Welcome to Vancouver, True Crime.
I'm very honored, a very special guest for the second time.
Constable man to stayed. We're going to talk about the
safety going to have a conversation about the changes
of the city. Very honored to talk to you.
Amanda how you been busy great. It's been a crazy last couple of
months, with everything that we've been seeing in the media
and the policing world. It's been busy, but I'm good.
Thanks for having me today, Mark, I interviewed you was it
last summer? I know it seems like just
yesterday but I'm sure it was months ago and some today, by
the way, all thank you. The kind of soft glow.
I remember just before entering you, there was the ground will
Street machete attack which was never something I never
happened. There's been increased drug, use
the drug Supply, the toxic drug Supply, and there's like this
kind of perfect storm that's going on it, plays out in the
public and then course, you're on the front line and you're the
one that has to deal with these calls and then there's a public
scrutiny as must be. I like a very dramatic time to
be a police officer. Dramatic is not the right word,
but it's Austin is probably the correct turned also in the media
with these violent attacks on random stranger.
Jackson and weapons being used. We're also seeing officers
dying. We're all.
Yeah, big shot. I just came back last week from
a funeral for a Monte Rio Rancho police officer that was killed
in the line of duty three officers were shot on that.
Call was a complete outright Ambush, right?
I can't really provide too many details about what transpired,
but from what I understand, it was a Just a check won't be in
call or these, I'm not sure there's been a couple or actual
suspect called the police themselves and lured officers
there. I don't know if that's the case
in this one, this particular incident but three officers
attended to check a while being and as soon as they got there,
they will shop. All three of them.
Yeah, so it's not only scary for a regular citizens of the city
but it's very far. And to say that it I mean this
is what we signed up, I get that we when I wanted to be a police
officer, I remember being nine years old and thinking I'm going
to change the world, I'm going to make it and now I'm at such a
weird thing to want to do, but that is never changed.
I've always wanted to make a difference and I've always
wanted to help people if you get into policing, a don't want to
help people. You doing it for the wrong
reason. I'm sure, you know, the, the
risk and everything you're doing it more or less just for a
paycheck, you're putting your neck on the line to the, again,
the There's a saying you know every call you have no idea what
you're walking into exactly. And so in the back of my mind,
every time I put my uniform on, I think there's a possibility
today that I may not come home, and there is a possibility that
I may have to use deadly force and I never used to really think
about that means always sort of a possibility like in the back
of my mind. But now every time I put on my
uniform, I think. Okay.
Today is a new day. Yes, I prepared for what the day
could brighten and all these officers that are being killed
in one duty, it's happening, either attending call or a
gaming console Hong was shot and killed in its morons.
He was getting coffee or of course, they were on a
motorcycle course and he was just going to two morons to get
coffee and donuts or his team members and he was shot and
while I was standing in line. So oh my god, do we have here?
More paranoid may be good because we have to eat.
It's yeah. But you don't know if someone
approaches, they might just say, hey, you know, you're doing
great or my hand broaching you and Kaboom, we were talking a
little bit. Before we started the podcast
that the randomness is something that I'm not used to.
I've been in the city for a long time.
I've been in the city since the 1977 those are balancers stupid.
Stop drinking idiots, shithead males and alcohol is not a good
mix trouty testosterone. That kind of stuff.
But this is a new thing. Thing, I really believe it's
tied in mental health and unpredictable nest.
And then the intention. You have no idea what someone's
intentions are. Now, you just said you're
putting on your uniform, am I going to get critically injured
it? Something, you know, or have a
violent incident or you're going to have to use deadly force?
That's very sober, very soon comment, but I see quite often
I'm called him intently comments on posts where we're heading and
officers, we New Orleans. Well, you signed up for this.
Well, this is, this is part of your job.
It is to an extent, but I don't sign up to get murdered in a no,
no, he'll know. When I started, I wanted to help
people and I still want to help people like that 9 year-old
Boyle that haven't been hopes and dreams of changing the
world. I still want to do that.
And yeah it is part of the job but it's kind of sobering the
fact that we We are seeing more and more violent and I used to
think all, you know, I'm glad we don't live in in the state.
Yeah, I mean slightly out of control and people are being
shot and killed every single day.
Regular citizens, police officer equal just Being shot or sad.
And I used to think, oh, we're so lucky that we live in Canada,
and I think that I still think that, but now we're starting to
see a little bit of trickle-down.
