Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre (VACPC)

The Vancouver Aboriginal Community/Vancouver Police Department (VAC/VPD) Steering Committee was formed in mid-2004 to work together to help improve communications, understanding, and relations between the Vancouver Aboriginal community and the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).
Read the Pdf...

Present
Comminity Consultation

The purpose of this report is to identify the Aboriginal community’s support and/or resistance of developing an Aboriginal Community Police Centre (ACPC) and to capture recommendations for its location, staffing criteria, its method of governance, sustainability options and service delivery. Through a series of five focus groups, 33 Aboriginal people and 6 individuals representing the Vancouver Police Department and Community Police Centre’s took part in discussions about the development of an Aboriginal Community Police Centre. In addition to the focus groups a separate meeting was held with six Aboriginal members of the Vancouver Aboriginal Community/ Vancouver Police Department Advisory Committee. Together these individuals expressed their support, concerns, ideas and recommendations for such a centre. While opinions and experiences did vary in each group, there was a general consensus by all participants that an ACPC could benefit the Aboriginal community. For the most part, participants from all cohorts appeared appreciative to have had the opportunity to share their insight, experience, thoughts and ideas and look forward to more discussions and updates about its progress.
Read the Pdf...

Future
Business Plan Body

Cedar Consulting was contracted in October 2005 to undertake a process that considered the creation of Vancouver’s only Aboriginal Community Policing Centre (ACPC) and more specifically, to conduct three key activities; Community Consultation, Research and the development of a Business Plan. The Business Plan was required to generally reflect the input received during the community consultation, as well as to consider best practices as identified in the research. This document accomplishes both and identifies a road map for the development, start-up and operation of a vital service/program that will benefit both the Aboriginal and broader communities.
Read the Pdf...

Constitution / By-laws

Mission Statement
To positively transform the relationship between the Vancouver Police Department and Aboriginal Community by fostering accessible programming that empowers individuals and communities

Vision Statement:
Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre is an engaged, unified, healthy and safe community.

Values:
• Accountability
• Respectful
• Compassionate
• Integrity

Preston Guno from the Nisga’a Nation of the Eagle Clan has lived in Vancouver for the last 14 years and has worked in the field of youth work for approximately 9 years. He has worked in a Federal Maximum Security Prison, a transition worker for youth in the Downtown Eastside, Child and Youthcare worker in a Safehouse and Youth Hostel and as the Aboriginal Cultural Worker at Broadway Youth Resource Centre for several years. For the last 2 years, Preston has held the role as Associate Child and Youth Officer, and his work now has a provincial scope. Preston has diligently worked with and on behalf of youth in advocating for a better relationship and systemic change in how Aboriginal youth are dealt with by various systems, including police, courts, schools and the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The cultural teachings by the Elders are a guiding force in the work Preston does with the youth and it is through the dismantling of the negative stereotype of First Nations people and replacing that image with the true picture of proud First Nations people that Preston gradually reintroduces the cultural teachings to the youth.

Kinwa Bluesky is Anishinabe-kwe from Sandy Lake, Northwestern Ontario and has recently married into the Nuu-chah-nulth-aht from Ahousaht. Kinwa has completed her LL.B. and LL.M. degrees in the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria. Now at UBC, she is currently completing doctoral studies in law. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on Indigenous artistic expressions of our legal traditions. She is presently working as the Research Coordinator for the Centre for Native Policy & Research.

John Sakamoto Kramer has worked with First Nations and Indigenous Peoples since 1990. He brings a passionate commitment to: social justice, reclaiming cultural values/ traditions and community healing. For the past 4 years, he worked with the Warriors Against Violence Society as their Youth Program Coordinator. He has studied native law, youth issues, worked with the Rediscovery Program, and campaigned to stop the logging of ancestral lands of the Penan people in Borneo.




