“Fats” Robertson – A brief history of one of Vancouver’s most notorious Kingpins
By Michaela Sawyer, VPMA Museum Assistant William Faulder Robertson, also known as Fats Robertson, was a major drug trafficking boss in...
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Jul 6, 20234 min read
Pride at the VPMA- our newest acquisition
Written by Marketing and Communications manager Christie Strauss A belated happy Pride from all of us here at the Vancouver Police Museum...
Aug 11, 20222 min read
From the Director's Desk
Starting a new job is always a little daunting. So when I joined the VPMA as the new Executive Director earlier this year,...
Nov 28, 20204 min read
The Legend of Mitzi Dupree
Some would argue that it is among the greatest compliments to be immortalized in a song. For exotic dancer Mitzi Dupree,...
Mar 6, 20204 min read
The Vancouver Stock Exchange: A Legacy of Fraud and Money Laundering Part II
In part one of our Vancouver Stock Exchange blog, we covered the history of the exchange as it evolved to become a haven for scam artists...
Jan 18, 20204 min read
The Vancouver Stock Exchange: A Legacy of Fraud and Money Laundering Part I
This blog is the first in a two part series about a particularly corrupt and crime-laden time in the Vancouver Stock Exchange’s history....
Dec 19, 20194 min read
Inside ‘Gun Culture’: An Interview with Museum Curator Elizabeth Peterson
Female VPD police officers in the late 1940s-early 1950s. Prior to the late 1940s, female officers were not allowed to carry firearms,...
Dec 7, 20194 min read
Computer Revolution: The Story of the VPD’s MDT Pilot Program
A promotional photo that appeared as the front cover to the 1979 VPD annual report, features an officer using the first MDT. Written by...
Nov 9, 20196 min read
Policing Vancouver During the Great War–Part 2
This is a reposting of a popular blog series from 2014 in honour of Remembrance Day and those who nobly served. The First VPD Men Who...
Nov 8, 20193 min read
Policing Vancouver During the Great War
This is a reposting of a popular blog series from 2014 in honour of Remembrance Day and those who nobly served. August 4th, 2014 marks...
Sep 20, 20193 min read
Salt Water’s City: “King of the Thugs” Jim Goon
The corner of Pender and Carrall, at the heart of Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood (1910s). Photo: Vancouver City Archives AM54-S4-:...
Jul 4, 20194 min read
The Incredible History of The Penthouse: A Vancouver Landmark Weathers 70 Years of Change
Filippone brothers Joe, Jimmy and Ross bringing the booze out of hiding after finally getting a liquor licence in the fall of 1968....
May 17, 20193 min read
Sins of the City Tours: Inside Vice, Dice and Opium Pipes!
Pekin Chop Suey, the Bank of Vancouver and a hand cart in Vancouver’s Chinatown in 1910. Discover these historic parts of Vancouver and...
Apr 19, 20193 min read
The Rise and Fall of Vancouver’s Top Cop in the 1950s
Written by Sheena Koo 1950s Vancouver was an idyllic time for many. The city had just a few skyscrapers, with the Hotel Vancouver and the...
Mar 8, 20194 min read
A History of Women in the Vancouver Police Department
Three officers take aim during target practice. In 1967, women were required to train with firearms but were not allowed to carry them on...
Feb 21, 20194 min read
The City Analyst’s Lab: Vancouver’s History as a Forensic Pioneer
The entrance to 238 East Cordova Street, which served as the City Analyst’s Laboratory from 1932 to 1996. Photo VPMA photo collection...
Feb 13, 20193 min read
The History of the Coroner’s Court, Part 3: The Bingo
This is part three of our series on the history of the Coroner’s Court. Written by Sheena Koo The Bingo The former Coroner’s Court has...
Feb 7, 20193 min read
The History of The Coroner’s Court, Part 2: The Brilliant, Whiskey-Loving Coroner
This is part 2 of our 3-part series on The History of The Coroner’s Court: “We have been inquiring to the best of our abilities into the...
Jan 25, 20195 min read
The Fascinating History of The Coroner’s Court: Part 1, The Bodies
This is part 1 of our 3-part series on the history of the Coroner’s Court: In session at the old Coroner’s Court with Glen...
Jan 3, 20192 min read
The Story Behind Tom Carter’s Painting of The Vancouver Police Museum
Recently, The Vancouver Police Museum was bestowed with a one-of-a-kind custom painting created by celebrated local artist Tom Carter....
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