Kash Heed
| Kash Heed MLA | |
|---|---|
| MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview | |
|
In office 2009–2013 | |
| Preceded by | Wally Oppal |
| Succeeded by | Suzanne Anton |
| Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General of British Columbia | |
|
In office June 10, 2009 – April 9, 2010 | |
| Premier | Gordon Campbell |
| Preceded by | Rich Coleman |
| Succeeded by | Michael de Jong |
|
In office May 4, 2010 – May 5, 2010 | |
| Preceded by | Michael de Jong |
| Succeeded by | Michael de Jong |
| Personal details | |
| Born | November 1955 (age 60)[1] |
| Political party | BC Liberal |
| Residence | Vancouver, British Columbia |
| Occupation | MLA for Vancouver-Fraserview |
| Religion | Sikh |
Kash P. Heed (Kashmir Singh Heed) (born November 1955) is a former Canadian politician, who was elected as a BC Liberal Member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia in the 2009 provincial election, representing the riding of Vancouver-Fraserview.
He formerly served as the Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General. He was formerly chief constable of the West Vancouver Police Department and a former superintendent with the Vancouver Police Department and was the first Indo-Canadian police chief in Canada.
Policing
Heed graduated from the B.C. Police Academy in 1979 and began his career as an officer with the VPD. In June 2007 he lost out to Deputy Chief Jim Chu for the position of Chief Constable of the VPD, but days later was appointed to that title in West Vancouver. He led the West Vancouver Police Department for 19 months and resigned on February 23, 2009.[2]
He was the superintendent in charge of the south part of Vancouver, and as an Inspector was commander of District 3, which corresponds to the southeast quadrant of Vancouver.
Other roles in his career with the VPD have included heading the drug squad and Indo-Canadian gang task force, as well as implementing the department's COMPSTAT information technology system.
He is a published author who also teaches criminology and criminal justice at two B.C. colleges. He pioneered initiatives aimed at crime reduction and prevention as well as greater community and police engagement. He led the Indo-Canadian Task Force and inspired the formation of grassroots organizations dedicated to preventing gang violence.
Politics
Heed was appointed to the B.C. cabinet as Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General on June 10, 2009.[3] His responsibilities under this portfolio included crime prevention, law enforcement, victim services, road safety and emergency preparedness.[4]
Heed's opponent and main electoral rival in the British Columbia New Democratic Party, Gabriel Yiu accused him of using images showing Heed in a police uniform in his campaign materials as being improper.[5]
On April 9, 2010, Heed resigned in response to an unspecified RCMP investigation involving violations of the Elections Act. Heed was the third consecutive solicitor-general to step down in a 25-month period.[6] Fund-raising irregularities subsequently came to light but the Special Prosecutor exonerated Heed of involvement and he came back into cabinet on May 4, 2010. Then, less than 24 hours later, the Special Prosecutor himself resigned when it was discovered that the law firm he came from had made financial contributions to the election campaign of Heed's party, the Liberals. Heed, once again, stepped down pending a more detailed probe into the case.[7]
Radio broadcasting
In 2016, Heed started as the morning talk-show host for 107.7 Pulse FM, a new English-language radio station based in Surrey, British Columbia.
See also
References
- ↑ Political Kash?: High-profile VPD inspector approached about running- -for somebody: [Final Edition] Howell, MikeView Profile. Vancouver Courier [Vancouver, B.C] 22 May 2005: 19.
- ↑ http://www.news1130.com/news/local/more.jsp?content=20090223_181612_5112
- ↑
- ↑
- ↑ Use of uniform in campaign riles Gabriel Yiu, Carlito Pablo, Georgia Straight, May 7, 2009
- ↑ Vancouver Sun. Election probe at centre of resignation. April 10, 2010.
- ↑ CBC News. B.C. solicitor general Heed resigns again. May 5, 2010.
- Legislative Assembly of British Columbia (retrieved February 19, 2013)
- Heed heads west, makes history by Mike Howell, Vancouver Courier, Friday, July 13, 2007 (retrieved July 22, 2007)
- West Vancouver's new police chief 'an innovator' CBC.ca News, Wednesday, June 27, 2007 (retrieved July 22, 2007)
- West Van top cop Heed resigns North Shore Outlook, February 23, 2009 (retrieved February 23, 2009)
- B.C. Solicitor-General Kash Heed stepping down The Vancouver Sun April 9, 2010 (retrieved April 9, 2010)
- B.C. Solicitor General Kash Heed resigns, Globe & Mail, August 23, 2012 (retrieved Feb 19, 2013)