Vancouver police chief Jamie Graham’s performance is up for review by the Vancouver police board. His five-year contract with the city expires on August 22.

In 2005, the City of Vancouver paid Graham $229,112 in remuneration and contributed $24,921 for conferences, courses, and training, according to the city’s financial records.

In an interview at the January 17 police board meeting, Graham told the Straight : “Between now and August, I’ll be engaged in discussions with the board about my employment status, whether I stay or whether I leave.” Graham was tightlipped on whether or not he is looking forward to having his contract renewed. “We haven’t got to that stage yet,” he said. “I’ll be talking to the police board about that in the next couple of months.”

The police board is chaired by Mayor Sam Sullivan, with whom Graham has had differences in the past, the latest of which was the chief’s criticism of the mayor’s Project Civil City.

“I mean, a lot of this is old news,” was how Graham, in an interview with the Straight last December 13, described Sullivan’s personal initiative purportedly aimed at addressing the supposed deterioration of public order in the city. The NPA–controlled council approved Project Civil City on December 14.

Also last year, Sullivan asked the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner for advice after Graham left a bullet-riddled target sheet on the desk of city manager Judy Rogers. Police complaint commissioner Dirk Ryneveld chose not to investigate.

The police board policy-and-procedure manual notes that anyone occupying the post of chief constable must “be sensitive to police issues and development which may impact or require coordination with City of Vancouver, officials or resources”.

The same manual states: “The Chief Constable therefore must maintain a relationship with the City and the Mayor that fosters timely, informative communication exchanges and avoids surprises.”

The seven-member board is scheduled to conduct the performance review during its regular meeting on March 14. As chair, Sullivan can cast a vote only to break a tie.

Board executive director Hollie Riordan told the Straight , “Based on that review, there are discussions between the board and the chief constable in regards to, at this point, renewal of contract.”

Graham is the longest-serving Vancouver police chief in 16 years. Robert Stewart headed the Vancouver police department for 10 years from 1981 to 1991. There were four chiefs during the 1990s: William Marshall, Ray Canuel, Bruce Chambers, and Terry Blythe. Graham took over from Blythe in 2002.