Forgotten Vancouver
Retired Inspector Joanne McCormick has been researching the history of the VPD; if you have any ideas for future stories, please reach out to her at joanne_mccormick@telus.net.
Two City Policemen Missing on Slough
Two off-duty Vancouver members went out for a day of fishing, but were tragically caught in a violent storm. Both men presumed drowned, Sergeant Murray’s body was never found.
The Murder of Chief Alexander Main
Alexander Main was officially appointed Chief Constable of Steveston Village in 1899. In 1900, he was murdered while investigating a series of thefts from local farms.
Vancouver’s Courthouses
This is a history of Vancouver Courthouses, beginning in 1898, with the “Old Courthouse” at Hastings and Cambie, and ending with the present-day Law Courts on Hornby and Nelson.
The Chicken Coop Murders
The following is a true story of the Wineville Chicken Coop Murders that took place in the 1920s in California and their connection to Vancouver. NOTE: The material may be extremely disturbing to some readers.
Detective Giuseppe “Joe” Ricci
Giuseppe “Joe” Ricci was born in Italy in 1889. At the tender age of 14 years, he left Italy alone, intending to join his brother in New York.
World’s Biggest Heist?
The British Columbia Securities Building is located at 402 West Pender. Built in 1911-12, it was representative of prosperous times and unprecedented development within the city.
VPD Officers: Boer War Veterans
Many VPD officers have gone to war, some of them making the ultimate sacrifice. These are our Vancouver Police Department veterans who fought in the Boer War.
Splendid Organization Guards Vancouver
This 1923 Vancouver Sun feature article gives an in-depth look at the Vancouver Police Department at that time.
Remembrance Day Parade at Memorial South Park
This story was inspired by an email from Detective 849 Grant “Tugger” Thompson (retired), as to the connection between the Vancouver Police and the Memorial South Park Cenotaph.
Canadian Banks’ Law Enforcement Award (CBLEA)
Every year the Canadian Banks’ Law Enforcement Award recognizes outstanding police performance in fighting crime against Canadian banks. Recipients of this prestigious award have gone above and beyond the call of duty while preventing and investigating crimes against Canada’s financial institutions.
Dark Times
The exploits of three Vancouver Police constables, nicknamed the “Terrible 3,” brought about dark times within the Department. Warning: this story contains topics including crimes, murder, and suicide involving Vancouver Police officers.
Taurus #298 History
The start of the Taurus Club – Unit #298 began with Ray Slattery when he was a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in the early part of 1946. He raised $25 and when the first 25 members signed up, they settled on the name.
The Milkshake Murderer: Rene Castellani
Thanks to the persistance of a VPD detective in an extremely difficult homicide investigation, Rene Castellani was convicted of the murder of his wife. He served her arsenic laced milkshakes and became known as the “Milkshake Murderer.”
James Ellsworth Green
James Ellsworth Green joined the Vancouver Police Department in June 1906 and moved on to the BC Provincial Police in January of 1913. During his policing career, he was involved in several high-profile investigations.
Born to Hang
William Bagley was first arrested in Seattle in November 1917 as a fugitive from Skagit County, Washington. He was known for his safe-cracking prowess, as well as being a bootlegger running whisky for years. He became one of the most notorious and prolific criminals along the Pacific coast.
The Vancouver Police Connection: Dominion Hotel and Lamplighter Public House (Clough Club)
The first commercial building on the site of what is today the Lamplighter Pub was a bar named “The Hole in the Wall Saloon,” a vision of local pioneer Joseph Simmons. It was here that the city’s first and only coal oil lamp lighter, John Clough, would spend a considerable amount of his time “relaxing.”
Sylvan Davis “Silver” ARMENEAU
Sylvan was born March 22, 1916, in Regina, Saskatchewan. After serving in WWII, including as a member of the Duke of Connaught’s Own Rifles, he was hired by the VPD on May 1, 1946. His 24-year-career included tracking down escaped inmates, and a Loomis employee who absconded with $300,000.
