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Winners and Nominees 2003

2003 Award Winners

The Department of Justice, in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, is pleased to present the winner, runners-up, and nominees for the fourth annual Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award. The award recognizes the efforts of police officers who undertake their work in a manner that reflects, promotes, and is consistent with the spirit and goals of the government's initiative to renew youth justice in Canada.

The following factors were taken into account in selecting the winner and runners up:

  1. Innovation and creativity in dealing with youth who have come in conflict with the law.
  2. The development and/or effective use of one or more of the following:
    • police discretion at the front end of the youth justice process;
    • conferencing as a means of assisting in decision-making throughout one or more parts of the youth justice process;
    • community-based alternatives to the formal court process or custody; and
    • rehabilitation and reintegration of youth through positive police/youth activities.
  3. The accomplishment of one or more of the following goals:
    • fostering respect for societal values;
    • emphasizing responsibility to the victim and the community;
    • helping young people understand the impact of their actions;
    • allowing young persons to make the connection between the offence and its consequences;
    • encouraging the involvement of parents, families and the community in the rehabilitation and reintegration of youth;
    • assisting particularly disadvantaged groups or communities; and
    • increasing community involvement in the youth justice system.
  4. Efforts by police to assist children under the age of twelve who offend.

For this year's award, 27 nominations were received from police services and individuals across Canada. This booklet celebrates the efforts of all the nominees, and informs others in the police and wider community about their exemplary achievements.

Winners

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Certificates of Distinction

Honourable Mentions

Nominees for 2003 Award (by police service, in alphabetical order)

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Nominees

Detective Constable Jennifer Caddell
Barrie Police Service

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Youth under 12 can't be charged when they get into trouble with the law, but this doesn't mean their actions should be ignored. That's why Detective Constable Jennifer Caddell has outlined steps for police, fire departments, schools, and other youth-related community agencies in Barrie, Ont., to follow when dealing with youth under 12.

The plan of action, called the City of Barrie Community Protocol for Children Under 12 in Conflict With the Law, was launched in June 2002. The protocol is designed to connect troubled children with appropriate services in a timely manner and help various agencies identify children who are at risk of coming into conflict with the law.

Caddell is also the president of the Committee of Youth Officers for the Province of Ontario, an association of youth officers dedicated to the collection and dissemination of youth crime and child protection information.

Contact person:
Detective Constable Jennifer Caddell
(705) 725-7025 ext. 2122

Constable Gary Clow
Charlottetown Police Department

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Every year, local chapters of Big Brothers and Big Sisters give 13 children the opportunity to participate in Constable Gary Clow's fun-filled Kids n' Kops program. Kids n' Kops gives young people at risk of getting into trouble with the law the chance to visit the Charlottetown police station and learn what it's really like to be a police officer. Through the program, which has been running since 1999, the young people participate in recreational activities and learn how to interact positively with police. The participants also learn how to make positive choices through presentations on drug awareness and self esteem building. Clow has worked hard to expand the program's length from three to five days and to get his colleagues involved in the program.

Contact person:
Constable Gary Clow
(902) 629-4035

Staff Sergeant John O'Reilly
Chatham-Kent Police Service

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Staff Sergeant John O'Reilly is helping keep youth out of trouble with the law by implementing The Missing Protector Strategy program in Chatham, Ont., and surrounding area. This community-based strategy pairs adult mentors with youth at risk of becoming involved in harmful activities. The mentor is required to spend one to two hours a week with the youth and acts as a first point of contact if the youth is faced with a crisis.

O'Reilly has been instrumental in training the adult protector to help the young person make proper choices when dealing with difficult issues. He also serves as chairperson for the committee responsible for implementing the program and has recruited other police officers to assist the committee. The program started in a local school as a pilot project in 1999 and has since expanded to 11 schools.

Contact person:
Staff Sergeant John O'Reilly
(519) 436-6626

Constable Kim Houle
Edmonton Police Service


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Constable Kim Houle is helping junior high school students get involved in conflict resolution through a peer mediation program. Houle, a resource officer for junior high schools in Edmonton, came up with the idea to bring the program to her schools in 2001. Since then, whenever a minor conflict arises at school, students chosen as peer mediators deal with the problem under the guidance of an adult facilitator before it escalates to a more serious level. Houle has been involved in at least 20 mediation sessions in her schools. Since its inception, the program has been expanded to other schools. Students and teachers have praised the program for being an effective and non-intrusive way of dealing with conflict.

