THE Metro Vancouver Transit Police Board announced on Thursday that it has selected current Transit Police Deputy Chief Suzanne Muir to be the new Chief Officer. Muir will be the first female officer appointed to that position since it was created in 2005.
Muir will take over as the chief on October 1.
Carla Hotel, Vice Chair of the Police Board, said: “We are delighted to hire Deputy Chief Suzanne Muir into this role as Transit Police looks ahead to the future. Deputy Chief Muir has been with Transit Police for over one year and has overseen our Administration Services Division, building strong and positive relationships with frontline officers, civilian professionals and community partners. With the recent introduction of our Community Safety Officer program, this is an important time for our organization in meeting the safety needs of the Metro Vancouver region.”
TransLink CEO Kevin Quinn added: “As we expand our transit system to meet the growing needs of the region, it’s vital that we continue to have strong leadership for Metro Vancouver Transit Police. I’m confident Deputy Chief Muir will be a highly effective Chief Officer who will continue to advance the safety and security of the system for both our customers and employees.”
Muir said: “I am excited and grateful for the Police Board and TransLink’s support in taking on this new opportunity and leading the Metro Vancouver Transit Police as their new Chief Officer. Working alongside our many exceptional police officers and civilian professional staff, I’ve been continually impressed with the level of professionalism and dedication to public safety demonstrated on a daily basis. Metro Vancouver Transit Police is an innovative organization which, in recent years, has introduced Community Policing Centre volunteers and now Community Safety Officers. As we continue to grow, I look forward to working closely with TransLink, our jurisdictional policing partners and community organizations in maintaining the safety of our transit system.”
Muir was seconded as an inspector from the Vancouver Police Department to the Metro Vancouver Transit Police in March 2022. Since then, she has overseen a variety of areas, including the Operations Communication Centre, Police Explosive Detection Dog Team, Community Engagement Team, Targeted Mobile Enforcement Team, Finance, Information and Technology, Human Resources, Recruitment and Training, and Facilities and Fleet.
Having joined the VPD in 1995, Muir, brought over 28 years of policing experience to Transit Police, in a variety of operational investigative and administrative areas.
Muir is the recipient of nine VPD Commendations, including three Chief Constable Commendations. She has a dual degree from Saint Mary’s University in Nova Scotia and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of British Columbia.
She represented Canada as a member of the national soccer team and is an inductee into the Canada Soccer Hall of Fame.