I always think that we're about 45 years behind Seattle and I
think whatever's happening sort of, on that flight of the
boulder thing, about 45 years, we'll start to see coming
similar incidences and similar demographics.
And the way the world is and the way that that City used is,
Regressing. So it does make sense and it's
it's a scary thought. But we go out there every day.
Trying to make a difference and we go out there wanting to help
people. And if I can do my part, by
making people feel safe by giving them some kind of edge or
some kind of, just very basic. Safety advice on how to keep
yourself. Safe, not only on the transit
system, but just in general, and especially for women, especially
women, because we're sort of as women taught from a very young
age - I don't make a scene be polite.
He and were also taught a very young age that if a boy hits
you, he likes you. Like you're on the school
ground, right? And yeah, the bully it comes in,
you know, pushes you over. Oh no, your he just likes you at
least just trying to flirt with me because they like, well, we
don't, we don't need that, we don't know.
And and I'm here to stand with all the women because I've been
there. Yeah, obviously identified
women, I am a woman. And we all have shared
experiences. I can help from a tactical
perspective or even just from a woman's perspective on how to
keep yourself safe. Then I'm going to shout it from
the rooftops because I'm very passionate about it.
Good for you. Let's talk first than about
security systems that one should be aware of what are the some
advice for them when they're traveling?
Throughout Metro Vancouver? Yeah, absolutely.
So the first thing I always tell people is be prepared.
So know where you're going. If you're taking the trade and
you've never taken the train before or you're trying to plan
your route, know what you're saying, what are the TransLink
website? And you can do the trip planner
and you can find exactly where you need to go and how you need
to get there. And this is super important if
you're traveling at night because at night, the trains are
a little bit longer in between, it's all you want to make sure
you're utilizing your time effectively, and you don't want
to sort of you don't have to hang out.
Out on the platform or in the station for any longer than you
have to do them then don't. So that's why I always recommend
that you do your trip planner so you can maximize your time.
And if you're traveling to Great, make sure that everybody
knows where you're going. Make sure everywhere and
destination in mind or especially for parents with
young children, we see this a lot where Mom and Dad will get
on the train and then they don't really manage the time properly.
And then before, you know, the doors are closed and your child
is still on the platform and the train.
Oh my god. Oh, oh, oh yeah.
Watching you too old. Oh yeah.
So, I always want to make sure that to tell parents that you
have a plan with your kid, will carless of the age.
Make sure they know their name, their phone number, your name,
and if they can't remember, either not old enough to render
that like a wristband or something in a pocket or
something that identifies them. Apple are cake.
I love an apartheid, slapping are a and everything you need.
Yeah, make sure that child knows either stay put and come back
around well, whatever destination that you had
planned. If they're old enough to
comprehend, if whatever destination, you had planned,
say, you are at Waterfront and you're going to Stadium.
Then you can say, if we ever get separated just leaving it Julian
for young children, I would say, make sure you just teach them to
stay. Put you want them to know that
they're safe where they are and to look for sky.
It ended, so you'll see a Transit employee wearing a
bright yellow bass. That's a Sky Train on it.
Those people can help you or police officer, of course, and
then we can reinvent them. It happens a lot, a lot on and I
think I would I would terrify me like, oh my God, is he laid our
old? We're constantly reuniting
parents and children, so it doesn't, you're not going to
avoid it, you know, kids are kids are funny.
They, there was constantly trying to test.
You write running away. Always say that the first, like
five years of a child's life is yarn suicide watch because like
they're constantly just running into Track Em.
Oh yeah, I'd already say why should get into everything she
loved to get behind the television of all the wires - oh
God. Yeah those, my son is more
clingy. Like he's not really like, he
doesn't really get us up am. Oh my God, my daughter would say
anything and everything like yeah, no.
He's yeah. Who their mom and dad are or
some of the contact and then who to ask for help?
That's super important. Another good tip is be aware, I
can't stress this enough. Be will matter where you are, be
aware of your surrounding. So Gone are the days where you
can just put your earphones in and then listen to your music or
your podcast or watch on Netflix will be, you have to be aware,
you have to know especially if you're walking on the street.
It was cars. If you're on a train, just know
who's around you. And I always say have an Escape
Plan. Yeah, and that's not necessarily
a negative thing and I'm going to get a tax.
