Hon. Wally Oppal - Regional Policing: A Bridge Too Far?

02/25/23 • 41 min

Wally Oppal is a former trial attorney who has served as a special prosecutor on numerous high profile commercial crime and drug offences and more than 50 homicide cases.

He served as a judge in the County Court of British Columbia from 1981 to 1985, and in the B.C. Supreme Court from 1985 to 2003, when he was appointed to the B.C. Court of Appeal.

He has led two commissions of inquiry into policing in British Columbia, including the Missing Women Inquiry following one of BCs most notorious serial murder investigations, and has authored reports that have advocated for and led to many reforms in policing both in British Columbia and across Canada.

Between 2005 and 2009 he served as the Attorney General of British Columbia and appointed commissions of inquiry into the police use of tasers, following the aftermath of the death of a man at Vancouver International Airport, and into the death of an Indigenous man, who died as a result of being left in an alley by police in Vancouver.

More recently, he was asked by the government of BC to chair the task force that established the framework for the transition of policing services in Surrey, BC from the RCMP to the Surrey Police Service and he remains in active legal practice as Senior Counsel with Boughton Law where he provides strategic advice on dispute resolution and public sector related matters.
On this episode, Wally shares his thoughts on the oft discussed but yet to be implemented regional policing model for Metro Vancouver; his role in laying out the mammoth task of transitioning from the RCMP's largest detachment to a municipal police service; and weighs in on BC's latest social experiment, the decriminalization of personal drug possession.

Shimona & Associates Mortgage Consulting
Mortgage Broker
Strata Wealth & Risk Management
Financial Planning
Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Thank you for listening!
For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Wally Oppal is a former trial attorney who has served as a special prosecutor on numerous high profile commercial crime and drug offences and more than 50 homicide cases.

He served as a judge in the County Court of British Columbia from 1981 to 1985, and in the B.C. Supreme Court from 1985 to 2003, when he was appointed to the B.C. Court of Appeal.

Thank you for listening!
For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Previous Episode

David Cassels: The Case for Police Reform

David Cassels is a former Canadian Police Chief and public safety consultant who has supported and consulted domestically for federal agencies including the Department of Justice, Global Affairs Canada and the Canadian International Development Agency, and internationally where he was responsible for the formation of the South East Europe Police Chiefs Association and completed a detailed review of the San Jose Police in Costa Rica.

He is also a founding member and President of the Coalition for Canadian Police Reform and, on this episode, discusses a range of isssues facing policing in Canada. From a lack of standardized curriculum, to what he calls "fraudulent" recruiting practices to the need for more empathy and compassion based training, David makes his case for why policing in Canada needs reform.
For more information about the C-CPR and to connect with David, click his name above to reach his LinkedIn profile or email him at [email protected]

Thank you for listening!
For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!

Next Episode

CWO John Barnes: White School, Black Memories

Chief Warrant Officer (ret’d) John Barnes is a decorated Canadian Armed Forces veteran who has served all over Canada, in Germany and in operations in Cyprus, the Persian Gulf, Croatia, Bosnia, and Afghanistan.

He was awarded the Sacrifice Medal for being wounded in battle in Afghanistan, the Meritorious Service Medal for exceptional leadership under enemy fire and, in 2009, was appointed to the Order of Military Merit.

He is also the author of the recently published book, White School, Black Memories, a gripping memoir that delivers the unvarnished truth of a soldier in Canada’s army.

John joins us on this episode to share his experiences as a career Canadian soldier. He lays bare the real world violence of combat operations, his struggles coping with the impacts of being injured physically and mentally and how writing helped him heal.
All proceeds from the sale of John's book go to the Homes for Heroes Foundation, whose mission is to integrate all our homeless military Veterans into the community through the provision of housing and support services across Canada.

Thank you for listening!
For more Team Ten Eight content, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn!