Seventeen new sheriffs graduated from the Justice Institute of British Columbia (JIBC) this week and will begin work across BC courthouses, including in Cranbrook.
“When people walk into a B.C. courtroom, they are often having one of the hardest days of their lives and deserve to feel safe,” said Niki Sharma, Attorney General.
“These new graduates are joining a fully staffed BC Sheriff Service, built through years of focused recruitment and retention work, and I thank them for their commitment to helping safeguard courthouses across the province.”
The new sheriffs will begin work in July at courthouses in Cranbrook, the Lower Mainland, Nanaimo, Williams Lake, and the South Okanagan Escort Centre.
What do BC Sheriffs do?
They are highly trained peace officers who support the judiciary, Crown and defence counsel, court staff and members of the public who interact with the justice system every day.
Core sheriff responsibilities include:
- protecting court participants
- transporting people in custody
- providing security for judges, Crown counsel, defence counsel and staff
- supporting jury administration
- carrying out enforcement duties essential to the justice system
The graduates completed academic, physical and scenario-based training at JIBC, and will continue with field training alongside experienced Sheriffs before full deployment.
“I am proud to welcome 17 new deputy sheriffs to the BC Sheriff Service,” said Roger Phillips, chief sheriff and executive director, BC Sheriff Service.
“These graduates have worked incredibly hard to complete a demanding training program. I look forward to seeing them put their skills to work in courthouses across British Columbia.”
The BC Sheriff Service says it has reached full staffing levels following provincial efforts to recruit and retain sheriffs, such as:
- improved pay and benefits.
- retention incentives.
- a provincially led marketing strategy to raise awareness of career opportunities to reach bilingual people, women and people who have other law enforcement or military backgrounds.
It has led to a 7% increase in April 2026 for fully-trained sheriffs compared to this time last year.
The Province says they will continue to invest in the recruitment, retention and training of sheriffs to strengthen the court system throughout BC.
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