First class in 25 years to include recruits from all B.C. police agencies served by JIBC
New Westminster, B.C. – Ninety-six police recruits, representing every municipal police department in British Columbia, will graduate from the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) on Friday, July 10, 2026 – the largest graduating class in JIBC's history. This graduating class is also the first in 25 years to include recruits from all the B.C. police agencies served by JIBC.
The recruits began training in September 2025 when JIBC increased Police Academy capacity to three cohorts of 96, a 50 per cent increase over the previous training model. The expansion, supported by $4 million in funding from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General, was implemented in response to growing demand for police recruit training.
"JIBC has a long history of responding to B.C.'s evolving police recruit training needs," said Len Goerke, President and CEO of JIBC, and former Chief Constable of the West Vancouver Police Department. "This graduating class is an important milestone that reflects the dedication of our staff, instructors and recruits, and our commitment to providing exceptional police recruit training."
Since September 2025, JIBC has continued to respond to the evolving training needs of municipal police departments. In May 2026, the Institute further expanded Police Academy training to three cohorts of 144 recruits, making it one of the largest police recruit training programs in Canada.
Over the past decade, JIBC has increased Police Academy training capacity by 500 per cent through careful planning, operational improvements and optimized delivery, while maintaining the high training standards that have defined police recruit training at the Institute for nearly 50 years.
Following graduation, recruits will return to police departments across British Columbia to begin the next stage of their development as police officers, applying the knowledge, skills and judgment developed through JIBC's rigorous, hands-on Police Academy program. This graduating class represents every municipal police department in British Columbia, along with the Stl'atl'imx Tribal Police Service and Metro Vancouver Transit Police.
Police Recruit Training at JIBC: Fast Facts
- Police recruits attend JIBC after being hired by municipal police departments and complete the provincially recognized recruit training program before returning to their departments for field training.
- Hands-on, scenario-based training prepares recruits through realistic operational scenarios using professional role players.
- Experienced instructors bring real-world operational expertise from policing into every classroom and training exercise.
- Over the past decade, JIBC has increased Police Academy capacity by 500 per cent while maintaining provincial training standards.
- In May 2026, JIBC expanded to three cohorts of 144 recruits, welcoming 128 recruits in the largest intake in the Institute's history.
- This graduating class includes recruits from every municipal police department in British Columbia:
o Abbotsford Police Department
o Central Saanich Police Service
o Delta Police Department
o Metro Vancouver Transit Police
o Nelson Police Department
o New Westminster Police Department
o Oak Bay Police Department
o Port Moody Police Department
o Saanich Police Department
o Stl'atl'imx Tribal Police Service
o Surrey Police Service
o Vancouver Police Department
o Victoria Police Department
o West Vancouver Police Department