Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer announced Tuesday that he will retire at the end of April from a post that he has held for 10 years, ending the longest run by a chief in the department’s history.
Palmer’s contract was set to expire in September.
“I'm going five months before the expiration of my contract because the timing is good in the department, everything is in the place where I want it to be, and I've had other opportunities come my way that I want to explore,” the chief told reporters at the Vancouver Police Department’s Cambie Street precinct.
Palmer didn’t reveal what those opportunities were and did not directly answer a question on whether he had been approached by the Conservative Party of Canada to run in the next federal election.
Palmer said more information on his future will likely “get out” in the next week or so, adding that “you probably won’t see the last of me.” A federal election is expected to be called soon after the Liberals name their leader in early March.
“I'm not confirming anything right now,” he said. “I'm not going to talk about what I'm doing in the future. So you can try asking me 10 different ways, but I'm just telling you don't bother because I'm not going to tell you guys what I'm doing right now.”
Steve Rai, Howard Chow, Fiona Wilson
Palmer’s retirement now sets up a contest within the department to determine who will lead the VPD. The chief endorsed his three deputy chiefs — Steve Rai, Howard Chow and Fiona Wilson — as candidates.
All confirmed Tuesday that they are vying for the job.
“While it is standard practice for the police board to do a national search for the new chief of a large service — which will, of course, happen — I am confident personally that the next chief of the Vancouver Police Department is standing before you here today,” said Palmer, gesturing to his deputy chiefs.
Added Palmer: “These three deputy chiefs get head hunted on a regular basis all across Canada and beyond. We've had police services from the United States head hunt a couple of them as well, and they are well positioned to lead the Vancouver Police Department.”
Palmer, who was sworn in as chief in May 2015, will leave a department at a time when crime continues to plummet in Vancouver. The drop in crime has been a continuing trend since the pandemic.
“Violent crime last year [was] down 6.8 per cent, property crime down 9.2 per cent, total crime down seven per cent and the [crime severity index] has gone down in double digits since I became chief in 2015,” he said.
As chief, Palmer said, he has had the honour of working with “the finest people I have ever met,” describing the men and women of the VPD as “exceptional” and calling them “everyday heroes and special people.”
“They help people often on the worst day of their lives, as they keep Vancouver safe,” he said. “Their exceptional service does not come without personal sacrifice and family sacrifice, and I couldn't be prouder of our VPD members, and I thank them for their service from the bottom of my heart.”
200 officers
During Palmer’s tenure, he has seen his ranks increase.
The department got a boost in the number of new police officers hired when Mayor Ken Sim and his ABC Vancouver party won a majority at city hall in the October 2022 civic election.
Reporters heard Tuesday that 200 were hired since 2022, although the chief didn’t say how many net new positions were filled, when considering retirements and officers who left to join other departments such as the Surrey Police Service.
In his time at the microphone, Sim thanked Palmer for his service and described him as a “no-bullshit-tell-it-as-it-is-git-r-done kind of a leader.” He also said he was a role model, a mentor, a teammate and a friend and thanked him for being nice to “the new kid” when elected in October 2022.
“I've toured over 2,000 organizations, I've seen tens of thousands of leaders,” the mayor said. “Bar none — and I don't want to make you blush here — but Adam is one of the best leaders I've ever had the privilege to see in action and work side by side with.”
In return, Palmer has been equally appreciative of Sim and his party, saying as recently as last week how the department has never been more aligned with the administration at city hall.
'Laughter and tears'
The ABC Vancouver party’s victory came with an unprecedented endorsement from the Vancouver Police Union. Rumours have been circulating over the past two weeks that Ralph Kaisers, the president of the union, will be one of ABC’s candidates in the next byelection.
Kaisers didn’t return a message from BIV left Tuesday and declined to answer a reporter’s questions following the chief’s news conference. Sim declined to name who ABC’s candidates will be in the April 5 byelection, but an announcement could come this week.
Palmer began his career with the VPD in 1987.
“This career is full of ups and downs, various crises, challenges, laughter and tears, but it's also incredibly rewarding, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat without thinking twice,” he said. “I'll always be proud to say that I served my career as a member of the Vancouver Police Department.”
