Careers
BC Local Government Job Posting Service

Experienced Police Officer
Become a Vancouver Police Officer
The Vancouver Police Department is seeking highly qualified experienced and diverse candidates to help make Vancouver the safest major city in Canada.
As part of the Lower Mainland region, with over three million people, Vancouver’s population swells from almost 700,000 residents to roughly 1.5 million people every day. Our city covers 114 square kilometres and boasts nearly 160 kilometres of shoreline, including the Port of Vancouver, as well as Stanley Park, one of the largest urban parks in North America. Recognized as one of the world’s most livable major cities, Vancouver attracts people from diverse backgrounds who want to live, work, and play in a vibrant environment.
As an experienced officer, you know the many benefits that policing has to offer as a career, but your department may not be the right fit. We offer the challenge of big-city policing, as well as exciting, varied, and unique career opportunities not found in other departments. Our salary and benefits are among the most generous of all Canadian police forces, and the size of our department means the potential to advance more quickly.
Who are we?
The Vancouver Police Department is a diverse, innovative, and award-winning police department. We serve Vancouver’s citizens and visitors, guided by our principles of integrity, compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence. We provide all who work here with the unique and rewarding opportunities that come with policing in an international port city, and the support they need to excel, both personally and professionally.
Who are you?
You love being a police officer, but maybe your department is not the right fit, or perhaps life circumstances have you considering a move. You are currently working with a Canadian police agency or have worked within the past three years. Your agency has training and minimum standards equivalent to a BC municipal police agency. You have successfully completed your police recruit training, including your one year of service or probationary period.
Along with your on-the-job experience, you are a caring and empathetic problem-solver, who still has a desire to make the world a better place. You’re looking for something more exciting, more challenging, and more rewarding. As a team player, you believe that a group of committed, diverse, and goal-oriented individuals can accomplish extraordinary things.
What do we offer?
Opportunity
Your workplace may be the streets of Vancouver or the water surrounding it, a local school or community policing centre, at the end of a police dog leash or undercover in the drug world, at the helm of a boat or an armoured response vehicle; in a crime lab or in the online world, on horseback or motorcycle – the choices are many and no two days will ever look the same.
Your career path can be as unique as you.
Teamwork
Our officers come from many different backgrounds and circumstances, but the common bond that unites them is their commitment to public safety, and to keeping each other safe. At the end of the day, you can return home, satisfied knowing that you and your teammates have made a positive difference in the world, and in the lives of others. When those days are difficult, you have an extraordinary group of co-workers, pulling you through, lifting you up, and making the world right again.
Lifestyle
Whether your playground is the ski hills, the ocean, or forest trails, or you are looking for world-class restaurants, nightlife, shopping, cultural and sporting events, Vancouver can offer it all. Add to that unbeatable and memorable experiences for families, and you realize that Vancouver is the place to be.
Benefits
- As an experienced officer, your years of prior service will be recognized when calculating your salary and annual leave entitlements.
- We offer competitive salaries, starting at $77,983, and growing to $111,709 within four years.
- We have gyms in all police buildings, career and mental health support, and an athletic therapist and physiotherapist on staff.
- We offer two weeks of vacation in your first year, three weeks in your second year, and the opportunity to take overtime hours as additional vacation time.
- Our extended medical and dental benefits are generous, and our pension plan ranks among the best government and private sector plans in terms of eligibility and monthly payments.
- We have gyms in all of our police buildings, along with a dedicated athletic therapist and physiotherapist on staff.
- Our peer support system is second to none. We take care of our people and their families.
Training
The VPD is committed to ongoing training throughout your career. You will have numerous opportunities to develop new skills, through in-house courses, and advanced programs at the JIBC or the Canadian Police College. VPD members also train annually at our state-of-the-art tactical training centre, which includes an indoor firearms range and force options gymnasium.
Community
Whether you’re searching for connection to meaningful work, the community you serve, or the team you work with, we’ve got it all. We take care of our community, and we take care of our people.
Basic Qualifications
The Vancouver Police Department is looking for exceptional people who share our five ICARE core values: integrity, compassion, accountability, respect, and excellence.
- You are currently working with a Canadian police agency or have within the past three years.
- Your Canadian police force has training and minimum standards equivalent to a BC municipal force.
- You have successfully completed your police recruit training, including your one year of service or probationary period.
- You are fully vaccinated (defined as completion of the full vaccination cycle with a COVID-19 vaccine approved by Health Canada) unless there is a valid exemption pursuant to the Human Rights Code.
Members of the CN Police and officers serving in other countries, included the United Kingdom, do not qualify for exemptions. You must apply in the same process as our regular member applicants.
Our Recruiting Unit makes every effort to reduce the amount of travel for our applicants, but please expect to make at least two trips to Vancouver.
If you are an experienced member looking for more information, or who is ready to apply, please visit JoinVPD.ca or email [email protected].
Employment Length: Permanent
Education Requirement: Other trades certificate or diploma
Job Experience: Experience an asset
Rate: $77,983.00 to $111,709.00 Year