Del Manak, Canada's First Indian-Origin Police Chief, Retires After 35 Years Of Service

Last Updated:August 31, 2025, 15:56 IST

The City of Victoria recognised his contributions by declaring August 27, his retirement day, as 'Del Manak Day.'

Born and raised in Vancouver, Manak joined the VPD in 1990 and steadily worked his way up the ranks. (X)

Del Manak, Canada’s first Indian-origin police chief, retired on August 27 after 35 years of service with the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).

The official, who became Victoria’s police chief in 2017, holds the distinction of being the first Indian-origin officer to lead the department in its 168-year history.

On his final day, he drove his police vehicle to the Victoria Police Department (VPD) headquarters. Later, he left the building in a BMW convertible adorned with New York Islanders hockey team-themed balloons.

“Been a blast, 35 yr policing career, 9.5 yrs as Chief! In Traffic, having big sideburns, my nickname was ‘Delvis’. Delvis has left the building," he said in a post on X.

The City of Victoria recognised his contributions by declaring August 27, his retirement day, as ‘Del Manak Day.’ Victoria Police celebrated the occasion by engaging with residents, distributing donuts, gift cards, small gifts, and ice cream.

In a statement, Victoria Police said, “Big day for a big leader! Today we celebrated Chief Del Manak and his amazing career during Del Manak Day! For over 30 years, and especially during his time leading VicPD, he’s worked hard to make our city a great place to live… Chief Manak’s dedication, compassion, and commitment will be deeply missed."

Who Is Del Manak?

Born in 1964, Manak studied in local schools before joining the Vancouver Police Department in 1990. He responded early on to incidents such as a 1992 nightclub shooting in Vancouver and high-speed chases.

Sharing his family’s migration story as reported by the Indian Express, Manak said his roots trace back to Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar (formerly Nawanshahr) district in Punjab. “My father hailed from Banga, a historic town in the district. He migrated to Singapore, and later our family settled in Canada," he said.

Throughout his career, he advocated for a stronger justice system. “It’s disheartening when police arrest a criminal and within a month, they’re out on bail, committing crimes again," he said as reported by the news outlet.

As police chief, he focused on community engagement, building ties with First Nations and cultural groups, and promoting transparency through programmes like “Before the Badge."

Manak also contributed to national policing discussions on decriminalisation, human trafficking, and shaping the future of law enforcement in Canada.

Addressing rising crime and drug addiction, Manak emphasised the need for better rehabilitation programmes to prevent repeat offences.

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