On Thursday, June 14th, the Surrey RCMP held its annual Officer in Charge Awards recognizing the valuable contributions of police officers, employees, and civilians for acts of bravery, outstanding service and dedication to public safety.
I look forward to this event every year as it is an opportunity to reflect on the many outstanding, yet relatively unknown, contributions that get made each and every day to keep our city safe, says Surrey RCMP Assistant Commissioner, Officer in Charge, Dwayne McDonald.
I am proud of our officers and staff for the work they do, and humbled to recognize the civilians in our community who stepped up to help others in need.
"I am proud of our officers and staff for the work they do, and humbled to recognize the civilians in our community who stepped up to help others in need.” - A/Commr. Dwayne McDonald on last night's Officer in Charge awards ceremony. https://t.co/MSOY3oTTT5 pic.twitter.com/nm4oEVtiLB
— Surrey RCMP (@SurreyRCMP) June 15, 2018
Over one hundred-and-seventy recipients were recognized during the ceremony including:
A construction worker who performed first aid and revived a drowned one-year-old child;
A father and son who intervened in a vicious dog attack on a four-year-old girl;
A resident who came to the aid of an injured police officer who had been struck by a suspect;
Officers who rescued a missing person who was trapped in their house and in extreme distress;
Multiple officers and crime analysts responsible for identifying, tracking, and apprehending individuals involved in drug trafficking and gun violence across the Lower Mainland.
Surrey resident Michael Keogh was one of the civilians recognized for helping a police officer subdue a known prolific offender who was combative with police at a traffic stop.
I know we shouldn’t get involved, but I think the world would be a better place if more people didn’t turn away, says Keough, who was driving a bus at the time. You see a police officer in trouble and you know they’re trying to protect us – I felt a responsibility to help out.
Constable Michael Toll was recognized for his efforts in coming to the aid of a man in distress who had fallen out of sight down a steep embankment and was trapped for days in a heavily forested area.
It’s nice to be acknowledged for our work, but I think most of us are just happy that we could help someone out, which is why we got into this line of work in the first place, says Cst. Toll.
A number of awards were also handed out to officers and staff for their innovative service delivery, community policing and business engagement programs, and new training and information technology processes.
