Every morning while putting on his uniform, Dean Duthie of the Saanich Police Department pauses with his badge in his hand. He looks at the “Chief Constable” title engraved on it and engraves those words in his mind.

“I look at it every day to remind myself of my purpose,” Chief Duthie says. “It reminds me how many people really depend on me bringing my best every single day.”

It’s a simple ritual, but one that reminds him why he chose a career in policing more than 30 years ago — not because of rank or recognition, but because of a commitment to serve his community.

That sense of purpose has guided him throughout his career and is one of the reasons the University of the Fraser Valley Alumni Association has selected Dean, the Chief Constable of the Saanich Police Department, to be its 2026 Distinguished Alumni Award recipient.

Dean was part of the second graduating class of the Criminal Justice degree program at what was then the University College of the Fraser Valley in 1995. It was an innovative program that allowed students who had earlier earned a diploma to ladder into degree studies. He says his time at UFV gave him the confidence to pursue a career built on service, relationships, and lifelong learning.

“The entire environment made everything click for me,” he says. “The smaller classes, the relationships with classmates, and the support from instructors gave me the confidence to pursue my goal of becoming a police officer.”

Growing up in the Fraser Valley immersed in sport culture, Dean knew by the age of 16 that policing was the path he wanted to follow. Drawn to the similarities to team sports in terms of teamwork, structure, and opportunity to make a difference, he entered the profession with a single goal — to serve those around him.

“I never joined policing to chase promotions,” he says. “I joined because I loved putting on the uniform and serving the public each day. The opportunities and advancements came because I stayed connected to that purpose.”

More than 30 years later, that purpose remains unchanged.

Throughout his career, Dean has served in frontline patrol, major crime investigations, recruiting and training, professional standards, and executive leadership. Along the way, he continued investing in his own growth as a lifelong learner, earning a Master of Education, completing an Executive Masters of International Police Leadership, and now pursuing a diploma in Global Leadership through the United Nations’ University for Peace.

“As soon as you stop learning, you plateau,” he says. “Growth happens when you’re willing to be uncomfortable.”

His leadership philosophy was tested just five months after becoming Chief Constable when a shooting incident in the aftermath of a robbery at the local Bank of Montreal became one of the most devastating events in the department’s history. The tragedy deeply affected officers, civilian staff, families, and the wider community.

“We were fortunate to have his steady and thoughtful leadership through one of the toughest times in the history of the department and the community,” says Saanich Mayor Dean Murdock. “His strong focus on employee wellness has become a vital part of the Department’s culture, and his care and compassion for people continue to have a lasting impact – not only on those who work alongside him, but on the people of Saanich.”

Rather than trying to have all the answers, Dean focused on what he believed mattered most: being present.

“Being authentic, being vulnerable, and being available for people became more important than ever,” he says. “You can’t be everything to everybody, but you can make sure people know you care.”

That experience reinforced a leadership philosophy centred on trust, relationships, and supporting others through difficult moments.

Under Dean’s leadership, the Saanich Police Department has expanded employee wellness initiatives, strengthened equity, diversity and inclusion efforts, modernized recruitment, and continued building stronger relationships with the community it serves. This is likely due in part, to his commitment to meet one-on-one with each officer and employee in the organization on a regular basis.

His leadership has earned national recognition, including appointment as a Member of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces by the Governor General of Canada in 2024. Despite those accomplishments, Dean still points back to his years at UFV as one of the defining chapters of his journey.

“I really credit UFV for instilling that confidence and sense of security while still pushing me to grow outside my comfort zone,” he says. “I don’t know how things would have turned out otherwise.”

More than three decades after graduating, many of the friendships he built at UCFV remain. One of his classmates Steve Eassie recently retired as a Staff Sergeant after spending the majority of his policing career alongside Dean at the Saanich Police department — a reminder that some of the most meaningful connections made extend far beyond the classroom.

For Dean, receiving UFV’s Distinguished Alumni Award is both an honour and a chance to reflect on where that journey started.

His badge may symbolize the responsibility of leading a police department, but the values behind it — service, humility, and a commitment to others — were shaped long before he became Chief Constable. They continue to guide his leadership today and serve as an aspirational example for the next generation of UFV graduates.