Vancouver Police Department Chief Constable Adam Palmer today announced the appointment of Superintendent Howard Chow as a new Deputy Chief Constable, and Inspectors Marcie Flamand and Martin Bruce as two new superintendents.
“I am very proud to welcome three great leaders into key leadership roles,” said Adam Palmer, Chief Constable, VPD. “Our new Deputy Chief Constable Howard Chow is a skilled and experienced police officer, and an innovative and respected leader.
He has been with the VPD for 28 years and has worked in numerous sections – from the Dog Squad to Professional Standards. He has advanced his leadership skills through formal and informal education while continuing with his work with the community.”
The selections were announced after an internal completion was held for the three positions following recent retirements, including the announcement that Deputy Constable Warren Lemcke would retire at the end of the month.
“Our two new superintendents have held challenging and diverse portfolios,” added Palmer. “Marcie has spearheaded some of our most progressive initiatives, and Martin has helped to lead the development of our Organized Crime Section.”
The VPD has three deputy chief constables who oversee three divisions: Operations, Investigations, and Support Services. The VPD’s six superintendents report to the deputy chief constables, one of whom is currently seconded to the Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of BC. Four of the 12 members of the VPD Executive Team are female.
DEPUTY CHIEF CONSTABLE HOWARD CHOW
Deputy Chief Constable Howard Chow was born and raised in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and moved to BC to attend Simon Fraser University where he completed a bachelor of arts degree in criminology.
He joined the VPD in 1989, and has served in many areas throughout his career, including Patrol, and and nine years as a police dog handler, working and training two dogs and capturing hundreds of criminals. People may also recognize him as the Department’s media spokesperson from 2004-2008.
While he was a sergeant in our Recruiting Unit, over 200 members were hired leading up to the 2010, and the VPD became the first major police department in Canada to use social media to recruit applicants. In 2011, Deputy Chief Chow was assigned to the Integrated Riot Investigation Team. He spent several years in the Crowd Control Unit and has now completed his Gold Commander’s course.
Deputy Chief Constable Chow worked as a staff sergeant in the Traffic Section, as the Inspector in charge of District 2, and as the Inspector in charge of Facilities, overseeing the security and management of 11 police buildings. As a superintendent, he was in charge of Personnel Services. He is the current Chair of the Vancouver Police Community Fund.
In 2017, Deputy Chief Constable Chow completed a master of arts in criminal justice at the University of the Fraser Valley. He is the recipient of six VPD commendations and was honoured with the 125th Canadian Confederation of Canada medal in 1993. Deputy Chief Chow has been married to his wife, Angie, for over 20 years.
SUPERINTENDENT MARCIE FLAMAND
Marcie Flamand joined the Vancouver Police Department in 1987, after four years as a VPD Reserve police member. She has worked in a variety of assignments throughout her career, including Patrol, the Public Information Counter, Strike Force, Recruiting, and as a Neighbourhood Police Officer.
As a Duty Officer, she was on the front lines of policing overseeing all patrol districts. As Inspector for the Diversity and Indigenous Relations Section, she increased the section with the addition of a full-time LGBTQ2S+ Liaison Officer and oversaw numerous training and policy initiatives.
Superintendent Flamand has been a member of the VPD’s Critical Incident Stress Management Team since 1999, and is the President of the BC Crime Prevention Association. She is a Trustee for the Vancouver Police Officers’ Association, a committee member on the DTES SisterWatch program, and she has participated in the Pulling Together Canoe Journey.
Superintendent Flamand has a diploma in criminal justice from Langara, and associate certificates in leadership and police supervision from BCIT.
In 2016, she received the Outstanding Alumni Award by Langara College. In 2017, the Diversity and Indigenous Relations Section was awarded the Diversity and Inclusion Award at the City Service Awards. Superintendent Flamand has received a Chief Constable’s Unit Citation for her work in the Recruiting Section, a Deputy Chief Constable’s Commendation for her work in Patrol, and she received her 20-year medal for exemplary police service in 2007. She enjoys running and travelling when not at work.
SUPERINTENDENT MARTIN BRUCE
Martin Bruce began his policing career in 1987 when he joined Northern Ireland’s Royal Ulster Constabulary. He immigrated to Canada in 1993 and worked in the private security field before being hired by the VPD in 1995. Since that time, Inspector Bruce has worked in Districts 2 and 3, the Gang Crime Unit, the Missing Women’s Task Force, and the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team (NWEST).
Superintendent Bruce was promoted to sergeant in 2008, and was assigned to the Jail and then to the Criminal Intelligence Unit. The creation of the Organized Crime Section provided an opportunity to act as the first staff sergeant (WSE) in the new section.
On promotion to staff sergeant in 2013, he was assigned to District 3 and later to the Professional Standards Section. Superintendent Bruce was promoted to inspector in October 2015, and is currently assigned to the Organized Crime Section where he is responsible for a number of high-profile and high-risk investigations.
In addition to his regular duties, Superintendent Bruce is in training as a Bronze Commander in the Public Safety Unit. He coordinated the VPD’s participation in the 2006 and 2013 firearms amnesty programs, and has regularly worked with police and community partners to address a variety of public safety issues.