So I always have to have an escape plan and needed in in the
way that just being aware and knowing ya being prepared and
having having a root out solar necessarily an Escape Route, I
call an Escape Route for tactical reasons, but having a
Way out. Yeah, if you will, ya know where
you're going to a restaurant? Nowhere, your exits are and I'm
because I'm a police officer, I'm hyper aware of everything.
And I, and I, and I truly like a crazy person when I go places.
I know who was in the restaurant, I know where the
exits are know where the bathrooms are.
I don't, I don't sit, we have a window a little bit live in the
room. Yeah.
And he something feels off and I'm, and I'm not there.
Yeah, so I'm always aware of what's around me and even in
the, it Clickety is just, you know, just make eye contact with
people around you. You don't have to have a
conversation, somebody, if you don't want.
Well, I'm not asking you to do that and asking to make sure
that, you know, where your exits are here on the SkyTrain, very
important to know the safety features.
So if you've never looked for them before, if you get on the
train, the next time you're there, you're going to Basra sea
baths, just have a look around. Just, just look for the yellow
strip. Super importantly, I will strip.
It's In all Sky train cars. It's all fall on the city bus.
So it's it's yellow strip that runs along the window of all
three cars and that's a silent alarm.
So when you push that the silent alarm, that goes to the
operation control center for translating, and they are in
direct radio communication with the sky Train attendant.
And then, we also have in our Dispatch Center and we have a
radio that we can hear the SkyTrain attendance when they're
dispatched. So they'll send the sky Train
attendant or Canada. Attended depending on what part
of the system that you're on and wherever station there at
they'll send someone at the next available station to check it.
So you don't even have to say anything you can just if you are
uncomfortable, someone's making you feel uncomfortable.
There's you know, it is said that may, I don't know.
Lead to something more. You can always push it.
Like they're that the other day, we had someone who's concerned
about someone passed out on the train and that's pretty common.
And You could be your, she could be pops out for many different
reasons, but if you just, you don't want to get involved.
That's fine. You don't have to check on
someone for not asking you to do first aid, but just know that if
you push that yellow button, that yellow strict that someone
will come and do it for you. So we get a lot of people pass
are then trained, whether it's service tired from a long day at
work, or it could be drug induced, or it could be an
evening. And we have a lot of elderly
people, that Isaac mean, that get lost weight.
That it's So if you'd ever just worried about somebody, it's
more than fine to push that yellow button.
And also another good thing is knowing our text.
Remember, we have a text service, right?
So, if you just put that in your phone before you even leave, and
you can just text us, anytime you feel unsafe or your, your,
you have a Transit concern, or do you want us to check on
somebody? You just send a text to eight
seven, seven, seven, seven. Seven series takes that number
and it goes straight to our dish.
Infection or so. We'll be speaking with a
dispatcher who is Direct contact with us.
So if there's something that is not right, or you feel and say,
Obviously you could something in progress, I could someone safety
is in Jeopardy, right away or that, I'm a progress.
You would call novel one. That's not indisputable, but if
it's something that you're not really sure.
Maybe I should call, maybe I shouldn't call just text.
It is no hot, no harm in being wrong, be prepared, right?
And again better Safe than sorry.
And unfortunately, it's like, some of these headlines were
talking about, you know, who knows if they, maybe they'd
press that button and maybe, you know what I mean?
80 maybe could have should have would have, but just having
awareness and information that is better, right?
Welcome. And sometimes of you press the
yellow stripe and then this guy trying attendant gets on the
train but they're still a little bit afraid to speak up depending
on the situations with the text. Even just you can speak without
speaking and nobody will be. We're at all, if there's a
suspect on the train that you're just, we don't want to alert to
the fact that you are contacting the police.
You can just text you just like every other paths, right?
I mean, it's such a really cool. Yeah, that way to like
specially, if someone's worked up, you eat, it's more discreet.
And especially these climate where, you know, back in the day
back in the day, it would be, oh, I'm going to call the police
and then that would just sort of stopped by Behavior but actually
incidences where it's actually made it.
I just kind of sets a person off of, just take your own safety
into account and people often ask me you should I should I
made a sugar video that they assault or should I do it?
Should I take it out and take pictures and while that does
help us with the investigation to have video or photos?
Just think about your safety. So I wouldn't want you to do it.
If you check the tizen, seriously, abusive and you're
going to make things first. Yeah, if you're going to make
the suspect even angrier and they may come for you sometimes.
The best is really just taking a step back and trying to get
yourself out of the situation again with this mental health, a
drug-induced psychosis. There's probably nothing.