Alton Stuart “Cap” HANN
Born in Harbour Buffett, Newfoundland, Alton Stuart Hann joined the Newfoundland Constabulary in 1889. After three years, he joined the Dominion Iron and Steel Company in Nova Scotia as a private detective. He came to the VPD in 1912, and worked on the Vancouver police boat, William McRae.
The Shot That Made History
There were 35,000 people jammed into the Empire Stadium on August 7, 1954. It was the British Empire Games and they were watching The Miracle Mile. VPD Sergeant Howard “Cookie” Ryan, a veteran officer, raised a gun and signaled the start of the race that would go down in history.
Vancouver’s Dirty 30s
In 1936, Oppenheimer Park was declared the only park where political, religious or other views could be publicly voiced. Previously known as the Powell Street Grounds, it was already a favourite for rallies and demonstrations.
Vancouver: A Boozy History
It goes without saying that John “Gassy Jack” Deighton made an indelible mark on our city. In 1867, his hotel and saloon, Deighton House, on the southwest corner of Carrall and Powell, was the first drinking establishment in Vancouver.
The Battle of Deadman’s Island
This small island situated within Coal Harbour in Stanley Park, was once held as an Imperial Military Reserve. The First Nations named it Squit-Sahs, later called Coal Island (1866), then Deadman’s Island. Since 1942, the island has been home to the HMCS Discovery naval base.
Police Headquarters
Vancouver’s police stations were in various locations in the city’s early years, some of them temporary, beginning with a tent at the foot of Carrall Street in 1886 after the Great Vancouver Fire. In 1988, both the police station and City Hall were located at 137 Powell Street.
The Janet Smith Case
Janet Smith was a nursemaid for a wealthy family in Shaughnessy in 1924. She was shot through the temple while ironing in the laundry room of the home. Originally thought to be suicide, it was later determined to be murder. The case was thrown out for lack of evidence.
Jack Marshall and the FBI’s Most Wanted
Following the kidnapping and murder of a wealthy Colorado brewer in 1955, Joseph Corbett became one of the FBI’s Most Wanted. He has on the lam after escaping from a California jail, where he was already serving time for murder. He fled to Vancouver where he was no match for Vancouver’s finest.
Constable 328 Gilbert Usher “Gibb” Renwick
Over the course of his career with the Vancouver Police (1946 – 1973), Gibb Renwick worked in Patrol, Traffic, Mounted, CCB (Central Complaint Bureau), and Court Liaison, but that was not the extent of his years of service. Like many men of that time, Gibb had previously served during World War II.
Dead Come Back
A woman’s scam was revealed when she was caught begging on the street, claiming her husband had died and left her destitute with five little children. Imagine everyone’s surprise when her husband appeared in the same courtroom and he was very much alive.
Constable Neil McMillan
Constable Neil McMillan joined the VPD on January 8, 1912. He was dismissed on February 23, 1918, due to the return of WW I police veterans. Shortly thereafter, he left for Seattle, joining the Seattle Police Department in late 1920. He was shot and killed after only 17 days on the job.
Safecracking Suspects Shot
In September of 1944, two men broke into Dale’s Roast Chicken on Granville Street and blew up the safe. Police in the area responded and fired a total of six shots before both men were taken into custody. One of the robbers suffered the only injury: a bullet hole in his hand.
Wallace Haywood
Wallace Haywood built the original Hotel Empress, often referred to as the “Emp,” in 1908. Haywood was also known as Sergeant Vicker Wallace Haywood, who was sworn in to the brand new Vancouver Police Force on July 22, 1886.
Jail Melee
When two prisoners tried to make a break for it from the city jail, two VPD constables were quick to thwart their efforts. After a brief skirmish, the two men, who were facing robbery charges, were forced back inside their cell.
Percy Kirkham Horrors of Captivity
Percy Kirkham joined the VPD in 1909 after serving in the army. When WWI broke out, he was back in service. Fighting at the battle of Ypres, down to only 63 men left out of 700, he was taken prisoner and held in horrific conditions for four years.
Bobbies to Lose Helmets
VPD officers were relieved to finally give up their helmets in 1925, when the Vancouver Police Commission voted to replace them with caps. Helmets, the traditional headgear of the British Police, were known to be uncomfortable and 95% of the Policemen’s Union called for them to be replaced.