New Westminster police officers have been recognized for their efforts in keeping the streets safer.
The New Westminster police board recently recognized a number of officers who have helped remove impaired drivers from city streets and have enforced distracted driving laws.
Several New West police officers are now part of Alexa’s Team, a program that recognizes officers who make an extraordinary effort to reduce the number of impaired drivers on roads in communities cross B.C. The award was created in honour of Alexa Middelaer, a four-year-old girl who was killed by an impaired driver in Delta in May 2008.
“Officers at NWPD have been moved by the story of Alexa Middelaer,” Chief Const. Dave Jansen told the Record. “The number of impaired drivers taken off New Westminster roads is a reflection of how important road safety is to these officers. I’m proud of these officers for this meaningful work.”
Jansen said that in order to be considered for Alexa’s Team, an officer must remove a minimum of 12 drivers from roads through roadside prohibitions or Criminal Code investigations. Police officers who remove more than 25 drivers from roads are named All-Stars.
NWPD Const. Brad Wardner was named an All-Star, having had 32 impaired driving investigations in 2020. Other New Westminster members making Alexa’s Team are Const. Nick Dion (18 investigations); Const. Jamie Crowston (15 investigations); and Const. Kamoh Malcom (14 investigations).
“On behalf of the police department, all residents, and I know I speak for the board, congratulations for all your work in making our roads safer,” Jansen told officers.
At the Nov. 16 police board meeting, Jansen noted that some officers – including one who was also named to Alexa’s Team – were also recognized earlier this year for their efforts to reduce fatalities through enforcement of distracted drives. Police officers receive gold, silver and bronze medals depending on the number of distracted driving tickets or warnings they issue.
Const. Curtis Heath was recognized with a gold medal for 269 distracted driving violations, Dion was a silver recipient for 233 violations and Const. Sheldon Frayle received a bronze medal for 133 violations.
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