Another week, another podcast.
This one features Police Chief Adam Palmer, who joined me in studio last week to discuss several policing issues, including the shooting of a 51-year-old man in an incident at the intersection of 41st Avenue and Knight Street in November 2014.
The criminal justice branch announced in February that no charges would be approved against two Vancouver police officers involved in the shooting of Tony Du, who had a history of mental illness dating back to 1988.
“It’s fine for people to come out and say that the police acted inappropriately, but the reality is that those officers were put into a very difficult set of circumstances that was life-threatening,” said Palmer of the incident that has caused Pivot Legal Society to seek a civil suit against the Vancouver Police Department.
Other issues discussed in the interview included the overdose crisis, the VPD’s role in the arrests of marijuana activists Marc and Jodie Emery in Toronto, his officers’ mental health and his goal to get a new headquarters built that would house all his officers under one roof.
He also talked about his meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
The interview occurred in the Courier’s podcast studio on the day of the terror attack in London, where a police officer died. That’s where the interview begins. Click on the tab below to hear more. In advance, thanks for listening.
@Howellings
On the shootings, stabbings and homicides in Vancouver this year (2:07 mark in the interview)
On the police’s role in the drug overdose crisis (3:57)
On meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau (7:50)
On marijuana dispensaries (9:26)
On the VPD’s role in the arrests of Marc and Jodie Emery in Toronto(11:27)
On the VPD’s substantial increase to its budget dedicated to responding to people with mental illness (12:46)
On his officers’ mental health (15:47)
On the shooting of Tony Du (19:01)
On having all his officers under one roof (23:25)
On the department’s recruiting drive to hire more women(25:15)
