More than 30 Vancouver Police Department officers were feted in Victoria Thursday for their actions on the job.
The Police Honours Night recognized law enforcement members across the spectrum, highlighting meritorious service, bravery in life-saving incidents and valour.
Representatives from the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police, the B.C. Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police, the RCMP and the ministry’s Policing and Security Branch comprise a committee that selected the recipients.
“It takes a special kind of person to serve in law enforcement, those who know the dangers and challenges of their profession but remain committed to serve with pride and never shy away from their duty,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, in a news release. “[Thursday’s] honourees are examples of that commitment in action and on behalf of all British Columbians, we thank officers just like them all across the province for their immeasurable contributions to public safety."
The award-winning VPD members include:
- Sgt. Al Kuniss and Const. Vincent Martin: used exceptional judgement while dealing with a violent, mentally ill male armed with a knife.
- Const. Teena Schneider: while off duty, pursued and apprehended an armed male who had broken into her residence.
- Constables Jennifer Talkkari and Ryan Young: extracted an unresponsive male from a burning vehicle.
- Insp. Lisa Byrne, Sergeants Astrid Bonter and Rajprit Mander, Constables Darren Bayne, Jennifer Jarvis, Rob Mitchelson, Andrea Sherry, Tracy Stables, Det. Constables John Pyper and Jennifer White and Name Withheld: exceptional performance during a complex sexual assault investigation involving nine victims and two accused.
- Sgt. Christian Lowe, Det. Constables Ross Clarke, Eve Koenning, Chad Mah, Craig Reynolds, Rachel Van den Kerkhof and Alice Yee, Const. Aida Rodriguez: exceptional performance during a cross-border child abduction investigation.
- Constables Byron Capers and Courtney Emerslund: saved an unresponsive suicidal female from the waters off Canada Place.
- Const. Ryan Diguangco: assisted in extracting an unresponsive male from a burning vehicle.
- Constables Kam Liddar and Peter Swan: assisted in apprehending a violent, mentally ill male who had attacked another police officer.
- Constables Andrew Penner and Name Withheld: provided life-saving first aid to a male with a self-inflicted stab wound.
- Det. Const. Paul McNamara: exceptional performance during a complex investigation into an international drug-trafficking organization.
