“Whistling” Bernie Smith was a soldier, husband, son, father and grandfather. He served 34 years with the Vancouver Police Department, retiring as a sergeant in 1979.  

While our careers never overlapped – I joined a month after he retired – in my first few years on the job, I would hear many officers speak fondly of Bernie. He was the best known Vancouver Police officer of his time. 

Bernie had many sides to him including being a visionary. When you watch the documentary Whistling Smith released in 1975, you not only see a tough beat cop, which was sometimes necessary, you see a police officer with compassion —  who genuinely cared about the people he looked after in the Downtown Eastside.

The National Film Board website describes the film as:

“A revealing portrait of a tough cop with a big heart.

Sergeant Bernie ‘Whistling’ Smith walks the beat on Vancouver’s Eastside, the hangout of petty criminals, down-and-outs and a variety of characters.

 His policing is unorthodox.

To many drug users, petty thieves and prostitutes in this economically depressed area he is more than the iron hand of the law, he is also a counsellor and a friend.”

This is the beginning of what we now call Community Policing. This is essentially having our members bond with their respective communities, take ownership for all the criminal and sometimes social issues that occur there, and work with the residents to help them resolve those problems.

This was Bernie’s approach, evident by the wording in a commendation he received in 1974, which stated:

“You have also been very community minded, and have helped make the ‘East End’ a better place to enjoy. Some of your methods have been unorthodox and no doubt viewed with trepidation – at times, however, you have obtained results legally with no embarrassment to the Department, in fact,you have brought the Force considerable praise.”

Bernie was a leader as well, taking on all the responsibilities that the sergeant’s position entails and looking after the constables on his squad. Walking with them on the beat, motivating them, mentoring them and at times, I’m sure, counselling them.

These were truly groundbreaking and remarkable traits in an era of policing where the rule of the day was to bark out orders and expect results. Bernie realized that in order to achieve the best results, a different approach was required, and that if you also engaged the police officers, got to really know them, and saw to it that they were looked after, he would be helping them reach the full potential of what they could do and what they could accomplish.

Indeed, this is exactly the same thing we expect of our supervisors today and very similar as to how we train them.

In addition to supervising officers, Bernie also lead by example. He himself modelled after those old-time coppers that went before him and that he obviously learned from.

Bernie was that “whistling,” jovial tough guy you knew you could trust for help but you didn’t ever want to cross. He would rhythmically swing a nightstick in his hand as walked along, engaging everyone he met, regardless of their position in life — the classic copper who could deliver a baby in one minute and break up a barroom brawl by himself in another. 

I spent more time with Bernie the past few years as he was a regular fixture at retired VPD officer events.  Last year, he spoke at a Ceremonial Unit dinner. He didn’t use notes because of his failing eyesight and he shared many entertaining tales of his policing days in the Downtown Eastside.  At the end of his talk, he sang with perfect pitch and in a deep baritone voice a song he wrote about police officers who serve on the front lines.  His performance was so impressive, we decided to record Bernie’s song a few weeks later. 

In closing I’d like to recite one line from Bernie’s song that I think sums up how Bernie felt and the pride he felt as a retired VPD officer:     

“There’s a thin blue line a-standing, in the centre of our town. It’s standing there to protect you and it’ll never let you down.” 

Bernie, your words will live on and so will you —  in our hearts, on film, and on the beat.