The general strike and revolution never happened, but the city was flooded in the spring of 1935 with striking relief camp workers, which metamorphosed into the On-to-Ottawa Trek that left Vancouver atop boxcars in early June. Foster restructured the police department significantly, and led an effort to eradicate crime and vice from the city. He initiated the first training of Vancouver police officers, updated police uniforms, added tear gas to the police arsenal, and established a "Communist Activities Branch" to gather intelligence.