New Westminster Police Service
Encyclopedia
The New Westminster Police Service (NWPS) is the police force for the City of New Westminster, British Columbia
, Canada
.
The force was created in 1873 when the city council hired Jonathan Morey, a former sergeant with the Royal Engineers, Columbia detachment
who stayed behind after the detachment was disbanded in 1863. Prior to that, New Westminster was policed by ad hoc temporary appointments of members of the community to act as magistrates. The British Columbia Provincial Police
also policed the city a few years before the NWPS was formed. The force now has around one hundred members. Key events that affected the development of the city's police department include the Great Fire of 1898, a Bank of Montreal
theft in 1911, and the introduction of new policing technologies, such as two-way radio patrol cars in 1935, and the installation of laptop
computers in 1997. The Chief Constable
is Lorne Zapotichny. The other senior managers are Deputy Chief Constable Mike Judd, Inspector Dave Jones, and Inspector Frank Ciaccia. The police station is located at 6th and Columbia Streets at 555 Columbia, which includes a police museum.
, West Vancouver Police Department
and New Westminster Police Service. On January 26, 2009, the Vancouver Police Department
recommended to Crown Counsel for criminal charges to be laid against NWPS member Jeffrey Roger Klassen for assault and possession of stolen property and the WVPD officer Griffin Gillan for robbery. At the same time, the DPD officer was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Cst. Klassen was suspended with pay for 30 days pending criminal charges to be laid and was subsequently dismissed from his part time job at the Justice Institute of British Columbia
as a Use of force
instructor.
On January 28, 2009, Crown counsel approved one count of assault against Cst. Klassen and one count of robbery against Cst. Gillan. On February 27, 2009, a new charge of possession of stolen property was laid against Cst. Klassen and the police board
decided to take him off payroll.
An independent investigation into the incident could also be launched by The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner British Columbia once Crown Counsel has cleared the case.
New Westminster, British Columbia
New Westminster is an historically important city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, and is a member municipality of the Greater Vancouver Regional District. It was founded as the capital of the Colony of British Columbia ....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
.
The force was created in 1873 when the city council hired Jonathan Morey, a former sergeant with the Royal Engineers, Columbia detachment
Royal Engineers, Columbia detachment
Columbia detachment of the Royal Engineers was a British military contingent that played a major role in the settlement, development and security of the new British Columbia. Sent at the request of Governor James Douglas to help maintain order during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush, the detachment was...
who stayed behind after the detachment was disbanded in 1863. Prior to that, New Westminster was policed by ad hoc temporary appointments of members of the community to act as magistrates. The British Columbia Provincial Police
British Columbia Provincial Police
The British Columbia Provincial Police was the policing body for the Canadian province of British Columbia until 1950. The force is usually dated from the appointment of Chartres Brew in 1858 with the formation of the Colony of British Columbia and associated appointments...
also policed the city a few years before the NWPS was formed. The force now has around one hundred members. Key events that affected the development of the city's police department include the Great Fire of 1898, a Bank of Montreal
Bank of Montreal
The Bank of Montreal , , or BMO Financial Group, is the fourth largest bank in Canada by deposits. The Bank of Montreal was founded on June 23, 1817 by John Richardson and eight merchants in a rented house in Montreal, Quebec. On May 19, 1817 the Articles of Association were adopted, making it...
theft in 1911, and the introduction of new policing technologies, such as two-way radio patrol cars in 1935, and the installation of laptop
Laptop
A laptop, also called a notebook, is a personal computer for mobile use. A laptop integrates most of the typical components of a desktop computer, including a display, a keyboard, a pointing device and speakers into a single unit...
computers in 1997. The Chief Constable
Chief Constable
Chief constable is the rank used by the chief police officer of every territorial police force in the United Kingdom except for the City of London Police and the Metropolitan Police, as well as the chief officers of the three 'special' national police forces, the British Transport Police, Ministry...
is Lorne Zapotichny. The other senior managers are Deputy Chief Constable Mike Judd, Inspector Dave Jones, and Inspector Frank Ciaccia. The police station is located at 6th and Columbia Streets at 555 Columbia, which includes a police museum.
Controversy
On January 21, 2009, three off duty police officers were arrested and detained overnight after being alleged to racially abuse, assault and participated in a robbery in downtown Vancouver against Firoz (Phil) Khan, a newspaper deliveryman. The police constables came from the Delta Police DepartmentDelta Police Department
The Delta Police Department is the police force for the district municipality of Delta, British Columbia, a suburban community in Metro Vancouver with a population of 102,661...
, West Vancouver Police Department
West Vancouver Police Department
West Vancouver Police Department is a police force for the district municipality of West Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Organization:...
and New Westminster Police Service. On January 26, 2009, the Vancouver Police Department
Vancouver Police Department
The Vancouver Police Department is the police force for the City of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several police departments within the Metro Vancouver Area and is the second largest police force in the province after RCMP "E" Division.VPD was the first Canadian police force...
recommended to Crown Counsel for criminal charges to be laid against NWPS member Jeffrey Roger Klassen for assault and possession of stolen property and the WVPD officer Griffin Gillan for robbery. At the same time, the DPD officer was cleared of any wrongdoing.
Cst. Klassen was suspended with pay for 30 days pending criminal charges to be laid and was subsequently dismissed from his part time job at the Justice Institute of British Columbia
Justice Institute of British Columbia
The Justice Institute of British Columbia is a public, post-secondary educational institution in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, that is focused on training professionals in the justice, public safety and social services fields...
as a Use of force
Use of force
The term use of force describes a right of an individual or authority to settle conflicts or prevent certain actions by applying measures to either: a) dissuade another party from a particular course of action, or b) physically intervene to stop them...
instructor.
On January 28, 2009, Crown counsel approved one count of assault against Cst. Klassen and one count of robbery against Cst. Gillan. On February 27, 2009, a new charge of possession of stolen property was laid against Cst. Klassen and the police board
Police board
A police board is an appointed form of local government charged with the responsibility of overseeing a local police forceIn the United States, the term is used for some police departments. For example, the Chicago Police Board oversees the Chicago Police Department...
decided to take him off payroll.
An independent investigation into the incident could also be launched by The Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner British Columbia once Crown Counsel has cleared the case.
See also
- Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British ColumbiaCombined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British ColumbiaThe Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit - British Columbia was established in 2004 to facilitate the disruption and suppression of organized crime in BC and to support municipal police department when public safety is deemed to be a priority...
- E-CommE-Comm' is the Emergency Communications for Southwest British Columbia.E-Comm provides 9-1-1 service for the Lower Mainland region of southwest British Columbia in Canada covering Metro Vancouver , the Sunshine Coast Regional District, south Squamish-Lillooet Regional District and the Whistler Howe Sound...
, 9-1-1 call and dispatch centre for Southwestern BC