A few years after the Vancouver Police Department was established in 1886, and many years before the Vancouver Police Union came into being, the members of the Vancouver Police Department organized the Police Mutual Benevolent Association. It is the oldest organized association within the department. Although first organized in the late 1800’s, the PMBA was incorporated under the “Benevolent Societies Act” on July 15th, 1911. This makes the PMBA one of the oldest societies in the province.
In the late 1800’s the members of the VPD had little in the way of benefits, such as sick leave. The members of the department banded together and formed the PMBA to help take care of each other in times of sickness and need. The PMBA even hired their own surgeon for its members to obtain services from. In the beginning the initiation into the PMBA was $5.00, which represented one week's pay for a first-class constable in 1911.
Today the department has a sick plan and many other benefits for its members. The initiation into the PMBA is still $5.00, but that money along with the monthly dues has as its primary purpose the benevolence of the membership. The monthly dues for members of the PMBA are 1/5 of 1% of a first-class constable’s salary. Any sworn police officer of the department, from probationary constable to the chief, can be a member of the association. The chief constable is also the honorary president of the association. The PMBA gives 100% of the money it collects back to the membership through various events and sponsorships, with the exception of the support given to minor sports in Vancouver and a few charities.
SINCE 1911