The new detachment commander for Nanaimo RCMP says managing repeat violent offenders in the community and educating young people about the dangers posed by gangs are two of his priorities as he takes on the role.
Supt. Andrew Burton, 57, who has been acting officer in charge of the 170-member detachment for the past year, succeeds Supt. Lisa Fletcher as detachment commander.
He said public safety is clearly a key concern in the Nanaimo region.
The city has been plagued by ongoing problems with its unhoused community, including many people with mental-health and drug-addiction issues.
“We’ve got some ongoing challenges with several issues, including mental health and substance abuse,” he said.
While police can enforce the laws, “we can’t do it alone,” Burton said.
“There’s no easy fix for this,” he said. “It’s multi-faceted. There’s lots of issues that are at play.”
Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog, who was part of a selection panel for the new superintendent, said the RCMP made the final decision and Burton is a good choice.
“I think he is well-attuned to the challenges that we face with our street disorder,” Krog said. “And he’s very responsive to concerns that the public raise.”
In March 2023, two shootings in the downtown area ramped up concerns about crime and public disorder in the city. One of the victims, auto-repair shop owner Clint Smith, was shot after going to a homeless encampment near the Millstone River to retrieve stolen property.
Burton, who is married with two adult children, brings 30 years of police service to the job, including work with serious crimes units, emergency response teams, drug enforcement and Indigenous policing.
Born in London, England, he moved to Canada with his family when he was young. They settled in Port Alberni, where he grew up.
He started his time with the RCMP in 1993 by attending French-language training in Montreal before taking further training in Regina.
After graduation, he served in postings at Smithers, Bella Coola and Kamloops before moving back to Bella Coola, where he was promoted to corporal and detachment commander.
From there, Burton and his family went to Merritt, then Port Alberni and then Quesnel, where he went on to become a staff sergeant as well as detachment commander. That was followed by a stint at RCMP headquarters in Regina as an inspector and then a move to Nanaimo.
Krog thanked Burton for his work in Nanaimo so far.
“With his decades of diverse experience and commitment to public service, we are confident that he will continue to uphold the safety and security of our community with the utmost professionalism,” Krog said in a statement. “We look forward to working closely with Supt. Burton and his team as we face the challenges and opportunities ahead together.”
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