A sharp decline in homicides over the past decade has prompted Victoria police to withdraw from the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU), with the department saying it now has the resources and experience to investigate killings on its own. Chief Const. Fiona Wilson discussed the decision during a departmental update to Victoria city council Thursday, saying it follows months of deliberation about staffing, crime trends and the department’s future needs. Victoria and Esquimalt now average one or two homicides a year, Wilson said, far fewer than when the regional integrated unit was established in 2007. The change means future homicide investigations in Victoria and Esquimalt will once again be led by Victoria Police Department (VicPD) detectives rather than investigators assigned to the regional team. VicPD currently has five officers and one civilian employee seconded to VIIMCU, a commitment Wilson described as a significant investment for the department. Those employees will return to VicPD to investigate homicides and other major crimes. “We believe we have the people, the skills and the experience to investigate homicides in Victoria and Esquimalt,” Wilson said. Wilson said the move is cost neutral because VicPD already pays the salaries of the six employees assigned to VIIMCU. Bringing those investigators back will strengthen local staffing resources while creating more opportunities for officers to gain experience investigating complex cases, she said. The department has not finalized how homicide investigations will be structured internally. Wilson said VicPD is considering whether to establish a dedicated homicide unit or assign those investigations to its existing major crime section. A transition date has also not been confirmed. Wilson said she initially proposed Oct. 1 when notifying policing partners but emphasized the timeline remains flexible to ensure ongoing investigations are not disrupted. “I’m not interested in leaving any files in a lurch,” she said. “My primary concern is the health of those investigations.” VicPD and VIIMCU investigators will also determine whether any existing homicide files should be transferred to Victoria police. Wilson said those decisions will depend on where the homicide occurred, the age of the investigation, whether a person of interest has been identified and whether the case is already before the courts. Wilson said residents should not expect any change in service levels, adding that VicPD will continue working closely with the RCMP and other police agencies. The RCMP says it supports the decision. In a statement, Acting Officer in Charge of the B.C. RCMP Major Crime Section Supt. Bal Hansra thanked VicPD for its contributions to VIIMCU over the past 18 years. “As VIIMCU continues to evolve, we support VicPD’s decision to resume responsibility for homicide investigations within its jurisdiction,” Hansra said. “We will continue to work collaboratively with VicPD and our other partners to ensure a safe, seamless, and successful transition.” Wilson says the decision should not be viewed as a step away from regional policing. Instead, she said VicPD’s growing capacity will allow it to play a stronger role in future collaboration across the South Island.
