Retiring VPD Chief Adam Palmer will join RCMP as assistant commissioner later this month

From Feb. 18: After a decade at the helm, Chief Const. Adam Palmer announced he will be retiring months before his contract expires. Is a run for office in his future?

Vancouver’s outgoing police chief is joining the RCMP.

Adam Palmer, the Vancouver Police Department’s longest-serving chief, announced in February that he would retire at the end of April – several months before his current contract was due to expire.

He told a news conference at the time that he was stepping down on his terms, with the intention to pursue an unspecified “opportunity.”

While speculation was rampant that Palmer intended to run for office with the Conservative Party of Canada, the chief declined to offer any insight into his plans.

On Thursday, a national RCMP spokesperson confirmed that Palmer would be joining the federal force.

“The RCMP is pleased to announce that Chief Const. Adam Palmer of the Vancouver Police Department will be joining the RCMP leadership in the capacity of assistant commissioner for police service models, effective April 28, 2025,” the spokesperson in an email Thursday.

“He will lead a team responsible for assessing relevant domestic and international police service delivery models, which will inform future directions with respect to contract policing.”

Palmer has served with the VPD since 1987 and has been the department’s chief constable since 2015.