When Del Manak joined the Victoria Police Department more than two decades ago, he never imagined he would become chief.
But on Tuesday the Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board appointed Manak as the departmentB次元官网网址檚 new chief constable.
Manak "grateful" for the opportunity to lead the department as the new police chief.
B次元官网网址� Victoria B次元官网网址 (@VictoriaB次元官网网址)
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 a board decision and I think itB次元官网网址檚 a tough decision. ItB次元官网网址檚 a big responsibility and I think that the board did their due diligence in assessing where they were, what the landscape was of the police department and IB次元官网网址檓 just very thankful and grateful that they ended up choosing me as chief constable,B次元官网网址� Manak said from the police headquarters on Caledonia Avenue.
Police Board Appoints Del Manak as Chief Constable |
B次元官网网址� Victoria Police (@vicpdcanada)
Manak first joined the department more than 24 years ago and has since worked his way up the ranks. Outside the department, Manak has deep roots in the city. He grew up in Victoria, attending George Jay Elementary, Central Middle School and eventually graduating from Mount Doug. He also played minor hockey at the Archie Browning Arena in Esquimalt.
But it wasnB次元官网网址檛 until the late 1980s, when Manak started seriously considering policing as a career and in 1990, graduated from the Vancouver Police Department. His appointment was announced in front of his wife Nicky, 17-year-old son Rajan, 15-year-old daugther, Kamryn, and 80-year-old mother, Avtar.
This is the first time the police board has hired a chief constable from within the department in 26 years.
B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檇 done a 360 review of then acting chief back in the fall to access how he was doing as acting to make sure that we had the right guy in the acting job. The review came back very positive B次元官网网址� It didnB次元官网网址檛 take us long to see that this was the right decision,B次元官网网址� said Lisa Helps, lead co-chair of the police board.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 led the department very ably through the last year of uncertainty.B次元官网网址�
Up next, Manak will continue to build on work done by the department in recent months, including adjusting and incorporating public input into the departmentB次元官网网址檚 strategic plan, looking at new service delivery models and increasing front-line resources.
But he admits there will be challenges ahead.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 going to be important that we are together, that we are focused and that we deliver the mission of public safety and are responsive and continue to be responsive to our community,B次元官网网址� Manak said. B次元官网网址淥ur community has told us loud and clear theyB次元官网网址檇 like to see more visibility, more officers on foot B次元官网网址� ThatB次元官网网址檚 a challenge, because right now we donB次元官网网址檛 seem to have enough officers deployed to meet the demand.B次元官网网址�
The appointment of Manak to chief constable comes nearly a month about the of former chief Frank Elsner.
