In this episode, Joel Durling is joined by Sergeant Vlad Filatov. Vlad has been with VicPD since 2015 but started with the RCMP in 2013. Vlad and his family immigrated from Romania when he was 9 years old, after spending some time in Montreal they moved West to Victoria where he graduated high school and completed a degree in Criminal Justice at the University of Victoria. He began volunteering with VicPD’s Crime Watch Program on the recommendation of now retired Sgt. Bill Laughlin as a path to gain experience before applying to policing.

Before his recent promotion to Sergeant Vlad has worked in Patrol, Traffic, Integrated Tech Crimes, Special Victims Unit and Cyber Crimes. He believes the police world has been lacking in use of technology to solve crime, although we’re getting better and the potential is so vast.

Vlad says he doesn’t have the magic keys to solving homelessness, but he wasn’t a big fan of the failed decriminalization of drugs and what that has resulted in. His promotion will move him back to Patrol Division soon and some time working in the VicPD Jail.

Enjoy the episode.

Sound editing done by Todd Mason.

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