There’s a new commander in town.
The BC RCMP announced Friday (Feb. 6) that assistant commissioner Elija Rain has been selected as Lower Mainland District Commander.
Rain is an experienced member of the RCMP with 30 years of service, all of which have been in the Lower Mainland, a release noted. He has spent his career in units throughout the division, most recently as the deputy criminal operations officer of BC RCMP Major Crimes.
Rain has worked in operational, investigational and administrative sections of this organization including with the Ridge Meadows RCMP, Emergency Response Team (ERT), Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), and as the Surrey RCMP Officer-in-Charge (OIC) of Investigative Services.
In his most recent role, Rain was responsible for overseeing specialized units operating across all four districts in British Columbia.
This portfolio included teams focused on provincial homicides, the Vancouver Island Integrated Major Crime Unit (VIIMCU) Anti Corruption, Behavioral Sciences, Child Exploitation, the BC Police Missing Persons Centre, the Criminal Analyst Unit, BC Hate Crimes, the Integrated Municipal Provincial Auto Crime Team (IMPACT), Major Crime Investigation Support Teams, the Special Projects Unit, the Unsolved Homicide Unit, and several others, the release continued.
He also played an integral role in establishing the newly formed 12-member Counter Human Trafficking Unit, which falls under provincial major crime.
Rain’s education is rooted in leadership, with undergraduate studies focused in this area and a master’s degree in international executive development in policing. Throughout his career, he has continued to expand his knowledge through a range of international learning opportunities, including completing the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) 10‑week program for international law enforcement leaders.
“As the new Lower Mainland District Commander, my priority is to strengthen and maintain the strong relationships we have with the municipalities we serve, ensuring they continue to receive high‑quality police services and that our detachments and units are fully supported,” Rain said in the release.
“It is an honour to step into this role, and I am committed to advancing public safety through strong operational leadership and effective administrative policing. Having served my entire career in this region, I understand the strengths of our communities and what is required to build and maintain resilient neighbourhoods. Our Lower Mainland district detachments and integrated teams work tirelessly to keep people safe, and my focus is to ensure they have the resources and support they need to continue that work.”