In 1997, seven Vancouver Police officers patrolling the city’s Downtown Eastside decided to film their daily encounters with drug addicts. Over the course of two years, they chronicled the gut-wrenching effects of substance abuse on addicts who were willing participants in their first film Through the Blue Lens. As Odd Squad Productions, the group has gone on to create a series of award-winning films on the subjects of guns, gangs, drugs and crime. Their goal is to open a window onto the harsh reality of criminal behaviour to empower at-risk youth to make better choices.