & weapons seized.

In Feb 2024, the case fell apart after a judge decided that VicPD “obscured” investigative information by changing dates to hide the involvement of “disgraced” constable Robb Ferris, who was being investigated at the time by the RCMP for corruption.

 

More: https://cheknews.ca/...g-bust-1320508/

[aastra]

It's surely the stinkiest story in Vic PD's recent history. All anyone has to do is embed a well-intentioned (duh!) procedural breach somewhere in the investigation and the whole thing ends up for naught.

 

As they inform us below, there's effectively zero risk in it:

 

 

That ruling meant that the three men charged in Project Juliet, that VicPD said were at the top of B.C.’s fentanyl trafficking pyramid, had their charges stayed.

Ferris was never criminally charged, but was suspended after his arrest. He then quit before disciplinary action against him could proceed.

[Victoria Watcher]

What’s the difference? We don’t charge people for possession, so why would we expect trafficking to reduce upon enforcement? $30M or $300.

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 24 April 2026 - 11:01 AM.

[aastra]

Methinks that's a different conversation. If such investigations are merely an expensive performance art (and if that's one of the biggest reasons why hard drugs have never in history been flowing more freely across western society than they are right now) then I'd prefer to get those same officers and detectives outside doing foot patrols or something else that might actually be useful.

 

But aastra! Foot patrols are crazy expensive and of questionable benefit to public safety and.... um, you know what? Forget it.

[Victoria Watcher]

Pro-Palestine marchers demand return of police traffic control

 

The call comes a month after VicPD scaled back their presence at the weekly events

 

https://www.timescol...ontrol-12206218

 

 

 

“A reasonable observer would infer that Chief Wilson’s personal political commitments have improperly influenced VicPD’s operations. This is a reasonable apprehension that VicPD’s position is not impartial,” she said.

 

After the news conference, VicPD spokesperson Tiffany Parton told the Times Colonist that police need time to parse the allegations from the march organizers.

However, Parton, who did not attend the news conference, said police do not have any obligation under the charter to provide “full traffic support” as requested by march organizers.

 

“If it was a one-off, absolutely,” she said. “But we are on week 132.”

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 28 April 2026 - 08:02 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

A “bidding war” between police forces in Metro Vancouver is driving up costs for municipal taxpayers, but that doesn’t mean public safety is necessarily getting a boost.

Financial incentives are being used to persuade police officers to leave one force for another.

That hiring strategy means the pool of experienced officers in the region is being relocated from one municipality to another at taxpayer expense, rather than more police officers being added to patrol the streets.

The Surrey Police Service increased its signing bonus for trained and experienced officers in March to $30,000, from the previous $20,000.

Meanwhile, the Vancouver Police Department is offering a $10,000 signing bonus, and the RCMP increased on April 1 its allowance for new recruits going through the training academy to $26,000, nearly doubling from the original $13,650.

“I worry that these astronomically high signing bonuses could drive a bidding war for the really limited police resources that we have in the Lower Mainland right now,” said Carson Binda, B.C. director for the Canadian Taxpayers Federation.

 

https://www.timescol...payers-12217548

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 01 May 2026 - 03:54 AM.

[pontcanna]

Instagram:

 

Congrats to Team Fortitude First! These OUTSTANDING women were sworn-in today as new recruit constables. It is an honour to continue being a part of their big dream as they head off to police academy.

 

[LJ]

That will strike fear in the hearts of the local criminal elements.

[lanforod]

Their bullets kill just as well as any big male cop.

[Victoria Watcher]

The Victoria Police Department says an officer has been suspended after he was charged with sexual assault.

VicPD Const. Chris Kayiatos was charged with sexual assault following an external criminal investigation led by the West Shore RCMP, police announced Friday.

VicPD says the alleged sexual assault occurred off-duty, and that it was notified of the allegation by a third-party agency in April 2025.

 

https://cheknews.ca/...m-duty-1323476/

 

 

 

https://cheknews.ca/...e-camp-1196070/

Edited by Victoria Watcher, 08 May 2026 - 10:26 AM.

[Mike K.]

Press release:

The Victoria Police Department (VicPD) is advising the public that a VicPD officer has been charged with sexual assault following an external criminal investigation led by the West Shore RCMP.
In April 2025, VicPD was notified by a third-party agency of an allegation of sexual assault involving one of our members stemming from an off-duty incident, and immediately engaged the West Shore RCMP as the police of jurisdiction. From the outset, VicPD has fully cooperated with all investigative requests, recognizing the seriousness of the allegation and the importance of maintaining public trust. The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner (OPCC) was notified in accordance with the Police Act.
VicPD has now been informed that the investigation has culminated in a sexual assault charge being approved by the BC Prosecution Service against Constable Chris Kayiatos.
VicPD will continue to cooperate fully with the criminal justice process, as well as the Police Act investigation overseen by the OPCC. The involved officer has been suspended, and his duty status is subject to continual review and assessment.
“Allegations of this nature are deeply concerning and do not reflect the standards of professionalism and conduct expected of VicPD members,” said Chief Constable Fiona Wilson. “At the same time, it is important that the judicial process be allowed to proceed independently and fairly. We remain committed to accountability, transparency, and ensuring all allegations are treated with the seriousness they deserve.”
We recognize that allegations of this nature are deeply concerning to the public and to members of our organization. As this matter is now before the courts, no further comment will be provided. The officer is entitled to the presumption of innocence until proven guilty in a court of law.

[max.bravo]

Really seems like the days where officers got away with this stuff are behind us. Quite a few officers being charged with sexual offences lately. Central saanich had those two, with one officer self deleting... 

[Mike K.]

Hopefully. Sometimes the power goes to people’s heads.

In any case, it’s before the courts now.

[lanforod]

I think thats a little bit wishful thinking and very jurisdiction and leadership dependant. 

[max.bravo]

With 2/4 of the municipal police agencies in our region having female top leadership (not counting RCMP), I'd say it's not a great time to be a sexually abusive police officer.

Edited by max.bravo, 08 May 2026 - 12:51 PM.

[Victoria Watcher]

This chief has some desecretiion on whether the suspension is paid or not. I see that’s not noted.

[Mike K.]

With 2/4 of the municipal police agencies in our region having female top leadership (not counting RCMP), I'd say it's not a great time to be a sexually abusive police officer.

How do you know the officer wasn’t abusive towards a man?