The Saanich Police Department welcomed a new deputy chief early last month, who says he is proud to represent his Tsawout community.
Darrell (SELIME) Underwood was appointed on Feb. 3, beginning a new chapter in his prolific, 25-year career.
The 47-year-old Tsawout First Nation member now oversees the police department’s administration, professional standards and staff development divisions, pulling on experience he has gained in 12 roles, across five Saanich PD divisions, since he was first hired as a patrol officer in 1999.
“It's an honour to be selected,” said Underwood. “There have been a lot of people that I've worked with through my career and alongside that have given me the knowledge and the expertise to continue to move forward.”
A small crowd gathered to celebrate Underwood’s appointment, including longtime friend and Tsawout Chief Abraham Pelkey.
“It's a very significant thing to show that First Peoples of the local area and Indigenous people have that ability to take on such big roles outside our communities and make amazing impacts,” he said.
Underwood expressed a similar sentiment.
“I carry a lot of honour representing my community – meaning my Tsawout community – because, to be a person of significant rank, while also giving a lot of hope ... to others of my community, is pretty impactful,” he said.
Almost three decades before his appointment, Underwood was a student at Stelly’s Secondary School in Saanichton. That’s where he was first introduced to the world of policing when his mother suggested he take part in a local police leadership program.
“It was a program where students could go ... to learn some leadership capacity, but also ... about policing,” he said. “You learn the radio, you also work a night shift – you do a whole bunch of scenarios, simulated calls and things like that.”
Though policing intrigued him, Underwood was more interested in pursuing his passion for rugby. A member of Canada’s national sevens team, he played against the best of the best in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Fiji, Argentina and Uruguay.
But it was at the leadership program that he caught wind of someone who had managed to juggle athletics and a policing career.
“Tom Woods, who worked in Esquimalt, was a national rugby player and a police officer, and that's what basically put my mind to policing,” he said.
Between tackles, touches and tris, Underwood completed police academy training at the Justice Institute before beginning at Saanich PD. Later, a concussion forced him to give up rudgy.
The years following saw the deputy chief hop from position to position, including those in street and regional crime units, as well as professional standards, special investigations and community engagement sections. He is now working on his Master’s Degree in international police leadership online through Charles Sturt University in Australia.
For new recruits seeking coveted positions like his, Underwood has one piece of advice.
“You're hired as who you are, and it's important not to change, to aspire to higher ranks or positions,” he said. “When you retire, the people that are greeting me at the back door are going to be my family and I'll still be Darryl Underwood.”
