WATCH: Darpan Awards Legacy Talk with Deputy Chief Constable of Vancouver Police Department Steve Rai

Deputy Chief Constable Steve Rai was born in Punjab, India, and immigrated to Vancouver with his family at a young age. Deputy Chief Rai began his career with the VPD in 1990, working for eight years as a frontline patrol constable in District 3, with duties that included field training and mentoring new police officers. He also drew on his cultural background to work extensively, at the street level, with the District’s ethnically diverse communities.

 

Deputy Chief Rai also completed assignments in Court and Detention Services, as a Recruiting Unit investigator, and a secondment to the former Coordinated Law Enforcement Unit. He completed a second operational tour in District 1 as the community police officer where he managed the Davie Street Community Policing Office. This position required collaboration with local community leaders, business owners, and volunteers to address neighbourhood crime and disorder issues.

 

In addition to his regular operational duties, Deputy Chief Rai completed a number of concurrent assignments, including ten years as an Emergency Response Team crisis negotiator, six years with the VPD’s Critical Incident Stress Management Team, and three years with the Forensic Interview Team, utilizing his Punjabi second language skills.