Integrity. Compassion. Accountability. Respect. Excellence.
Our Values
In addition to the Police Act, our Provincial Policing Standards, and our internal policies and procedures, our five ICARE core values – Integrity, Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Excellence – guide us in everything we do.
Learn More About the VPD
Our Structure & History
Strength, Principle, & Courage
Our Thunderbird
The land on which the city of Vancouver is established has been the territory of the Coast Salish peoples for thousands of years. We acknowledge the traditional ownership of this land and the history of colonization through displaying the Coast Salish thunderbird motif on our marked police cars, as a statement of mutual respect and friendship.
The artwork, by artist Susan Point, was a gift from the Musqueam Band in 2006.
In Coast Salish lore, the thunderbird is a majestic supernatural creature. His curved beak and three tail feathers represent change from past to present and then into the future. A guardian spirit acting on behalf of those weaker, the thunderbird is greatly respected as the hero in many Coast Salish legends. The thunderbird symbolizes strength, principle, and courage, and is a link to the spirit world of the creator.
“Thunderbird, living high in the mountains, was the most powerful of all spirits. When the thunderbird flaps his wings, thunder crashes and lightning flashes from his eyes. The thunderbird is a protective figure, representing protection for the members of the Vancouver Police Force, and the protection that they offer to the citizens of Vancouver. The crescent behind the ear represents a watchful eye.”
Susan Point, artist
By Sea, Land, and Air We Prosper
Our Jurisdiction
The City of Vancouver is part of British Columbia’s Lower Mainland, a region with over three million people. In 2025, there were an estimated 744,800 residents in the city, with the population swelling to approximately 1.5 million people every day as people come into Vancouver for work, for entertainment and shopping, for tourism, and much more.
Vancouver covers 114 square kilometres (44 square miles) and boasts nearly 160 kilometres (100 miles) of shoreline, including the Port of Vancouver, the largest commercial port on the west coast of the Americas, and the third busiest port in North America.
To service the City of Vancouver and its residents and visitors, the Vancouver Police Department is organized into five patrol districts across Vancouver’s unique neighbourhoods.
