Victoria and Esquimalt Police Board
- Establish an independent police department and appoint the chief constable and other constables and employees;
- Direct and oversee the department to ensure the enforcement of municipal bylaws, criminal laws and the laws of British Columbia, the maintenance of law and order; and the prevention of crime;
- Carry out other requirements as specified in the Act and other relevant legislation; and
- Play a key role in ensuring that the organization carries out its actions and activities in an acceptable manner.
The Board operates under the oversight of the Police Services Division of the BC Ministry of Justice which is responsible for Police Boards and policing in BC. The Board is responsible for providing police and law enforcement services for the municipalities of Esquimalt and Victoria.
Members:
Mayor Barbara Desjardins, Lead Co-Chair
After serving three years on Esquimalt Municipal Council, Barb Desjardins was first elected Mayor of Esquimalt in November of 2008. She was re-elected as Mayor in 2011, 2014, 2018, and 2022 making her Esquimalt’s longest consecutive serving Mayor. She was the Capital Regional District [CRD] Board Chair, elected in both 2016 and 2017. Throughout her elected career, she has long been known for her accessibility, collaborative approach, and personal attention to the issues raised by her constituents. In her family and professional life, Barb is a strong advocate for active and healthy living.
Mayor Marianne Alto, Deputy Co-Chair
Marianne is a facilitator by trade with university degrees in law and science. A businesswoman active in community causes for decades, Marianne was first elected to Victoria City Council in 2010 and Mayor in 2022. She was elected to the Capital Regional District Board from 2011 through 2018, where she chaired its landmark Special Task Force on First Nations Relations. Marianne is a lifelong activist who vigorously advocates for equity, inclusion and fairness for everyone.
Sean Dhillon – Provincial Appointee
Sean is a second-generation Banker and a third-generation Property Developer. Born to a hard-working immigrant South Asian single mother, Sean is proud to have engaged in community services and social justice since he was seven years old. Sean is a self-identified persons with an invisible and visible disability. Sean is the past chair of the Victoria Sexual Assault Centre and the past Vice-Chair of the Threshold Housing Society. During his tenure he stewarded the creation of the country’s only Sexual Assault Clinic and doubled the number of youth homes available in the CRD. Sean is a Board Director/Treasurer at PEERS, Chair of the Men’s Therapy Centre, Secretary at the Alliance to End Homelessness across Greater Victoria, and a Board Director at HeroWork Canada. Sean has his Institute of Corporate Directors designation from the Rotman School of Management, and holds experience in Governance, DEI, ESG Finance, Audit and Compensation. Sean is the Governance Chair of the Victoria & Esquimalt Police Board and a member of the Canadian Association of Police Governance.
Charla Huber – Provincial Appointee
Charla Huber is an Indigenous Relations and Communications consultant. She has a Master’s degree in professional communication and a chartered housing designation from the Charted Institute of Housing Canada. Charla writes a weekly column in the Times Colonist newspaper that often highlights Indigenous issues. She works as associate faculty at Royal Roads University and completed a fully funded research project on Indigenous ways of communicating so employers can better support Indigenous employees. Charla is the Human Resources Committee Chair of the Victoria & Esquimalt Police Board, and President of the BC Association of Police Boards. Charla’s family is from Fort Chipewyan, AB, and she has First Nations and Inuit heritage.
Micayla Hayes – Provincial Appointee
Micayla is the President & CEO of The London Chef culinary school and catering business located in downtown Victoria. She holds her Bachelor of Arts and her Master of Arts in Criminology and has experience working with restorative justice programs. She is currently a Program Lead/Facilitator at the Vancouver Island Regional Correction Centre.
Paul Faoro – Provincial Appointee
Paul Faoro is Principal of PWF Consulting, providing organizations in BC with strategic guidance on complex labour relations matters, employment issues, stakeholder relations, and governance matters. Prior to founding PWF Consulting in 2021, Paul held the position of President and CEO with the BC division of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). Over his 37-year career, Paul has held numerous elected positions at all levels within CUPE and the broader labour movement including as General Vice President of CUPE National, and as an Officer with the BC Federation of Labour. Paul has vast board and governance experience as well training in leadership, parliamentary procedure, labour law, human rights and occupational health and safety.
Tim Kituri – Provincial Appointee
Tim is the Program Manager of the Master of Global Management program in the School of Business at Royal Roads University, a role he has held since 2013. While working at Royal Roads, Tim completed his Master’s in International and Intercultural Communication, researching the post-election violence in his home country of Kenya. Tim started his career in academia at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia. During his seven-year tenure, he worked in numerous departments and roles, from the Office of Alumni and External Affairs, the Executive and Professional Development department, and as a teaching assistant in the school of business. Tim holds a Master of Arts in International and Intercultural Communication from Royal Roads University, a Bachelor of Commerce with a Marketing specialization from Saint Mary’s University, Bachelor of Communication with a Public Relations specialization from Daystar University, and a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching, with Advanced Coaching course in Team and Group Coaching from Royal Roads University.
Elizabeth Cull – Provincial Appointee
Elizabeth has spent her entire educational and working career in the field of public policy as an employee, an employer, a volunteer, and elected official. She was the BC Minister of Health from 1991-1992 and the BC Minister of Finance from 1993-1996. She was also a consultant to elected officials, public servants, non-profit organizations, local and Indigenous governments, and private corporations. She is currently the Chair of the Burnside Gorge Community Association.
Holly Courtright – Municipal Appointee (Esquimalt)
Holly completed a BA in English and Environment Studies at the University of Victoria, a Masters of Human Rights at the University of Sydney, and a Graduate Certificate in Executive Coaching at Royal Roads University. She has complemented her education with additional coursework in mentorship, mediation, and negotiation from the Royal Roads and the Justice Institute of BC. Five years ago, after over 20 years in Municipal Government, Holly began her current role as a Real Estate Advisor and Leadership Coach. She services Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.
Holly previously served on Boards for Leadership Victoria and the Esquimalt Farmers Market. She was the President of CUPE Local 333, and is currently the President of the Esquimalt Chamber of Commerce. She has travelled solo to over 30 countries, crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and continues to adventure abroad on occasion.
Contact Us
850 Caledonia Avenue
Victoria, BC V8T 5J8
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (250) 995-7217