On a September afternoon in Ottawa this officer was on patrol when she responded to a call for shooting taking place in the parking lot of an amusement park. On her arrival she saw a group of men engaged in a gun fight. After requesting assistance, this officer and an off-duty, unarmed officer who had been in the area, used their vehicles to block the exits to the parking lot. By this time, the men had gotten in to their vehicles. Single-handedly this officer ordered them out of their car at gunpoint instructing them to lie on the ground until help arrived. Once the males were taken into custody it was learned that another male was inside the park. He later died of the injuries he received during the attack. In total nine males were arrested. One had been released on bail earlier on charges for first-degree murder. This young officer's courage under pressure has earned Constable Rebecca Vanderwater of the Ottawa Police Service the 2004 Ontario Women in Law Enforcement Award of Valour. |
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