Const. Ciaran Feenan is best known these days as being the face of the Delta Police Department.

It was 16 years ago this week that a young Feenan started his policing career with the Vancouver Police Department.

Over his 14-year career with VPD, Feenan spent five years in general patrol in the southeast district of the city before moving onto youth services, which saw him working to help youth at risk, drug addicted and "street entrenched" youths.

He also worked with the youth gang crime unit and was a part of the violence suppression team that was working to curb gang violence in the city's downtown core. Before making the move to Delta police in 2010, Feenan spent four years as one of Vancouver's school liaison officers.

Q: What drew you to a career in policing?

I think what really drew me to the career was the fact that I've played team sports my whole life. This is a very team-oriented job. There's a reliance on everyone to get the job done. Not one person is bigger than the whole and that really attracted me. I think it was the ability to give back to the community... just to know you could make a difference in the community, you could make people feel safe in places where they lived, and help people.

Q: Is there one moment, case or call from your career that really stands out?

It was very early on in my career... It wasn't an overly busy night and we were just doing our general patrol duties and I remember I had my windows down and I could smell smoke, and it just seemed odd. My partner and I kind of followed the smell eventually to a point where we turned the corner and there was a full structure fire in a house. We immediately got out of our car and we ran into the house... There were people in the bottom suite that we were able to get out. We went upstairs and we kicked doors... to make sure everyone was out of the house but we couldn't get into the upper level. It was totally engulfed. So we cleared the house and got downstairs and got out the door and as we got out the door I just remember turning around and looking, and as I turned back to look the roof started to fall in.

Q: You've spent time in many different areas of policing. What's next?

I'm a part-time guest instructor at the Justice Institute teaching recruit training. At some point I'd like to go to the Justice Institute full time as an instructor.

Q: If you weren't a police officer, what would you be doing right now?

I would be a teacher. When I left UBC, I was very, very fortunate that I became a VPD officer within a few short months so I really didn't have to plan post, post-secondary, so to speak... It's probably why I have this inkling to go to the JI, it's because I've always wanted to teach. So, if I weren't doing this there is little to no doubt that I would be a teacher.

Q: What drew you to the Delta Police Department?

I live in the community. My wife and I moved out to Delta about seven years ago... I just absolutely love the community, I've coached in the community, I volunteered as the vice-president for North Delta football... And what I thought was, I want to make a difference in my community. I want to take ownership. I live here, I'm a police officer, I want to make the community safe.

Name: Ciaran Feenan Employer: Delta Police Position: Constable/media relations officer