You can say that's going to going to help.
Oh yeah especially with dragons and beasts it closes and it's
not really Much, you can still try and raise me and do your,
the escalation techniques. But with Michael health, I want
people to not be afraid of people with mental health.
It's not the whole parking. No, no.
There's a lot of times, they, you know, crazy guy that
yelling. We're talking to himself.
He said, he just really can't help it.
Yeah, we're station with that person.
You'd find that you probably wouldn't feel unsafe but
everyone's so afraid right now that they just 911 immediately
when they see someone freaking out which is fine, you can still
all we're not saying go call, but just know that not every
person who suffers from mental health, is it?
No, it's situations. You have to use your best common
sense for each situation. I wanted to ask you something
and then maybe you can explain. So I got I got a lot of comments
when I posted it and within the last two months you guys did a
pretty major like drug bust and gun bust and stuff.
I'm and and lot of people that commented to me like oh I didn't
know Transit Police had this. Authorities that if he can
explain to the listening audience, like the role of the
of your police force and the kind of the jurisdictional
powers that you guys have and things like that.
Because it seems like they seem to be confused that you guys
were able to bust the a bunch of guns and drugs.
We get that a lot. What would be always dedicated
to Transit Police Force in Canada, the one and only we have
the same. So what we do is we Kelis the
transit system, so in and around the transit system, but we are
designated In the province of British Columbia.
We train at the Justice Institute with all of the
municipal police departments in the Lower Mainland.
So all our training is the thing we have jurisdiction across all
the PC. So night just on the train are
not just on the buses. So we are giving him police
officers. So if we are policing the system
or were out in our police car and we witness a crime, yes, the
no matter where we are, we will investigate a date that crime
and that is our roles. But it's always well, we work
mostly on the SkyTrain sometimes on the buses and see that.
That is our Focus. We are still others.
And yes, yes, we have all the same Powers as a regular police
officer or jurisdiction, free flexor.
So yes, we can pull you over. Yes, we can see it guns.
Yes, we can do a search warrant and we can do, you know, gang
activity. We work very closely.
Lie with our jurisdictional placing partners.
And we have lots of officers from our department that are
seconded to Specialty sections. So gang task force The csto
traffic, we have a whole bunch of different officers that are
working with, you know, they call the police, the rcep, all
kinds of. We have to now that just finish
the undercover course. So we've got lots of really
great officers with the huge skill sets.
So that's this funny. That people say, still say that
and I don't think it's ignorant. I think it's just they don't
understand Greg. Even my mom asked me the same
thing and all that good stuff.
Action at occur on the system. So on the train in the station.
So what they were doing is these drug dealers were utilizing the
transit system to carry their and deal their drugs from point
A to point B and you think about it, it's genius, right.
Because you're not an equal cover way more ground.
So yeah, that's how that investigation started.
And that took months and months of undercover work, we did a
long search warrant and we, you know, discovered gang members
from the PC. Gang conflict were involved and
along people higher up. So and that's investigation is
still ongoing, but that's how we see those those guns.
And drugs is yes, we have the same Powers as a jurisdictional
police service, but that file started on the transit system.
Not the first thing. Well, and we were talking a
little bit before we started and we're having a conversation
about the escalation of violence.
And there's been some major headlines on the SkyTrain to
what are you guys doing? It says we're adding new
programs or I think. Yeah.
So during that time what we did is we pulled all officers that
were in specialty units and we put them in uniform and we
flooded the system. We have them on buses, we had
them on SkyTrain, we have them in station while actively making
and what we do our officers. Do proactive patrolling.
We were able to learn the system with more bodies with more Force
officers. And that's not necessarily going
to prevent all crime. We are Realistic about that.
But people want to see police officers.
They want to see them on the trains.
They want to see them at the station.
They want to see him on the buses.
And that's what we did. We had a lot, a lot of overtime.
Call-outs we had, you know we had lots of people on the system
and it did it work visible deterrent.
Yeah, I think it did work. I think the tribes of system is
a safe place to be and it's designed to be safe with lots of
features to help keep you safe. And I think, Think we've seen
sort of a Slowdown in, in the amount of violent crimes that
have been happening, and if you think about it, thousands of
people ride that train every day, bro.
And a lot of times it's hyped up in the media, as, oh, another
stranger assault on translating. But the nature of our job is, He
salts are always going to be random.