		Purpose The Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre (VACPC) was developed to provide a safe place where community members can gather to identify, discuss, and address justice and safety issues in Vancouver. It will also serve as a positive link between the Vancouver Aboriginal community and the Vancouver Police Department (VPD). We will provide an avenue to engage and support people to better understand and utilize the services of the VPD and to rebuild a healthier relationship with the Aboriginal community and the VPD. Past, Present, Future Past Research Body The Vancouver Aboriginal Community/Vancouver Police Department (VAC/VPD) Steering Committee was formed in mid-2004 to work together to help improve communications, understanding, and relations between the Vancouver Aboriginal community and the Vancouver Police Department (VPD). Read the Pdf... Present Comminity Consultation The purpose of this report is to identify the Aboriginal community’s support and/or resistance of developing an Aboriginal Community Police Centre (ACPC) and to capture recommendations for its location, staffing criteria, its method of governance, sustainability options and service delivery. Through a series of five focus groups, 33 Aboriginal people and 6 individuals representing the Vancouver Police Department and Community Police Centre’s took part in discussions about the development of an Aboriginal Community Police Centre. In addition to the focus groups a separate meeting was held with six Aboriginal members of the Vancouver Aboriginal Community/ Vancouver Police Department Advisory Committee. Together these individuals expressed their support, concerns, ideas and recommendations for such a centre. While opinions and experiences did vary in each group, there was a general consensus by all participants that an ACPC could benefit the Aboriginal community. For the most part, participants from all cohorts appeared appreciative to have had the opportunity to share their insight, experience, thoughts and ideas and look forward to more discussions and updates about its progress. Read the Pdf... Future Business Plan Body Cedar Consulting was contracted in October 2005 to undertake a process that considered the creation of Vancouver’s only Aboriginal Community Policing Centre (ACPC) and more specifically, to conduct three key activities; Community Consultation, Research and the development of a Business Plan. The Business Plan was required to generally reflect the input received during the community consultation, as well as to consider best practices as identified in the research. This document accomplishes both and identifies a road map for the development, start-up and operation of a vital service/program that will benefit both the Aboriginal and broader communities. Read the Pdf... Constitution / By-laws 1. VACPC Constitution & Bylaws.pdf VACPC Mission, Vision, and Values Mission Statement To positively transform the relationship between the Vancouver Police Department and Aboriginal Community by fostering accessible programming that empowers individuals and communities Vision Statement: Vancouver Aboriginal Community Policing Centre is an engaged, unified, healthy and safe community. Values: • Accountability • Respectful • Compassionate • Integrity Board of Directors Preston Guno from the Nisga’a Nation of the Eagle Clan has lived in Vancouver for the last 14 years and has worked in the field of youth work for approximately 9 years. He has worked in a Federal Maximum Security Prison, a transition worker for youth in the Downtown Eastside, Child and Youthcare worker in a Safehouse and Youth Hostel and as the Aboriginal Cultural Worker at Broadway Youth Resource Centre for several years. For the last 2 years, Preston has held the role as Associate Child and Youth Officer, and his work now has a provincial scope. Preston has diligently worked with and on behalf of youth in advocating for a better relationship and systemic change in how Aboriginal youth are dealt with by various systems, including police, courts, schools and the Ministry of Children and Family Development. The cultural teachings by the Elders are a guiding force in the work Preston does with the youth and it is through the dismantling of the negative stereotype of First Nations people and replacing that image with the true picture of proud First Nations people that Preston gradually reintroduces the cultural teachings to the youth. Kinwa Bluesky is Anishinabe-kwe from Sandy Lake, Northwestern Ontario and has recently married into the Nuu-chah-nulth-aht from Ahousaht. Kinwa has completed her LL.B. and LL.M. degrees in the Faculty of Law at the University of Victoria. Now at UBC, she is currently completing doctoral studies in law. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on Indigenous artistic expressions of our legal traditions. She is presently working as the Research Coordinator for the Centre for Native Policy & Research. Seis^^lom Lucy Bell Lynn Power Program Coordinator John Sakamoto Kramer has worked with First Nations and Indigenous Peoples since 1990. He brings a passionate commitment to: social justice, reclaiming cultural values/ traditions and community healing. For the past 4 years, he worked with the Warriors Against Violence Society as their Youth Program Coordinator. He has studied native law, youth issues, worked with the Rediscovery Program, and campaigned to stop the logging of ancestral lands of the Penan people in Borneo. Cedar & Sage Youth Program Coordinator Andrea Hotomanie