This 10-year officer's unit commander wrote that she has single handedly turned
her detachment around and with it the public's opinion. This is how she has done it.
In the area where this officer works enforcement of issues such as child safety restraints and bicycle safety helmets was hurting more than helping. Due to high unemployment or low income parents could not afford proper equipment. This officer developed the Kids In Need Charity in her community, forming a board, applying for grants and raising funds to provide helmets and bicycle training to kids and child car seats for parents. She developed instructor training on the inspection and proper installation of car seats and has taken on other projects within the umbrella of the charity making it a full-time operation to run.
She is the main organizer of the Loonie Lunch where a hot meal is served to the public for a loonie at the local Legion. The meal feeds about 250 people a month and officers and other community member s assist to serve. Without intending to this officer has developed partnerships with community groups who don t normally interact with the police. The program has now expanded to serve one supper per month.
In addition to these community activities our nominee took over the annual snowsuit fund and toy drive when both were failing due to lack of organization. The program has exploded to include gently used clothing that is given to the local food bank. And now several hundred children receive gifts at Christmas and warm winter clothes.
To add more, this outstanding officer became a first aid and CPR instructor providing training to the public and auxiliary units; she is a regular in the local paper and on radio; she sits on several community committees; raised $26,000 for a youth drop-in centre and organized a number of fundraisers for local charities.
She recently participated in the promotional process and received her sergeant's credit. Her detachment commander doesn't know how she meets all her obligations including raising two small children.
In his words, "She is well known in the community for everything she does on and off duty. I have come to respect her and use her as my confidant on all issues. Her dedication is infectious and I have witnessed a change in many senior officers who could be described as cynical. They have realized with dedication, hard work and most importantly genuine empathy this job can be enjoyed and respected."
The Law Enforcement Professional of the Year goes to Constable Robyn MacEachern of the Ontario Provincial Police Bancroft Detchment.
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