Yeah, strength is around your packed in with thousands of
straight years. So it's not shocking for us to
to see, stranger assault, but I think because of our presence
and, and because of our officers out there, you know, looking
hard and engaging with the public, I think we've made a
difference. And I think, with the decrease,
in the amount of violent offenses, that we've seen in the
last couple weeks, I think that's terrific, that's Works.
We've also So we're really excited about a new program that
we created called our cutie safety officers.
So this program is we can roll it out in January and weirdly
enough hiring process. Hopefully we're going to have
the goal we have seven right now but the goal is to have 12
Community safety officers going to training and the rolled out
the next fall. So what a community safety
officer is is it's not a police officer.
Officer and it's not a security guard.
So these people are are people that are like the eyes and ears
of kind of, it's like an extra layer of security and protection
on the traffic system. So people are going to have a
visual representation of feeling safer and secure so they'll be
able to respond to sort of low-risk called that don't
require the attendance of a police officer of a full-fledged
police officer will be doing crowd control.
Fair Postmates Community event. Let's see them out and about on
the train. So really excited to be rolling
that out and helping people not only feel safe, but right have
more of a presence in Stockton a warrant.
The questions I want to ask you because a lot of times, you
know, the nature of my platform. I get people that contact me
after, you know, after something happens, right?
So in sometimes they're actually the direct victim of the crime.
So I wanted to ask you about, what if they're available, what
kind of like program Alms or resources are available for
victims of crimes of these, your victim of the crime.
First of all, we really encourage people to report.
A lot of times, we'll see posting a post on social media
where someone says this happened to me, or I was sexually
assaulted, or someone assaulted me or just anything and they're
just trying to bring awareness, but it's really important that
they report it to the police because not only does it help
us. Deploy our officers correctly
because we deploy our space-time statistics because we have 180
kilometers and we have over 1,800 square kilometers to
believe so and about two thousand buses.
So it's it's a lot. So I'm deployment is based on
statistics, so if you don't report it, we don't get accurate
statistics. So I think that's super
important. And if you are a victim and you
need someone to talk to you, we have taken Services, there's a
trained. They're paid and they're also
volunteer positions. They're not police officers
there, they're just strictly there for you to assist you
super the court process. If that's what you decide to do.
If you just need someone to talk to, they're there to listen.
And always I always suggest always reach out to your own
health care practitioner whether that be a medical doctor or
mental health. It's okay to ask for help, it's
okay that you're not feeling comfortable.
Well, and it's okay. But you need to be able to reach
out to try and get that help that you need.
For sure, one of the things I wanted to ask because again, you
know, we talked a little bit about this to you know the kind
of the nature of policing though where you're kind of under more
of a microscope and you do this, it's not right to do that, it's
not right. So I guess the question is like
how do you balance? You know, being assertive, but
showing empathy and in these really and sometimes these very
tough situations like it's a real tight rope.
Yes! This how ya as a police officer
because it's almost like this Balancing Act.
If you're too heavy-handed you're going to Under the
microscope. And if you're not heavy-handed
enough, you might put you yourself might be put in danger.
So it's like that balance of assertiveness and empathy.
And think that is something that most police officers already
possess. I think it's something that's
pretty evident in the hiring process.
I know our recruiting team does a really great job at weeding
out people or or highlighting people who have this scalar show
the possibility that they might have that.
It's this extra empathy for me, personally, I always say that
the Amanda that you get in uniform, is the same amount of
that you get out of you. So who I am at?
Work is who I am off duty while we're never really off duty but
you know what I mean? Yeah.
So I don't have to pretend to be anybody.
I don't have to pretend to be more aggressive.
I don't have to pretend to be super sort of, I think. it
really just comes with experience and seeing the
natural ability and I think it's one of the things that I I
really pride myself on doing a lot of You kind of learn as you
go along and of course not every all will you'll have the ability
to sort of put your listening ears on and you know sit down
and have a real conversation with somebody.
I try and do that as often as possible.
Of course there are a lot of events where you are.
Go go go and you things are very Dynamic, but I think just
remembering that people are people and I'm one of those
people. I always remember when I first
started, That I was always told. You're going to meet people on
the worst days of it. Yeah, that's true.
And while I may have dealt with this exact scenario 100 times
even maybe 10 times. I say it.
It's the first time for them it maybe they'd never even spoken
with and talk to before. So I always remind myself don't
get complacent don't just treat it like oh God this is the tent
tent pole, the same thing, let's just get this over with.
