beyond the call | january 20, 2006 | 3

POLICE OFFICERS require an excep-tional range of emotional control inorder to do their jobs well. It takesthat degree of control to deal com-passionately with someone who mayhave just tried to injure or kill you.It’s a skill that very few jobs require.

It’s also a skill that ConstablesSandra Glendinning and JamesHamade put to good use on March12, 2005, while trying to execute awarrant. As they approached thewanted man they were unaware hehad psychiatric issues and had notbeen taking his medication. Since hehad his back to them, they were alsounaware he was holding a largekitchen knife.

“We knew there was somethingconcealed in his hand and that therewere other weapons on the floor,”says Constable Glendinning. “All Icould think of was that I couldn’tlet him arm himself with any otherweapons.”

As Constable Glendinninggrabbed the man’s left hand, helunged at Constable Hamade withthe knife in his right hand. A strug-gle ensued as the man continued totry to plunge the knife into thepolice officer’s chest.

PoliceOfficersNever Makeit PersonalBeing attacked is just part ofthe job

While it is expected that every policeofficer will be justly proud of theirdepartment, occasionally an officertakes that pride beyond the call toactually become an active championof the department. No one couldargue that Constable James Pearsonis not a champion of the VancouverPolice Department.

“Every officer is a champion ofthe department,” says Pearson with a

Constable James Pearson has been leading the way for years

“I thought for sure this was sui-cide by cop,” says Glendinning.

They eventually disarmed him,but because of his frenzied strengththey needed backup officers to helprestrain him.

In the aftermath of what easily

could have been a tragic incident,Constables Glendinning and Hamadewere calm, professional and consideratein dealing with the man and his family.They were empathic and understand-ing, speaking with distraught familymembers who thanked them for their

restraint. “His stepfather couldn’t

quite manage to shake my handafterwards, but he thanked mevery much for not shooting hisstepson. Keeping your emotionsin check is something you have

to do. If you can’t, you’re in thewrong line of work. You can’t ever letit get personal, if you do, you lose.”

For extraordinary performance ofduty, Constables Sandra Glendinningand James Hamade received the ChiefConstable’s Commendation.

Making Sure the VPD Puts its Best Foot Forward

characteristic reluctance to hog thespotlight. “Every time you put youruniform on you are a champion forthe department.”

For the past two years ConstablePearson has held the appointed rankof Departmental Sergeant Major. Inthat role he has proven invaluable inorganizing events such as parades,Remembrance Day ceremonies andthe Police and Peace Officers’

Memorial. He was instrumental inorganizing the memorial held inVancouver for the four RCMP mem-bers slain in Alberta. Because of hisorganizational skills and vast knowl-edge of protocol he has also becomea key resource for other departments.

Constable Pearson’s dedicationto this role and to the departmenthas helped build esprit de corpswithin the VPD and in the policing

com-munity asa whole. Hehas donemuch of thiswork on his owntime, committing hundreds of off-duty hours without compensation.

“It’s my wife who should reallybe getting this award. I did

nothing more than anyoneelse would have done.”

VPD members agreethat Constable Pearson gives

them all a sense of pride in theevents they attend.For his drive, enthusiasm and

unwavering dedication to the VPD,Constable James Pearson receivedthe Chief Constable’sCommendation.

COMMONLY WHEN THE PHONE RINGS in this small unitof staff and volunteers, it means the life of someone hasbeen affected by crime and/or trauma. The VictimServices Unit provides support services to victims andwitnesses whose lives have been affected by crime. Theirphone rings about 2000 times a year and they know thatthey will be called to a scene about 220 times in the sameperiod.

But this time the call was different. On October 26,2005, Constable David Hopp was attempting to help adistraught 84-year-old woman with a bizarre tale. Shetold him that her son had taken all her belongings whenshe was out of town and donated them to Value Village.She had lost everything: clothes, household items, and,most importantly, family photos and keepsakes that shewas saving for her grandchildren.

Her story became even more poignant whenConstable Hopp learned that employees at the store hadfound and turned over to the department $8,000 she hadbeen saving in purses her son gave away. Constable Hopptook an extraordinary course of action. He called LeahKelsey and Gwen Hay from the VPD Victim Services Unitand together they took the elderly woman to ValueVillage on the slim chance they could get her belongingsback.

“This was very unusual for us,” says Kelsey. “No crimehad been committed because her son lived with her andthought she had too much stuff. But you could see thatshe was heartbroken and her situation touched us all.”

The employees at the store were also touched andagreed to do everything they could to find the woman’s

For the Vancouver Police Victim Services Unit it was a Call Like No Otherbelongings and return them to her. First they needed a list of what had been taken. Leah Kelsey started the difficult job of helping the woman write down everythingshe could remember.

“Imagine if someone asked you to make a list of allyour belongings from memory,” says Kelsey. “It wouldn’tbe easy for any of us.”

Kelsey and Hay, along with Constable Hopp, beganpushing two shopping carts around the store in search ofthe mementos and keepsakes of this frail woman’s life.

“Seeing how vulnerable she was we couldn’t leaveher,” says Hay. “She had been an army nurse and raisedfour children. She had lived her life in second-handclothes to put her children through university and amongthe personal items she found on the shelves was one ofher son’s framed PhD.”

The search continued, occasionally netting a prize,such as items that her mother had knitted for her whenshe was a child. Other times, the disappointments werepainful.

“When she saw that something dear to her was gone,she would just put her head down.”

In the end, the team from the VPD, along with thecaring staff at Value Village, were able to return many ofthe woman’s possessions. It’s a call they will never forgetand, although unlike any they have ever received, they sayit fits nicely with the vision of the VPD Victim ServicesUnit:

To provide victims and witnesses with professional,supportive and timely assistance, to lessen the impact ofcrime and trauma.

Civilian Gwen Hay from Victim Services works to make a difference.

Constable Sandra Glendinning, one of last year's Award of Valour winners, once again distinguishes herself in the line of duty.

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