Jim Chu

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Chief Constable Jim Chu
Jim Chu
Incumbent
Assumed office 
August 14, 2007
Preceded by Jamie Graham
Born 1959
Shanghai, China
Nationality Canadian
Children 4
Alma mater Simon Fraser University
Occupation Police Chief
Website www.vpd.ca

Jim Chu, O.O.M., MBA, BBA (Chinese: Zhu Xiaosun) is the Chief Constable of the Vancouver Police Department (VPD). On June 21, 2007, Jim Chu was named as the successor of Chief Constable Jamie Graham, who retired in August. Chu is the first non-white chief constable in Vancouver.

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[edit] Biography

Chu grew up in East Vancouver, the oldest son of four children of immigrants from Shanghai.[1] He graduated from Sir Charles Tupper Secondary School, where he played rugby, in 1979.[1] Joining the police department shortly after his high-school graduation, he continued his education at the same time, going on to earn a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University, and an MBA from the University of British Columbia.[2] His police training includes the FBI Advanced SWAT course.[2]

Chu has served in a number of investigative and support roles. As Sergeant in charge of recruiting, he developed the VPD's applicant guide and the department's first website in 1996. In 1997, he became an Inspector, and since then has supervised a number of transitions in the VPD's electronic communications technology, including the introduction of its current radio system and mobile computing system. In 2001, Chu was given command of District 4, which roughly corresponds to the Southwest quarter of Vancouver.[2] Chu became a deputy chief in 2003, and was put in charge of the Support Services division, which handles human resources, information technology, planning and communications[3]. It also includes the department's Financial Services Section, and Chu has earned recognition for his role in dealing with the department's cost overruns. In July 2007, Chu was placed in charge of the Operations Support division, which oversees criminal intelligence, emergency response and the gang and drug sqauds.[4]

Chu is a board member of the Justice Institute of BC, active in the International Association of Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, and teaches criminology at Douglas College.[2] A Steveston resident, Chu sat for eight years on the board of the Richmond Public Library. He is the author of a 2001 book, Law Enforcement Information Technology. [2]

In May 2007, the Governor General awarded Chu the Order of Merit of Police Forces, for service beyond the call of duty.[5] In 1999 he received the Super Trustee award from the British Columbia Library Trustees Association.[6]

On June 21, 2007, Chu was named as the successor of Chief Constable Jamie Graham, who was set to retire in August. Chu assumed command of the department on August 14, the day police fatally shot a violent man on Granville Street[7].

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] Sources

  1. ^ a b Jim Chu brings nice-guy style to the job by Frances Bula, Vancouver Sun, Friday, June 22, 2007 (Retrieved July 8, 2007)
  2. ^ a b c d e Deputy Chief Constable Jim Chu at City of Vancouver Police Department webpage
  3. ^ Support Services on the Wayback machine showing VPD website as of May 17, 2006
  4. ^ Operations Support at VPD website (retrieved July 22, 2007)
  5. ^ Meet Jim Chu - Vancouver's new top cop by Christina Montgomery, The Province, Thursday, June 21, 2007. (retrieved July 4, 2007)
  6. ^ Press Release, June 30, 1999, Richmond Public Library (retrieved August 16, 2007)
  7. ^ Man shot dead by police by Jeff Hodson, Metro Vancouver August 15, 2007 (retrieved August 16, 2007)
Police appointments
Preceded by
Jamie Graham		 Chief Constable of Vancouver
2007-		 Succeeded by
Incumbent