I think that is where a lot of Officers may go wrong a little
bit and not to say that my place in style of any better than
about system. But I think most of us are very
compassionate and empathetic, and I do remind myself every day
that, you know, what this person is really having a tough day and
the very worst day of my life, for sure.
For me, it's just a dick. So I have to remember to treat
each person into Hanabi and As a human in that moment, not just
another call, I think they for sure.
Okay. We talked a little bit to this
kind of the nature to the serve, our society.
No, there's more distrust for authority and police in general
and in certain like guess some groups that are more
marginalized. There's more of a distrust that
build-up can you think of times where you're able to build
Bridges through dialogue? Or it started off as distrust,
but you were able to kind of break through that.
Wall of mistrust. I mean, this happens, every day.
This is an even more. So now, the negative light that
people have shown on police officers.
So for me, this happens, every day to think of something
specific. I remember I was living by
myself, and if you don't know, we working Partnerships here at
Transit place. So there's always two people to
look far. So I was working by myself and
I, And I went to a call, I think it was it.
Well, I'm being stationed in the west and I was talking to these
people. They were alcohol involved.
So they were a little bit loud, a little bit of this, but
nothing really criminal. So I'm just trying to get them
to sort of settle and then go on their way because the last thing
I want to do is take you to jail.
So if you can just sort yourself out right and carry on then
carry on and I go give me a reason because if you can't
behave yourself in public. If you're too intoxicated than
you will have to be arrested and I wasn't talking to these
people. I noticed Sort of the corner of
my eye. A tear is that young men who
sort of standing about 12 feet away and of course I'm always
looking officer safety to make sure that we don't stand behind
me because again I'm alone which is not a big deal but I just
don't want any behind their safety.
Yeah of course. Well he says creeping sort of
closer and closer and so I'm thinking Hmm.
This is Lisa's. Not it's not.
I don't like it. I don't like anything so I Send
these people on their way and I turn around and he's probably
about six feet away from, you know, and he's just staring at
me and so I think, okay, so maybe he needs something, so I
asked him. I said, are you okay?
Do you need? Do you need any help?
And it would be just looked at me and he wants, it's hard to
describe that look. So we looked at me and then he
looked down and at my Taser and then he looked back at me and
that is usually a red flag. Yeah.
Because I want to check it out. My equipment usually.
Oh, yeah. Well, this is not gonna go.
Well, I don't think so. I again, try and get out of him
when he needs. I said, are you okay.
Do you need me to help you? And I could tell that he was
probably suffering some kind of mental health, or he was
struggling in some way and he said to me, I need help.
And I said, okay, that's perfect in here.
What do you need to? What can I help you with?
And he said, I need to go to the hospital, which usually means
that they're having some kind of Crisis and when we apprehend
someone under the mental health act that have to either be a
danger to themselves. So they either want to I'm in
sales. So they want to enhance
endurance so I Had a conversation with him and I
said, I'm going to be frank with you.
You're making me real nervous, looking at my equipment and he
said, I'm really sorry, I'm sorry.
And so I said, like, you and I could be sorry, like, I want to
help you, you're not in any trouble, right?
So just building that Rapport brain, you know, letting him
know that yesterday you might be in a crisis or you might be
having some very intrusive thought but I'm here to help.
I, I don't want. Take you to jail.
I don't want to, you know, strap you down and inject medication
into you. Like I just want to make sure
that you get the help that you need.
So he said, yeah I want to go to the hospital so I said, I'm
against fine, that's good. I have a car.
I can take you there. So we walked down to the police
car and anybody that gets into my place.
Bar has to be searched for it. Obviously, lose her Seco.
I give my good sir. We're kind of like look good but
I'm still sort of apprehensive. So I tell him, you know, for
safety. I was handcuffed people that
rolling Block like this car and he said, okay, so I then got his
name and everything, and when I ran him on the police database,
it turns out he is suicide by cop.
Oh my God. He suffers from severe mental
health, and tries to usually beat this officer into using
deadly force. And there is It comes also note
on this file that then, you know, and multiple opposite
response is required or recommended for dealing with
this. It felt like God.
I was like, wow. Well and I was actually pretty
impressed with how I was able to sort of just communicate with
him. Yeah we thought second of all
he's a police officer but just as a human and I think that's
super important is determined. Oh yeah.
The wrong approach. That could have been a time
bomb. I need and I could have been
everything that he wanted it to be.
