True Blue Podcast

Meet the President of the Victoria City Police Union (2006-2020) and hear from Sean Plater to learn more about his policing career. Sean was a K-9 handler with his partner "Alf". He talks about taking rounds from career criminal and heroin addict Stephen Reid of The Stopwatch Gang during a bank robbery!
Sean served half of his career as the Union President.
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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

Get to know the 2023 VicPD Spokesperson a bit better in this episode. Cst. Terri Healy has been a police officer for the past 14 years. She is a mother of two and loves working with and for the public. Terri discusses the mindset required to be a new mom and returning to police work after 18 months off the road and everything that could come with that. We spend a few minutes hearing Terri's opinions related to some of the dehumanizing behaviour she's experienced while wearing a police uniform. Hear Terri's thoughts on the necessity of police humour and funny stories from the street. We also get into some thoughtful comments about member wellness and resiliency.

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

**Update**
On Tuesday October 5th 2021, the BC Government agreed to fund Trikafta as new medication for many people living with Cystic Fibrosis. The VCPU is happy to see this announcement.
Sgt. Dale Sleightholme is passionate about a new miracle medication for those living with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and the reason is that his son has been living with CF his whole life and he wants him to be able to live a long life. Dale is advocating to have Provincial Governments approve the distribution of Trikafta; this new medication has recently been approved by Health Canada. You will hear Dale describe what kids/adults with CF have to struggle with; a severely reduced lung capacity and how they will die without this new medication.
We are also joined by serving Winnipeg Police officer Jeremy Vosbourgh who lives with CF - we want Jeremy to be able to complete his police career and enjoy a healthy retirement and see him get access to Trikafta.
Go to this page to sign the petition to approve Trikafta:
https://action.cysticfibrosis.ca/page/81341/petition/1?ea.tracking.id=webbanner&_ga=2.127899211.779444189.1621289247-627863890.1621289247
Talk to your local MLA to voice your support to have this medication available to save lives!
https://www.cysticfibrosis.ca/news/health-canada-approval-of-transformational-cystic-fibrosis-medication-brings-hope-to-cf-community?p=1

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

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

Daryl Baswick interviews Staff Sergeant Jennifer Ames in this fantastic episode. Jen talks about her time in the Homicide Unit and the day she got a confession from the killer - but don't stop listening - she gets another confession for a previous murder as well! (Traigo Andretti — convicted for the 2013 homicide of Jennifer McPherson, to whom he was married, and for the 2006 killing of Myrna Letandre — he later died by suicide in his cell in a Saskatchewan psychiatric facility.)
S/Sgt. Ames is a 27 year member and currently assigned to the Professional Standards Unit at VicPD. Jen is also the VicPD representative on the Greater Victoria Police Diversity Advisory Committee; when you hear her background and experience you'll know why.
We also learn that Jen (as well as other VicPD members) have taken to Beekeeping in their spare time - fascinating to hear her talk about the life of the beehive. She shares her thoughts and insights on topics like Harm Reduction, drug investigations, what female police officers face in their career, how much dedication and love goes into being involved in the Tour de Rock event and her personal experiences of police managing PTSD. As a Watch Commander in Patrol, Jen observed numerous times where police officers would deal with multiple traumatic incidents in their shift.
This episode is dedicated to the memory of René Soto-Taylor. RIP

https://www.timescolonist.com/local-news/victoria-boy-had-9-short-years-lived-to-the-fullest-4625753

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