Ret. Cst. Doug Spencer
Gang Expert
Areas of Expertise and Strengths
- street and transit policing
- gang expertise and testifying in court
- extensive knowledge of gang operations, vernacular use, and crimes committed
- work with gang recruitment, associations, and effects on the community
- streets drugs, sales, and use
Bio
Doug joined the Vancouver Police Department as a police officer in March 1990, becoming a third generation VPD member. He joined the VPD Gang Crime Unit in 1995 and served in the Gang Unit until being transferred to the Youth Squad in 2005. Doug is a court recognized expert on gangs in British Columbia with extensive knowledge on how gangs operate, gang vernacular, and criminal activities of gangs.
Doug co-created a presentation titled The Truth about Gangs which he has presented hundreds of times to students, community leaders, professional associations, and parent groups. He is also a member of Odd Squad Productions, a non-profit society founded by police officers to educate the public about major social problems (like gang and drug involvement) through visceral reality-based documentaries.
In 2008, Doug received the Police Officer of the Year Award in recognition of his extraordinary contribution to the community through his work with gang prevention amongst youth. In 2009, Doug retired from the Vancouver Police Department, and became a member of the Transit Police Service. He served with the Transit Police for 6 years, and recently retired from this agency. Doug has been involved as a technical advisor to both of Odd Squad’s Gangs and Guns educational documentary series (2010 and 2020) and is still active in providing presentations for youth on the perils of gang-involved activity.