But yeah we really do. I wanted to be like I could
sense that he just wanted someone to help him, but he
didn't know how to ask for it. So that's fine.
That's fine. We made it to the hospital.
I took him out of the police car and on handcuffed, and he wasn't
in custody for anything, so like I wasn't required to go with
him. But he looked at me and he said,
will you come with me? And I said, of course, I'll come
with little go to the ER together and he told me about
how he is using drugs, he didn't know how to stop and he'd been
doing it for a long time. And this mental health suffered
and I said, you know what, you make sure that you go in there
and you're honest with the doctors and you get the help.
You eat right? You need proper mental, health
care. And you know what?
And I remember saying this because It's just still sticks,
it's been years, I think it sticks in the back of my mind
and I just get, I just look in the eyes.
At least I said, you know what I believe in you, I believe in you
because maybe you don't, no one else that maybe didn't have fun
name of the. He doesn't have friends, but I
believe in you, I believe you can change.
I believe you can take a healthy and don't ever forget that.
I believe me, well, he said and I never thought about it.
I left and I didn't you kill it again until months?
At least six months later. Another officer called me and
said, do you know this person and he gave his name?
I said, you have a deal with him like six months ago.
He said I ran into him and he said to me I want you to tell
Amanda that you changed. That she changed my life.
Oh well, I found out for him that he quit drugs.
Oh my God, that's good. He had housing.
Wow, Well, that's good. Success story that's amazing and
specially of saying he wanted suicide by cop my God.
It's like the probably you're the worst case scenario.
That's amazing. We know we live in this though.
We live in this, you know Vancouver it's a very diverse
City during so many considerations cultures races
Creeds and things like that and and how does he feel like the
the police force accommodates that the diversity of the city
of the different? The mall Multiple different
considerations of all the different communities even.
I think diversity is so important, especially for a
police service. So for us, we really look at
diversity and recruiting section and I think it's super important
to represent the community that you pleased.
So if you look back, you know, years and years and years are,
usually what you, what, you envisioned, when you think of a
police officer is a white male. Paul white male, no other
languages just out there. Releasing an entire police
force, full of them and we are so lucky here at translates to
have such a diverse amount of officers with ethnic groups
languages women. I always promote women in
policing because were a long time.
We were always told, you know why?
Even a Mana. You got to be one of the guys,
right? Did any of these other people?
I said and I'm here to tell you that you don't need to be any of
those things. Whoo.
Doggy Be anything because as a police force, there are so many
rules that we can bill and especially as women we have so
many innate abilities. That, that lend us to really
great policing whether he dies, collation, communication, that
was always told, no, you can't have.
You can't show any emotion, you can't.
But to me, I mean, why wouldn't I, why wouldn't I be re-enacted
the people that I'm, you know, helping like complaining.
Victims like oh, why can't I show emotion?
Why can't, if they're sad, why can't I be sad?
So I think with having differ City in a police force, you're
able to help people in such a big way because he may be that
officer speaks their language on way.
I understand the Customs or tradition that of that culture
that are really super important in an investigation or even just
invite. If someone is afraid to call the
police for cultural region, reasons are Maybe they want to
speak to someone who speaks Korean and you have all wet and
it's so it's so interesting to see how well we can police with
all of these even lgbtq S2. Plus like we write, we love it.
We think it, I think it makes such a great diverse Place
apartment. And we're really lucky here to
have all of those things. That's amazing, that ties into
the next question. You're obviously you're a woman
and and my platform as I said not, Ali, but I have a large,
you know, female audience and and so there might be women,
listening that may want a career in law enforcement.
What advice would you give them? I would say even if for me it
was something I always wanted to do ever since I was a child but
maybe for you it's sort of been in the back of your money.
Maybe you're doing a different career or maybe you've always
thought, you know what? I want to be a police officer
but maybe I'm not too old. Why not?
Why can't you be, you know, I don't do it.
Well, it can go for your dreams, you know, if you have an
ambitious. Personality or that you're, you
know, wanting to make a difference in the world or, you
know, help people or chase that guys, I mean, when I was young I
just wanted to chase bad guys and change the world, right?
Like that. That was just my allergy drag a
car really fast like this iron and for young people who are
thinking about getting into faith in young women, you know
what, make the right decisions? Volunteer with a community case
station pick your friends appropriately, you know, don't
do drugs. Bugs.
