Vancouver deputy police chief tapped as Victoria’s next top cop

The cities of Victoria and Esquimalt have their first-ever female police chief.

Fiona Wilson, who currently serves as a deputy chief with the Vancouver Police Department, will be heading to Vancouver Island to head up the Victoria Police Department.

“It is an incredible honour,” Wilson said of the appointment on Friday.

“I recognize the importance of earning the trust of a new department and two unique and vibrant communities,” she added.

“While I want to recognize the historic significance of being the first female chief of police here at VicPD, I also am focused on the things that are really important to me which are community, employee wellness and delivering results.”

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Wilson comes to the Victoria force as a 26-year veteran of the VPD, where she started with roles including patrolling the Downtown Eastside and as an investigator in the Sex Crimes Unit, before moving on to a variety of leadership roles.

Wilson was promoted to deputy chief in 2021.

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In tapping her for the top job at VicPD, the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board said she “stood out amid a rich field of candidates.”

“(She) impressed us with her vision for supporting both VicPD sworn members and civilian professionals while strengthening trust and safety in the communities of Victoria and Esquimalt,” board chair Micayla Hayes said.

Wilson will take over from outgoing Chief Del Manak when he retires at the end of August.

She’ll then be in command of a force with no shortage of complex challenges, including simmering public safety, drug and homelessness problems, budget pressures and controversy over the region’s school liaison officer program.

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Victoria Mayor Marianne Alto said she believes the search found the right person for the job.

“Any one of (the candidates) would have been outstanding. The issue for us was finding someone who was just that much more aligned with the city’s values and what I hope are the service’s values as well,” she told Global News.

Manak said he will spend the next several months preparing for a smooth transition.

“I couldn’t be more pleased to bring her on a chief,” he said.

“I can tell you she is the real deal. She has an amazing resume, but what is more important to me — she is community-minded, she is collaborative, she’s a community … she’s thoughtful, she’s kind, she’s caring.”

Wilson will take command of the VicPD on Aug. 15.