The institution responsible for training municipal, transit and tribal police recruits in B.C. is pushing back against calls for city-run academies, arguing that a single, province-wide system is essential for consistent, accountable training.

In a statement Friday, the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) says it remains “ready and equipped” to meet the province’s recruitment needs, following recent criticism from Vancouver’s police chief and police board chair. Both the chief and board chair told CBC News that rising overtime costs at the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) are being driven by a lack of training space at the institute. 

Through a Freedom of Information request, CBC News found VPD overtime spending rose from $26 million in 2022 to $39 million in 2024 — a 50 per cent increase.

Police Chief Steve Rai and board chair Frank Chong said the shortage of training capacity has left “dozens and dozens” of recruits waiting for academy seats, forcing existing officers to work more hours to meet staffing needs.

The VPD is seeking approval from the province to establish and operate its own training academy.

“We have been very, very clear with the Justice Institute that we need the proper amount of officers trained and we are not getting that,” Chong told CBC News last week. “We are at a breaking point.”

On Friday, Minister for Public Safety and Solicitor General Nina Krieger acknowledged those concerns at a press conference announcing a 50 per cent expansion to police-academy training at the Justice Institute, increasing the academy’s annual training capacity from 192 seats to 288. 

The province has earmarked $4 million for the school’s expansion, which will pay for more instructors, new training gear and “dedicated spaces to accommodate the increased number of police recruits.”

In an email to CBC News, Rai said the increase in seats is a step in the right direction, but still falls short of meeting the force’s operational needs. 

“The VPD is uniquely positioned to train its own recruits, ensuring we meet workforce demands that are unique to Vancouver (i.e. FIFA 2026), while easing the burden on the existing academy infrastructure.”

But the JIBC says a single, centralized model is key to maintaining public confidence and consistent standards across municipal forces.

“A decentralized approach would create oversight challenges, stretch instructor capacity, and weaken the province-wide standards that keep both officers and the public safe,” April van Ert, the institute’s vice-president of communications and engagement, said in a statement.

According to the JIBC, every recruit completes a rigorous 10-month program that includes field placements and scenario-based learning focused on de-escalation, trauma-informed practice and cultural safety.

Van Ert said fragmented training models risk duplicating costs and straining instructor resources.

She said the JIBC is disappointed by recent comments from the VPD, stating they “do not reflect the strong and ongoing collaboration that has long existed between our organizations.” 

Surrey councillor calls for local police training centre

Meanwhile, Surrey city councillor Linda Annis, who is also a mayoral candidate, is calling for an entirely new training centre that could serve departments across the Lower Mainland.

“There needs to be a modern police training centre with increased capacity and I think it makes sense to put it right here in Surrey,” Annis said in a statement.

“Right across the region, the need for more officers is front-and-centre in every community,” she added, noting that Surrey has roughly 800 police officers compared to about 1,400 in Vancouver despite comparable populations.

Krieger has said her ministry will look at different departments’ needs, but stressed the JIBC is “central” to police training in British Columbia.