Imagine this scenario: it's Christmas Eve, past 10:30pm, and the city is quiet, dark and nearly…read moredeserted. And it's really cold outside, too. I'm returning home from visiting friends in Burnaby, with my two kids with me, exiting the Chinatown Skytrain station to rush home to walk our elderly dog (who is overdue for her nightly walk). Along the way my kids noticed a dog, alone, walking with a limp, shivering, wandering without any apparent destination in mind, no human owner in sight. We approach said dog and he is cold, with matted hair, so sweet. No collar. We now were stuck here, committed to getting this poor dog help. None of the buildings in the area had a concierge in their lobbies (I had hoped to get help, or at least a leash and collar. I ended up using my scarf), and I called the VPD non-emergency line. After getting through a lengthy voice tree, I reached a super nice dispatcher (Matthew?) who said he'd get an officer to us "as soon as one was available". He couldn't provide an ETA, and when I asked if they'd send animal control, he said no, it'd be a police officer. I asked if the officer would take the dog in their patrol car (I used to be a 911 dispatcher near Seattle, and we'd send animal control for these types of calls). Matthew said it was "at the officer's discretion" if they took the animal or not. So now we were worried, and cold, not knowing how long it'd take for the officer to get to us (ten minutes? 2 hours?), and we had a dog at home who was probably bursting at the seams to go out. We couldn't bring the found dog home with us (my dog would kill it, and I didn't think we could walk the distance home with this dog in it's makeshift collar and scarf, too). But we were committed and already bonded with this gentle, freezing dog. What an awful condition to be in. But we were staying, no way could we leave. I flagged down a guy walking his own two small dogs and he offered to help. He called his roommate to see if he could take this poor dog to a shelter (he said he could not, as he was leaving to catch a flight in a few hours). He was committed to help this dog and us. What a nice guy (dog people rock!). Luckily, soon after, the police officer arrived, and it was as if Santa himself showed up in his sleigh! This officer was wearing a Santa hat and she was so nice, gently lifting this poor, sweet dog into her police vehicle, saying she was bringing him to the animal hospital to be checked out right away. There was no question that the dog was going to be transported by the officer immediately. She saved the day. Both the dispatcher and the officer were incredibly professional and helpful and responsive. (I had contacted the PD once before to report some vandalism in a park, and they were great then, too). And the few times I've chatted with officers on traffic detail or foot patrol, they've all been terrific. I really appreciate their presence during crowded events (like the Celebration of Lights fireworks events in English Bay), and I think the City is really lucky to have such a professional, personable police force, truly.

OK, no I did not get into trouble, that is not why I am here, not breaking the law or anything, but…read moreto get a criminal background check for a non-profit I am helping out led me to this location. I was so used to going to the Chinatown/Main Street location to get this done for a few of my jobs, prior to employment, and moving it to this location is a much more comfortable, and safe experience (this is really all in the mind.. cause really.. why would it be dangerous around a Police station). I came in here, and it's a pretty secure clean place... as expected. To get service, you need to go to reception first and take a number, but you need to tell them why you are here, and then you wait. I think I had too much coffee on this day, and luckily there is a public washroom right there, single occupancy, but at least there is one. When my number was called, I was helped right away, while the people working here are behind bulletproof glass speak to you through a digital microphone coming out on the other end. I like coming down here a lot more for criminal checks, as it's more convenient by public transit, the area is clean, and the line-up/roll-call format is very streamlined. How else can you really rate this place, they are protecting our city afterall.

Although they've moved from their former location next to Kent's Kitchen (which has now expanded to…read moreinclude their former office space), they are still available for people in the community to ask questions about crime, safety, etc. as well as to report any strange happenings in the area.

We lost our license. Sergeant Jeff Silzer went above and beyond to help us find it. Many thanks to…read morethe whole unit.

Rooms lacked a mini bar or TV. Bed was uncomfortable. However, as a plus, the toilet was close to…read morethe bed. Room service was unavailable during my stay so I can't speak on the food quality. Noise from other guests kept me awake all night. It seemed to be at max occupancy, which may have been a contributing factor. Overall, by choice I would not stay again, unless I had no other option. Do not recommend. One star.

This facility is not normally open to the general public. However, one day a year (during Doors…read moreOpen Vancouver), a handful of lucky pre-registered participants get a chance to go on a guided tour to see what goes on behind these closed doors. The facility boasts impressive shooting ranges, situation simulation rooms with props, gun displays, large training classrooms & gyms, and much more. I recommend registering early for the free Doors Open Vancouver guided tour - spots fill up fast as these tours are popular!

