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Heed this: Cop Kash running with Campbell

The worst-kept secret in provincial politics is no longer a secret. Veteran Lower Mainland police officer Kash Heed will trade in his cuffs for a career in politics, running as a candidate in the Vancouver-Fraserview riding for the governing B.C. Liberals.

The former police chief with the West Vancouver Police Department made his plans official at a press conference Wednesday, flanked by B.C. Premier Gordon Campbell.

Heed will run in the south Vancouver riding now held by Attorney-General Wally Oppal, who will run in the Delta South riding.

It appears Heed will be leveraging his law enforcement experience for votes, lacing a brief speech to supporters at an East Vancouver community centre with keywords such as ‘safety.’

“I strongly believe we can have the safest community in our country,” Heed said. “... Ours is also a vision for a safe and healthy community, where the streets are safe for everyone.”

He promised to address the ongoing gang violence on the Lower Mainland, which appears to have cranked up crime as a top campaign issue before the May 12 election.

“I am tired of these actions causing fear in our community,” Heed said. “We want not only to be tough on gangs, but tough on the social conditions that breed them.”

Heed also appears to be well aware of the voter dynamics in Vancouver-Fraserview, an extremely multicultural riding home to a significant proportion of immigrants and seniors. The riverfront riding stretches from Fraser Street to Boundary Road, with a northern boundary that varies along 45th, 41st and 49th streets. Heed peppered his speech with references to diversity and “illness prevention.”

Already, the opposition NDP is making moves to criticize Heed, who may arguably be the highest profile “star candidate” in this election.

The NDP’s candidate in Vancouver-Fraserview, Gabriel Yiu, called Heed a parachute candidate.

“It was only months ago that the former Liberal attorney-general shot down Kash Heed’s call for a regional police force as ‘out of line,’ ‘an unwelcome distraction’ and an ‘unproductive red herring’,” Yiu, a commentator in the local Chinese press, said in a news release. “Today, incredibly… he’s being touted as their newest star candidate.”

Yiu used the fact Heed left his post as West Van police chief 19 months into the job to question his commitment.

“That doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in Vancouver-Fraserview families, who are looking for a candidate and an MLA who is prepared to stick around and make a commitment to our community.”

Heed will also face Green Party candidate Jodie Emery, a drug rights activist who has previously run for the B.C. Marijuana Party. If the 2005 result were to repeat, the Emery would claim 6.6 percent of the vote; the margin by which Heed would beat Yiu is only 5 per cent.

Heed can count on the support of at least one outspoken advocate. Chris Taulu, director at the Collingwood Community Policing Centre, has known Heed since he was a sergeant with the Vancouver Police. She expects his reputation as a 30-year police veteran to go over well in a riding that, she said, “cares about crime.”

“He's a pretty straightforward shooter," Taulu said. "You might not like what he says but he'll say it anyway.”

Irwin Loy reports for Vancouver's 24 hours.

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