I mean you hear that sometimes? Yeah, I'm drunk.
Like, we're all young and down me.
I'll make students day were and we're not hiring police officers
and are perfect, because know that, how would they even
connect with people, right? Well called, they have no idea
what struggle is or what? If they've never lived on their
own or even though they've never seen, you know, it's some sort
of native experience in there like so won't ask you for you
want them. Relatable.
You want people to people will relate only first?
Yeah, and I always tell the women.
Never, you know, we don't think you're too short or, you know,
you're not fast enough or you're not strong enough for me.
If policing is not about physical strength or yes, you
will get into fights, that's unavoidable.
Yes, you have to have some sort of wherewithal Returns what we
train you. So really, I think it's super
important to have other skills. Sure, nothing should Define
yourself at or not. You're a good candidate based
on, you know, can I fight? I mean, that's the biggest small
portion of what pieces and I think.
We need to focus on the things that and the attributes at that,
were trying to emphasize the, are you good communicator.
All right, Elaine dishes. Are you a hard worker?
Do you want to make a difference along?
Like think if you are any of those things or you're curious,
go for it. Check out, you know, whatever
Police Department not only, are you suitable for them, but are
they suitable for you? So you don't associate
researcher departments by now, which department stands out to
you and just see just, you know, go on a ride-along requested.
Esteban the ride along and see it.
This thing, it's for you, I think go for it.
I think the more women the merrier I can shout from the
rooftops about ones if you like it.
What is the the basic qualifications is to be
considered? Well for us apprecia.
Particle will be different for US. 19.
Of course, I school diploma. You have 30 credit, not just 30
post-secondary credit, but say you have, you know, 20,
post-secondary credits and then you also have relevant work
experience. They're they're negotiable.
So You have to be a permanent resident, you have to have a
good driving abstract, you have to be able to pass a physical
exam. So we call it a Pulpit which is
the police officer. Physical abilities tasks to run
run that we have to do an intake interview polygraph There's a
whole bunch of things that they just boarded the website and
just look up what the minimum qualifications.
Are you can see if you fit that bill but but no, it's a
competitive process. So you want to make sure that
you not only fit those qualifications but he may exceed
and all you may have something that Is outstanding or
something? That's not on that list.
That you think? Oh, I don't know if that's
important. It's important, try to unfold
and a lot of people think. Oh, my post-secondary is not
Terminology that's fine. Blue we have sweet.
Just hired a guy who was a climber in a different way if
you have passed paramedics, we have nurses.
We have people who were servers, you know, that this Soul such a
diverse group of people who have worked at it.
Like there's a farmer like there's so many different
different people who have different life experiences and
just in don't don't discount what you're like experience is
based on just a list, you know. I think you want it bad enough,
you will get It awesome and then maybe this list ended on this.
Like again, let's get back to the ended on the safety thing.
Where what are some of the like, for, what would you advise?
We just give people in general, about common sense safety when
they're out and about in the city.
Like yeah. So again know your surroundings
Make sure that you're aware of who's around you.
If you're on the train, they'll the safety features yellow
strip. We also have any qualms on the
train, so you can actually enter column and speak directly to
Communications that are texting service.
Have that text number in your phone.
Another one that's really important and often overlooked
is, if you're on the train, There's a train number like it,
right? And old and the top sort of
thing the car. And then it's also the doors
that number will identify what car you're on.
So like if you're texting and you say, you know, there's a
crazy guy or the one passed out on train to 15, right, know you
can press the system so that you get off the train and he still
on the train. We can see if all generated
buses have a number to write about this.
Yeah. And they were both the driver
right there and then they're also on the outside of the bus
at the front of the back. Okay.
Wonderful, man. That it was, it was my pleasure.
Having you is for the second time.
Hopefully, won't have to wait a year to have you on again and
pleasure was all mine, and I truly enjoyed this conversation.
I think you're doing an amazing job, and I think you're a real
credit to your police force. Truly enjoyed this conversation,
and thank you so much, thank you.
That means a lot. Okay, cool.
I'll hold you to that. Yeah.
Okay, thank you so much. I'm gonna so I'm going to, I'm
going to edit this part out, but I'm just going to say.
Yeah. So give me about a few days,
edit this. I got a little bit in the
pipeline but then I'll course I'll tag you in kind of stock.
Funny and great marketing. Okay, well thank you so much.
Okay, we'll take care. Enjoy your day again thank you
so much.