So not impressed. All the reaching out to the community failed the first time I walked into their…read moreoffices. I had recordings on my phone of a contractor verbally threatening me. Just listening to it had me shaking in my boots. I wanted it in their records in case something happens to me or my property. When I explained this to the front desk person and played the recording he actually sneered at me and told me unless the threat is to kill me or maybe descriptions of severe bodily harm there is no law broken and they won't take a complaint. So now I'm alone and afraid in my own home. And if or when this lunatic decides to do something I will have no proof of the threat. But it was the condescending sneering attitude that earned the one star. Customer service? None.

I came here to discuss and get clarification on something that showed up on my criminal record…read morecheck of concern. The incident happened in Burnaby, however, due to the privacy act weren't able to tell me much information. I came into the office shortly after lunch and the lady across the counter rolled her eyes as soon as I came in and acted the whole time, with audible huffs and puffs. She literally acted as though she didn't want to be there and acted as though I was inconveniencing her with my legit inquiry. It took me a while to warm her up and she did give in a little, however, part of working in a police department is dealing with people like myself. I got the information that I needed. I think near the end she realized what a jerk she was being to me and compensated, however, by then it was too little too late.

I made sooo many reports to them and they never enforce the 3 hour parking limit. Useless.read more

I know these folks have a hard job to do and they serve a critical (and a grossly…read moreunder-appreciated) role in the basic functioning of the City, but I gotta say, I am not a fan. Here's my story: Last month I received my first parking ticket in 25-30 years. It's been so long since I've gotten a ticket, in fact, that I can't even remember the last time. I'm a law-abiding citizen (even used to work for the police department in another city, for many, many years), plus I'm always on a tight budget, so I can't really afford to pay tickets, anyhow. I'm super careful to obey all laws, for so many reasons. But last month, in the Marpole area, I parked on Granville behind a bunch of delivery trucks and vans, and the street sign said no parking between certain hours but I was there after that time window, so I figured I was good to go. I paid the meter and ran into my chiropractor appointment and returned to my car literally 10 minutes later. I had a message on my phone from my vet (my elderly dog was sick at the time), so I sat in my car for 5-10 minutes to call back the vet and see what the diagnosis and recommended treatment was for my "baby". Within 10 minutes' time, a uniformed guy walked up to the passenger side of my car and slapped a ticket on my windshield! It totally freaked me out (I didn't see him approaching, so his presence startled me). And then when I realized I was getting ticketed, I was confused, what on earth for? I told the vet I'd call him back and stepped out of the car. I asked the parking enforcement officer, what was I being ticketed for, this is a legal spot, I paid the meter, and I pointed to the sign, saying I wasn't parked within this posted time window when parking is not allowed here. He then pointed to ANOTHER sign, on ANOTHER pole about 5-10 feet behind this sign, behind my car, and this other sign read that from 3-5pm (or something like that), there is no parking on the street here. OMG, I never saw this sign, only the other one (I think the delivery trucks that were parked here when I first pulled up obscured this particular sign, as the trucks were tall. Of course now, talking to the officer, all the trucks and vans were gone. It was just my car parked on this stretch of the block now). I said to the officer, I've been sitting in my car for the past 5-10 minutes, talking to my vet about my sick dog, I am so sorry, didn't he see me in the car? Why didn't he just knock on my window and ask me to leave? I didn't understand why he didn't just tell me to move my vehicle. (Years and years ago, in Montreal, I worked in Public Security for two municipalities, and I was responsible for ticketing vehicles that were illegally parked. In a million years, I'd never ticket a car that was occupied by someone in the driver's seat! I'd just tell them to move on). This particular officer couldn't have cared less about my dog or my situation, and he just said he didn't see me (I don't know how that's possible) and he can't take back the ticket now that he wrote it up. And the ticket wasn't for $30 or $50, either. It was for $120 or $130 (I've already repressed the details! It was THAT disturbing to me). I was so upset for days afterwards, not only because this was a huge amount of money for me (and I don't have this kind of money to spend superfluously), but also because I WAS IN THE CAR the whole time, and the officer must have seen me. And the posted sign in question was obscured when I parked there by tall delivery trucks. It was my mistake, sure, but an honest one, and I felt screwed over by an inflexible system and an inflexible officer. It was the principle of the whole matter, and I was so upset by it all.