“Extremely intelligent, Experienced police officer and Excellent leader” are some of the words used by Abbotsford Police Chief Ian McKenzie describing former colleague Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu. McKenzie started his career with the Vancouver Police and spent 17 years with the department before coming to Abbotsford in 1993 as the Deputy Police Chief. He informed me that he predicted, Chu would one day become the Vancouver Police Chief. McKenzie said, “ twenty years ago, I could of told you that Jim would be Police Chief of Vancouver”. McKenzie and Chu worked together in the Vancouver Police Planning and Research Department and established a excellent working relationship. McKenzie credits Chu for creating important technology initiatives in the policing community called (LEIP) so various police agencies can communicate effectively with provincial records and with each other. Chu was awarded the Order of Canada for establishing (LEIP) and for his service as a police officer.
Chu, joined the Vancouver Police Department in 1979, which was one of his childhood dreams. While attending high school at Charles Tupper Secondary, he was the school safety officer and dealt with many issues. After completing a year at Simon Fraser University, he received the call that he was hired by the Vancouver Police. His family was proud that their son was joining a policing career, but were not happy that he was sacrificing his university education. It was many years later and his commitment to education where he went back to school and impressively completed his Bachelor of Business Administration in 1986 and Masters in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of British Columbia in 1989, while working full-time.
In his rise to the top, one position Chu dreamed of before becoming a police officer was to become a detective, which he describes as an impressive job to have. He fulfilled that dream for a year solving many investigations and making key arrests as a detective with the Vancouver Police Department. Chu, who has worked in various capacities with the department from recruiting, detective, Inspector, Deputy Chief and now Police Chief looks forward to the many challenges. He has seen many changes during his policing career especially in the volume of service and guns on the streets. Chu said, “when I first joined the department in 1979 guns were rare, now they are too many. Our department receives a gun call almost everyday.”
Working in a vibrant multicultural city and with the Olympics vastly approaching, Chu is taking a front line perspective on violent crime, property crime, breaking the cycle of drug addiction and gangs. Chu is committed in implementing community-based strategies and working with all levels of governments to make Vancouver the safest city in Canada, welcoming the world in 2010. Chu said, “remaining accessible to the public and to his members are keys to success for a model community.” On New Years Eve, Chu walked through various parts of the city meeting with people and listening to concerns. In keeping in touch with his community, Chu is briefed every morning by his Operations manager on what occurred in the city and where resources should be deployed if warranted.
Chu embraces diversity and wants to build a department reflecting the community it serves with pride and dignity and encourages candidates to apply with the recruiting department.
Chu gives much credit to former Chief Jamie Graham preparing him for the job. Outside of his duties, he enjoys playing ice hockey and working out in the gym as part of his regular routine. He is married to his wife Vicki who was a former Vancouver Police officer and have two children.
KenHerar@gmail.com
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