Business Liaison

The primary role of the Business Liaison Office is to liaise with retail merchants and business organizations. This may include exchanging information on crime related matters, providing crime analysis information to the business community and assisting with crime prevention ideas. The member is responsible for providing education and training to the business community on a wide range of topics.

Programs and Presentations

Eye Watch

Eye Watch is a one hour training session for Vancouver businesses / employees who work outdoors in different neighbourhoods. During the training you will find out how you can help keep neighbourhoods safe and also keep yourself safe through increased awareness of your surroundings. See the Eye Watch Brochure (PDF) for more information.

Project Griffin

The mission of Project Griffin is to increase public safety by supplying organizations and groups with information and support in order to assist them in their crime prevention efforts.

Griffin is a project that was developed by the City of London Police in 2004. In the U.K., the focus is counter-terrorism. In Vancouver, the focus is on property crime.

Project Access

Vancouver Police officers are often called to emergencies in apartments or condos and they are unable to access the building because of security systems. These calls include potentially life-threatening and urgent incidents, such as:

• domestic disturbances and assaults
• incomplete 9-1-1 calls
• home invasions
• suicidal people
• reports of weapons

Project Access allows property managers and strata corporations to voluntarily ensure access for police through the building's intercom security panel. When officers enter a secure code, police dispatchers at E-Comm automatically receive a phone call to confirm it is a police officer needing access. The public areas of the building, such as the lobby, elevator, and floors, are then accessible to police.

VPD members act under, and are subject to, federal, provincial, and municipal laws. During an emergency, police officers have the authority to enter a private dwelling, under common and case law, to protect life and property. This includes making a forced legal entry without a warrant, if the officer believes it is necessary to preserve life or prevent serious injury, and a proper announcement is made prior to entry.

Terms of Use: A MOU between the Vancouver Police Department and a strata corporation is strict, documented, and approved by a supervisor. Police would be granted access to the common areas of the building only, and any entry to private suites within the building would through lawful access.

For more information, please email projectaccess@vpd.ca.