True Blue Podcast

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Season 1 of the True Blue Podcast is dedicated to the memory of Marisa Neilson, may she Rest in Peace.

The podcast team runs through the list of episodes and the list of topics to highlight our challenges, our successes and our goals for Season 2.

Opioid Crisis; Meth Crisis; Mental Health Crisis; police involved shootings; illegal protests;   defund the police movement; Crime Severity Index; assaults on Police; random attacks on citizens; treatment and care for young persons; the RCMP organize a Union; $20,000 recruiting bonus; public support of improving public safety and the police budget; Charlayne Thornton-Joe and Canada Day; atmospheric river; our favourite episodes; 2022 Municipal Elections.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast 

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Two experienced Detectives from the Special Victims Unit (SVU) at VicPD talk to us about Human Trafficking (HT).  HT is a complicated crime that involves Force, Fraud and Coercion - it occurs in stages and it is very difficult to get out of.  Human Trafficking is one of Canada's fastest growing crimes.   Victoria Police doesn't currently have an HT Unit but many frontline officers have been trained by these Detectives to watch out for signs that might indicate the crime is occurring.   
If you know anyone or are concerned you're involved in Human Trafficking you can call:
Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-833-900-1010, or find more information at
Children of the Street at 1-877-551-6611.

https://www.canadianhumantraffickinghotline.ca/

https://www.childrenofthestreet.com/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast 

Send us Fan Mail

Mike is the President of Citified Media which tracks the real estate construction industry in Greater Victoria.  He  joins us to chat about development in downtown Victoria.  The potential for new development is about to burst!  At times it seems amazing that developers would spend money in a downtown that isn't always that friendly or safe but the almighty dollar talks.  It's hard to dispute that a new building with amenities in the neighbourhood for the residents will help improve our community.  Mike also talks about his positive personal experiences of the Esquimalt Police officers he got to know as a teen in Esquimalt High School.

https://victoria.citified.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast 

Send us Fan Mail

For generations, Canadians have dedicated their lives to preserve peace and freedom.  To honour those who have served and continue to serve, we pause for 2 minutes of silence on Remembrance Day.  Make November 11th the most unforgettable day of the year.

Sgt. Sean Cowperthwaite served 20 years in Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians) and as part of Canada's peacekeeping missions to Cypress and to Bosnia on four separate occasions.
http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/lord-strathconas-horse/index.page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lord_Strathcona%27s_Horse_(Royal_Canadians)
Three members of the LSH (RC) have been awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) - the highest military honour for "conspicuous bravery in the presence of the enemy".

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast 

Send us Fan Mail

Canadians often take freedom for granted.  
We have the right to exist and move about our country without threat, we are able to freely express ourselves, and we enjoy so many other freedoms that are protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
This certainty has been threatened before; those who serve or have served in our armed forces for the good of Canada and their fellow Canadians deserve our respect.

Wear a poppy and reflect on November 11th every year and remember how lucky you are!

Rick Anthony (retired VCPU member) talks to us about some of VicPD's men who gave their lives in the protection of Canada and our freedoms.  He also talks about his own Peacekeeping mission to Kosovo while serving as a police officer.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast 

Send us Fan Mail

The True Blue Podcast introduces you to 2 more of the 6 new recruits from Class #166 being trained at the Police Academy in New Westminster in the Fall of 2021.   Cst. Chris McMahon and Cst. Matthew Wesley hadn't even been on the road at the time of this interview but you will hear from both of them about their own path to become a VicPD member.   Cst. McMahon is a 22 yr veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, a father of 6 children and has served overseas on 4 different occasions.  Cst. Wesley is a trained US Marine Corps member, a huge fan of Formula 1 racing and has also served overseas in Afghanistan.  Anyone wanting to become a police officer should listen to this episode for advice and to understand what it takes to be employed with VicPD.
https://joinvicpd.ca/

https://thercr.ca/
https://www.marines.com/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast 

Send us Fan Mail

In Part 2, we have two more guests who will tell us about the violence police face everyday.  Cst. Jenna Carver and her partner Cst. Lisa Forcier were both assaulted in the course of their duties; Jenna was punched in the face and she can't get the images out of her head watching Lisa being assaulted.  Jenna describes the feeling of waiting, seemingly forever,  for help to arrive and how satisfying it is to have her colleagues come to her aid.

Cst. Kris Greffard then talks about watching her close friend and our podcast team member Todd Mason be struck by a stolen vehicle while on duty in the 900 Block of Pandora Avenue.  Todd Mason is well known amongst the street population and by those who help manage them, he is a caring individual and he will be off work for months now.  Kris  shares her thoughts with us and how terrible this event was.  

Both of these events further highlight the violence being brought onto police officers while serving a protecting.  This episode also serves as evidence that our mental health system is broken and not accountable for the random violence that police and others suffer when clients are turned back out in the community without real treatment and care.  
We need to do better.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast 

Send us Fan Mail

Union President Len Hollingsworth joins us in the studio to set up these Bonus Episodes where we hear about the effects of the lack of resources and the increased hostility against our Union sisters and brothers.  In Part 1 of the Bonus Episode, you will hear from Cst. Jenny LeQuesne who was injured two years ago while apprehending a disturbed male in need of hospitalization.  The details of the assault on her are scary and violent.

Jenny is a 14 year veteran of the police department, a mother of two children and now so severely injured she will never be able to return to operational policing.  She has been diagnosed with PTSD and Major Depressive Disorder, the kick to her head has left her with a serious neuro-cognitive disorder which has changed her life.  Jenny has written a "break-up letter" to policing and tells us about how hard it was to write that letter.

Later in this episode, Jenny talks about her volunteer work where she walks dogs at the local animal shelter as part of her recovery therapy.  Unfortunately, Jenny was assaulted by another disturbed person recently further highlighting the violence in our streets.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast 

Send us Fan Mail

The True Blue Podcast introduces you to 2 of the 6 new recruits from Class #166 being trained at the Police Academy in New Westminster in the Fall of 2021.   Cst. Lee Jackson and Cst. Lyndon Jarvis hadn't even been on the road at the time of this interview but you will hear from both of them about their own path to become a VicPD member.   Anyone wanting to become a police officer should listen to this episode for advice and to understand what it takes to be employed with VicPD.

https://joinvicpd.ca/
@JIBCnews

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast 

Send us Fan Mail

Meet Bruce Williams, the CEO of the Greater Victoria Chamber of Commerce and hear him talk about the state of business in Victoria and area.  We discuss the need for a swift financial recovery as the pandemic restrictions are lifted.  Bruce talks about reducing crime and diversifying the economy to help get Victoria back on track.  The 1340 members of the Chamber have selected an excellent representative to advocate for enhanced relationships, strong partnerships and good Chamber policy that supports commercial vitality.
https://twitter.com/ChamberVictoria
https://www.victoriachamber.ca/

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

More about the Victoria City Police Union (VCPU):

-       Tweet us at https://twitter.com/VicPD_Union

-       Follow us on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/vicpd_union/

-       Find us on FaceBook at https://www.facebook.com/truebluevictoria/

-       Visit our website for information at https://truebluevic.ca/

-       Email us at [email protected] for any media inquiries or requests to be on the True Blue Podcast