Mark Hasiuk, Vancouver Courier
Dave Dickson is leaving.
That name might mean nothing to you, but it's widely known in the Downtown Eastside.
Dickson spent more than 20 years walking the DTES beat as a member of the Vancouver Police Department. Now retired, Dickson works as the sex trade liaison for the VPD.
The liaison position was created two years ago--for Dickson--to help bridge the gap between law enforcement and the street.
Almost every day, the 57-year-old Dickson travels from his Surrey home to the syringe-speckled streets and alleys of the DTES. He doesn't have an office or a budget. He relies on street smarts, honed during his days on the force. He's on a first-name basis with prostitutes, drug addicts, street people and government and non-government workers in the area.
His relationship with prostitutes is unprecedented. He's the only man allowed inside the WISH women's shelter. His contacts on the street, combined with his access to police computers, help him locate missing persons for organizations such as Strathcona Mental Health.
