VPD

spraypainted art of Thomus Donaghy on the window of an Overdose Prevention Site
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Thomus Donaghy overdose prevention site faces third closure in three years

Peak Web June 23, 2026

By: Maya Barillas Mohan, Staff Writer The Thomus Donaghy overdose prevention site (OPS) has experienced a series of relocations since its opening in 2021. Most recently, its planned reopening on June 1 was cancelled by the City Council.  The OPS, which was named after an OPS peer worker who was tragically killed, is a supervised space that allows drug consumption without risk of criminal persecution, instead focused on providing drug testing or other support services if necessary. According to the Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) website, OPSs “help save lives by responding to overdoses quickly,” “prevent the transmission of infectious diseases,”…

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sourced photo from org that sent press release
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Police presence outside Downtown Eastside harm reduction sites sparks concerns

Peak Web May 28, 2025

By: Zainab Salam, Staff Writer and Hannah Fraser, News Editor Healthcare workers and patrons in Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside (DTES) are voicing concerns that the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) is “deterring access to harm reduction sites.” Harm reduction is an “evidence-based…

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This is a photo of the outside of Dana Larsen’s mushroom dispensary. The bright pink and orange sign on the storefront reads “Mushroom Dispensary, Coca Leaf Cafe.”
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VPD executes arrest and search warrant on drug testing operation

Peak Web November 20, 2023

By: Olivia Sherman, News Writer On November 1, the director and founder of Get Your Drugs Tested, Dana Larsen, was arrested after a search warrant from the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) was executed. The VPD raided Larsen’s three Medicinal Mushroom…

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The VPD should not be barred from Pride this year

EIC May 8, 2017

In February, the Black Lives Matter (BLM) Vancouver chapter petitioned to have the police removed from the Vancouver Pride Parade. Their rationale is that doing so would be a “‘symbolic gesture’ and actual sign of support for [people of colour]…

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New forensics course sparks program expansion

EIC January 10, 2015

Due to the overwhelming interest in SFU’s latest course, CRIM 449: Major Crime and Forensic Analysis for Law Enforcement, the School of Criminology will be expanding its offerings even further this year. Ryan Prox, a special constable with VPD and…

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