Kashmir Singh Heed
Kashmir (Kash) Singh Heed
British Columbia's New Solictor General
Wednesday, June 10, 2009, British Columbia (Canada)'s Premier, Gordon Campbell, named Kashmir (Kash) Singh Heed as the Province's new Solicitor General and Public Safety Minister.
The new MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for Vancouver-Fraserview is a former Police Chief from West Vancouver. He has vast experience, but faces a steep learning curve with his new role in political office as a Cabinet Minister.
Kash is a Sikh-Canadian politician, who was elected as a B.C. Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election, representing the riding of Vancouver-Fraserview. He was formerly Chief of Police of the West Vancouver Police Department ("VPD") and a former Superintendent with the Vancouver Police Department, and was the first Sikh-Canadian police chief in Canada.
Kash graduated from the B.C. Police Academy in 1979 and began his career as an officer with the VPD. In June 2007, he lost out to Deputy Chief Jim Chu for the position of VPD's Chief of Police, but days later was appointed to that title in West Vancouver. He led the West Vancouver Police Department for 19 months and resigned on February 23, 2009, in order to run for elected office.
He was the Superintendent in charge of the south part of Vancouver, and as an Inspector was commander of District 3, which corresponds to the southeast quadrant of Vancouver.
Other roles in his career with the VPD have included heading the drug squad and Indo-Canadian gang task force, as well as implementing the department's COMPSTAT information technology system.
He is a published author who also teaches criminology and criminal justice at two B.C. colleges. He pioneered initiatives aimed at crime reduction and prevention, as well as greater community and police engagement. He led the Indo-Canadian Task Force and inspired the formation of grassroots organizations dedicated to preventing gang violence.
Past press release
Kashmir (Kash) Singh Heed has become Canada's first Sikh to become police chief of West Vancouver, British Columbia ("B.C.") with effect from August 2, 2007.
Kash Heed, as he's popularly known, will bring "real strengths as an innovator, leader and team builder", Mayor Pamela Goldsmith-Jones, chair of the city's police board, said in making the announcement on June 26.
Heed, an author who also teaches criminology and criminal justice at two B.C. colleges, was also on the shortlist for the top job in Vancouver, the province's largest municipal police force. That position went to Deputy Chief Jim Chu.
The West Vancouver force has been without a chief since January, when Scott Armstrong was let go, following allegations of after-hours drinking on police premises.
Goldsmith-Jones said the police board conducted a lengthy search, with candidates from across the country, and Heed fit the bill.
"West Vancouver has a great tradition of excellent service", he said in a statement. "I hope to build on this to make West Vancouver nothing short of the safest community in Canada".
Heed graduated from the B.C. Police Academy in 1979, and moved through the ranks of constable, detective, sergeant, inspector and currently, superintendent with the Vancouver Police Force.
He pioneered initiatives aimed at crime reduction and prevention as well as greater community and police engagement. He led the Indo-Canadian Task Force and inspired the formation of grassroots organizations dedicated to preventing gang violence.
West Vancouver Police spokesman Sgt. Paul Skelton said Heed's well-rounded policing background in Vancouver will be a huge benefit.
"It's in close proximity to West Vancouver, so we share a lot of the same people we're dealing with", Skelton stated. "I think it'll be an easy transition for him and I think it'll be something we're looking forward to".
Kash Singh Heed's bio, courtesy - Wikipedia, other details courtesy of Sikhchic and Sikhfirst
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