There's a new sheriff in town: Del Manak retires and is replaced by Fiona Wilson

Victoria has a new police chief after a changing of the guard ceremony was held at Government House to say goodbye to outgoing Chief Const. Del Manak and hello to Fiona Wilson, the city’s first female police chief.

“Standing here today, I can tell you, is both surreal and it's deeply humbling,” Manak told the packed ballroom. The 61-year-old said a few words in Punjabi and thanked his family, particularly his wife Nikki and their two children.

“You've been amazing—“I'm not gonna look at you,” he said, while appearing to hold back tears.

“You put up with unpredictable hours, missed dinners, family events, where I couldn't be there, and many times where the department had to come first.”

Retiring after 35 years of policing, Manak was chief for nine and a half of his 32 years at VicPD.

He had planned to retire in 2024, but agreed to stay on for an additional few months to allow more time for his successor to be identified and hired.

A spirited crowd that included local politicians, police chiefs, deputy chiefs, and first responders applauded Manak’s many achievements, including the creation of the force’s co-response team and cybercrime unit. Manak was also lauded for his efforts to improve relationships with Indigenous communities and young people through initiatives such as the youth street-hockey program he collaborated on with the Victoria Royals, and for his dedication to mental-health and wellness supports for officers and staff.

Began career at VPD but returned home for VicPD

Manak began his career in Vancouver’s police force before returning to his hometown and joining VicPD three years later. He became interim chief in 2016 following the resignation of Frank Elsner—who faced allegations of misconduct—and was sworn in as chief in 2017.

“From my very first days on patrol to the moment that I was sworn in as chief at George Jay Elementary—my very own elementary school—right up till today, this journey has been more meaningful than I could ever have imagined, Manak said.

He referred to working with the Victoria Police Department as “a privilege” and called the men and women of the force—both on the front lines and behind the scenes—“the heartbeat of VicPD.

“You show courage in times of uncertainty, compassion in times of crisis, and professionalism in every interaction that you have, he said. “Day after day, year after year, you rise to the challenge, and I can tell you that you have made me proud beyond words.”

As for exchanging his police attire for that of a civilian, Manak said the uniform is more than just fabric and badges.

“It represents trust, sacrifice, and service,” Manak said. “For 35 years, I've been honored to wear this uniform.”

Lt.-Gov. Wendy Lisogar-Cocchia said Manak “lived and breathed community engagement” and significantly advanced many great causes.

“Chief Manak has also advocated to bring police officers back into schools, and he has worked with the city on its new community safety and well-being plan,” she said, before turning her attention to the outgoing chief’s replacement.

Lieutenant-governor calls Fiona Wilson 'an exceptional hire'

“I would like to congratulate Victoria Mayor [Marianne] Alto, Esquimalt Mayor [Barb] Desjardins, Police Board Chair [Micayla] Hayes and the entire Victoria Police Board on an exceptional hire,” she said of Wilson, who joins VicPD with 26 years of service in the Vancouver Police Department, where most recently she served as deputy chief of the Investigation Division.

After taking the oath to “faithfully, honestly and impartially perform the duties as a municipal police constable for the City of Victoria and the Township of Esquimalt in the province of British Columbia,” Wilson became the 15th police chief of Victoria and Esquimalt.

“The first female officers joined the Victoria Police Department in 1913,” the lieutenant-governor said.

“Today, Chief Fiona Wilson assumes command as the first female chief of police in the department’s 167-year history.”

‍ Female chief shouldn't be a big deal

Wilson said that factoid matters greatly to young girls who want to become police officers. She said it also carries a lot of weight with women coming up through the ranks, and to members and the community who want their institutions to be inclusive and to reflect their diversity.

But she said the milestone is long overdue.

“It should not be exceptional in 2025 for a woman to hold this role, and yet it still is. I am not here because I am a woman,” she said to applause.

“I am here despite being a woman, and that is both a celebration and a challenge, and I hold both truths as I take on this position,” said Wilson, whose mother, Valerie—who was in attendance—was one of the first female air traffic controllers at London’s Heathrow Airport.

Wilson began her police career in 1999, walking the beat for the VPD in the Downtown Eastside and working in the sex crime unit. She became a sergeant in 2009. Three years later, she joined the major crime section and teamed with the RCMP Federal Serious and Organized Crime Unit in charge of an international drug investigation. She was promoted to a variety of leadership roles and named a deputy chief in 2021.

Wilson admits she'll have a 'very, very steep learning curve'

She told CTV she knows she faces “a very, very steep learning curve” in a new city, and said a recent tour of Pandora, where homelessness and crime have become a constant, reminds her of what she experienced in the Downtown Eastside.

Wilson and husband Skigh, a VPD sergeant, have three children.