By Christie Strauss
February is Black History Month, and the Vancouver Police Museum & Archives would love to highlight Sergeant Arthur "Bruce" Clarke, the first Black police officer with the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).
Sworn in on July 29th, 1969, Sgt. Clarke, known to his friends as Bruce, held a career with the VPD that would span over three decades. His journey into law enforcement began at a time when societal changes were unfolding rapidly, and the role of police officers was evolving. When reflecting on his decision to join the VPD, he told City News in 2020, "The starting salary in the police was $535 (a month). So I thought, ‘Okay, why not?' Plus, I knew I would sort of be making history in my own little way."
The Vancouver Sun newspaper published an article on the day following Sgt. Clarke's official swearing-in. It ran on the 49th page and reported Clarke as being from Halifax originally. It also stated; “police officials said that in the past they had received a number of applications from persons of colour but they never fully met all the standards required.” What those standards were and how they acted as a barrier to candidates from diverse backgrounds is not fully understood. Clarke noted that working towards achieving the rank of sergeant wasn't easy; “They (the VPD) wouldn’t promote me...I did have to work harder than everybody else to receive equal treatment.” This is not a unique situation, law enforcement organizations across the world as well as other government agencies and society as a whole have and continue to create barriers for BIPOC communities and individuals.
The author of this article would like to disclose she was unable to find further information on Sgt. Clarke's career within the museum's collection. However, his museum file contained more photographs than most officers from the same time. A wonderful photo of Sgt. Clarke being interviewed with then Sgt. Honeybourn by UTV for Crimestoppers was included. The limited information we have is thanks to Lawrie Stewart of the VPD. As we continue to research and discover more we will update this article. With this in mind if you have anything you would like to contribute please do not hesitate to message the museum at info@vancouverpolicemuseum.ca
The museum would like to express its sincere gratitude to Sgt. Clarke for his service and for inspiring current and future officers.
Disclaimer: The article writer is not a member of the BIPOC community and has not experienced the barriers and prejudice experianced by BIPOC people on a daily basis.
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