Municipal police boards

On this page

• About municipal police boards
• Mandate and responsibilities
• Becoming a board member

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About municipal police boards

In British Columbia, police boards oversee municipal police departments. Police board members are from diverse backgrounds from the community and bring diverse skills and experiences to the boards. Police boards include:

• A member of the city’s council appointed by the council
• One person (non-elected) appointed by the council
• Up to seven people chosen by the Lieutenant Governor in Council after discussions and input from Director of Police Services

The police board works with the Chief Constables to decide the priorities, goals and objectives of the police department. Learn more about the Police Act.

Mandate and responsibilities

Police boards have a mandate to establish a police department in their municipality. They govern and oversee the police department in the best interest of the community.
A police department is responsible for:

• Maintaining order
• Preventing crime
• Enforcing municipal bylaws, provincial laws and federal Criminal Code laws

A police board performs four main governance functions:

• Employer of all sworn and civilian staff
• Establish rules to ensure the police department follows standards, guidelines and policies
• Develops the annual police department budget
• Discipline authority for policy and service complaints

​The chair of the police board is responsible for discipline matters related to the Chief Constable and deputy.

Becoming a board member

The goal of the province and municipalities is to have police boards that reflect community demographics and that consist of qualified people who have shown they can act in the public’s interest.

Who qualifies

Board appointments are based on an objective assessment of the fit between the skills and qualifications of the prospective candidate and the needs of the board. Candidates should meet the following qualifications:

• Residence and/or business interests in the municipality served by the board
• Willingness to submit to a criminal record review and personal interview
• Knowledge about, and interest in, the community
• Ability to understand the complexities of policing
• Commitment to protecting fairness, avoiding conflict of interest and maintaining neutrality and objectivity
• Willingness, ability and availability to meet time-commitments related to board duties
• Ability to work with a variety of situations, groups and people, and to deal with difficult interpersonal situations
• Possess problem-solving skills

How to apply

When there is a vacancy on the board, names of people interested in serving on the board are obtained through advertising, recommendations, referrals, searches and other means.

Applications must include information such as name, community, contact information, education, profession or occupation, current employment, employment history, community service, reason for seeking an appointment and other relevant background information or expertise.

Apply online

Apply online for current and future vacancies through the Crown Agencies and Board Resourcing Office website which contains information about the appointment process and conduct guidelines for B.C. boards and agencies.

Current police board vacancies

To find current advertised vacancies, visit the Crown Agencies and Board Resourcing Office website.