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Downtown Ambassador Program

In April 2007 Genesis Security Group was proud to be awarded the Downtown Ambassadors® Program contract by the Downtown Vancouver Business Improvement Association (DVBIA). Expanding the program since then to also include the Yaletown, West End and South Granville BIAs, Genesis now employs over forty licensed security guard Ambassadors.

Since starting our 24/7 Free Community Patrol four years ago, we found the Ambassador program went hand in hand with our philosophy of being a part of the community. Genesis Security Group's vision of "creating a safer environment in which we all can live", is one of the fundamental principles of how we do business. Therefore working with the DVBIA on the Downtown Ambassadors® Program was a natural progression for Genesis. 

Being a part of the program means a lot to us and we continue to look for ways to develop and improve the services Genesis and our security guards bring to the Downtown Ambassadors® Program .

The Downtown Ambassadors® Program

The goal of the program is to address "quality of life" issues such as panhandling, litter, theft, illegal vending, and graffiti, with the understanding that these issues not only affect the general quality of life in the downtown area but also the overall crime rates.

The Downtown Ambassadors® Program Team is comprised of 27 Ambassadors who are trained to provide hospitality assistance and crime prevention services to the DVBIA area. The Ambassadors now patrol almost all of the Downtown area by foot and bike, Monday to Friday from 7:00 am to 10:30 pm and on Saturdays and Sundays from 9:00 am to 10:30 pm.

The program is co-managed by the Genesis Security Group and the DVBIA. The DVBIA is responsible for supervision of policy and procedures, and monitoring of crime issues through its Crime Prevention Services, while Genesis Security is responsible for hiring, security protocols, training and development, and managing the security personnel.

The primary roles of the Ambassadors are:

  • Assist the public with directions and inquiries about the district, its businesses and its services.
  • Respond to calls concerning specific incidents (suspicious persons, tourists with special needs, first aid situations and similar events).
  • Assisting the homeless and providing them with directions to the shelter and free food locations, as well as making contact with rehabilitation centers and out reach workers.
  • Provide an effective street presence, monitoring and deterring criminal activities in parking facilities and other areas accessible to the public.
  • Report crime and "quality of life" concerns to appropriate agencies and assist in mitigating these from taking root.
  • Complete accurate and concise daily incident reports on issues attended to, and follow-up with other agencies to effect the resolution of problems.
  • A walking service (safe-walk) to escort employees and visitors to their vehicles, where safety might be a concern, and where feasible.

The Ambassadors are equipped with:

  • Two-way radios
  • Digital cameras
  • Cell phones
  • Bikes
  • Palm Treos - In partnership with the Insurance Corporation of BC, these computers track all stolen cars.
  • First aid kits
  • Visitor information including maps, brochures etc. 

The Ambassador training includes:

  • A thorough orientation about the DVBIA, its role and goals.
  • Patrol time on the street with a senior ambassador.
  • General instruction, role playing, videos and guest speakers.
  • An outline of acceptable conduct, attitude, etiquette, rules and regulations.
  • Awareness training that addresses community sensitivity and cultural diversity. 
  • First aid and CPR. 
  • Superhost Fundamentals.
  • Familiarity with equipment and its use (cell phones, radios, computers, bikes, flashlights, video and digital cameras and identification).
  • Safety and crime prevention monitoring techniques.
  • Detailed knowledge about downtown, its attractions and activities.
  • Legal parameters of the role, including the management of incidents such as crimes in progress, violence, disorderly conduct or vandalism. 
  • Hospitality and customer-service skills.
  • Knowledge of the Vancouver Police Department's Stolen Auto Recovery program (SAR).
  • Conflict resolution and mediation.
  • Incident-reporting procedures and report-writing.

BIAs that Genesis currently patrols

Downtown Vancouver BIA

South Granville BIA

Yaletown BIA

West End BIA 

Additional services

We also offer our Loss Prevention Services to all the businesses in the BIAs included in the program.

Additional areas

The Strathcona Business Improvement Association (SBIA). We are the primary Service Provider mandated by the SBIA to provide Genesis uniformed security guards to patrol throughout the Strathcona area by foot, bicycle and vehicle.

For any inquiries or to book these services please click the contact us button or call us at (604) 669 0822.