Contact person:
Constable Kim Houle
(780) 421-3555

Constable Steven Saunders
Halifax Regional Police

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The Halifax Regional Police service has created the position of community liaison constable to establish a vital link between the police, schools and community. Constable Steven Saunders, a 21-year veteran with the police service, has taken this role to heart. He regularly uses school and community-based conflict resolution methods and encourages the use of community-based sentences and alternatives to the formal court system. He also volunteers as a football coach, which is one of several ways he works hard to establish a strong rapport with local youth.

At one time, Saunders was a member of Blue Thunder, a police rock band that played for high school students and delivered messages about healthy lifestyle choices. At some of the performances, a youth, who had been in conflict with the law and had turned his life around with the help of Saunders, would speak openly to students about his past experiences.

Through his work with youth and the community, Saunders has been acknowledged as an asset to the police service.

Contact person:
Constable Steven Saunders
(902) 490-5063

Detective Constable Brian Ritchie
Hamilton Police Service

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Graffiti artists caught breaking the law now have the opportunity to learn how to put their creative talents to a more positive use, thanks to the efforts of Detective Constable Brian Ritchie. Ritchie came up with the idea for the Graffiti Abatement Through Education (GATE) program in 2002. Through the program, youth involved in illegal graffiti activity attend a one-day session instead of going through the traditional justice system. The session covers topics such as legal artistic pursuits and the costs and consequences of illegal graffiti.

Ritchie came up with the idea for the project and was also responsible for getting key partners, including a McMaster University art professor and the executive director of the Dundas Valley School of Art, involved in the program.

The GATE program, delivered by the Hamilton Police Service in partnership with the John Howard Society, was designed with the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act in mind. It was officially launched on April 1, 2003, the day the Act took effect.

Contact person:
Detective Constable Brian Ritchie
(905) 546-3809

Constable Joseph DiPersio
New Glasgow Police Service

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Constable Joseph DiPersio is turning probation into a more proactive measure through his involvement in the Schools Associated with Police/Probation Services (SAPPS) program. SAPPS brings the New Glasgow Police Service, corrections services and local schools together to provide intensive supervision for youth on probation.

DiPersio has played a key role in implementing the program since it began in January 2002. Along with a correctional services officer, he conducts random drop-ins at the homes of local youth on probation in New Glasgow and Westville, N.S. But this is much more than a "curfew check" program. In addition to making sure the young people are following their probation orders, DiPersio uses this opportunity to develop a positive relationship with the youth. He says his main goal is not to throw young people in jail, but to help them stay out of trouble with the law.

Contact person:
Constable Joseph DiPersio
(902) 755-8331

School Resource Officer Program
Ottawa Police Service

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Ottawa police officers are building trusting relationships with children of all ages and backgrounds through the Ottawa Police Service's School Resource Officer Program. Each school in the Ottawa area is appointed a school resource officer who works closely with school board staff and parents to identify trends in school crime. These officers also work to prevent crime by giving talks to students about youth and the law, drug awareness, shoplifting and theft. In addition to performing a liaison function, the resource officers often respond to and lead criminal investigations of criminal activity on school property. The School Resource Officer program was launched in 1991.

Contact person:
Ottawa Police Service
(613) 236-1222

Corporal Bryon Massie
RCMP, Chilliwack Detachment

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Corporal Bryon Massie is helping community members from Chilliwack, B.C., provide timely and relevant consequences to first-time offenders. Massie is an integral member of the Chilliwack Restorative Justice and Youth Diversion Association, which strives to empower youth in conflict with the law to become more responsible citizens through alternatives to the formal court system.

Massie is responsible for screening clients before they appear before the association's panel of community members. He has also helped keep the program running smoothly by spearheading the creation of the association's policy and operations manual. Massie has put in many volunteer hours to help make the program a success.

Contact person:
Corporal Bryon Massie
(604) 792-4611

Corporal Rob Cameron, Constable Dean Fontaine, and Constable Rob Lockhart
RCMP - Gang Awareness Unit

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Since March of 2002, a team of highly dedicated RCMP members has been pioneering strategies to deal with the growing number of youth gangs in the province of Manitoba.

As members of the Gang Awareness Unit, Corporal Rob Cameron, Constable Dean Fontaine and Constable Rob Lockhart work with community groups to develop programs that are tailored to the specific needs and resources of each community. These action plans are often designed to provide alternatives for young people who are being drawn into gangs and criminal activity.

In an effort to debunk the myths associated with gangs, the unit delivers presentations to youth, educators, and community groups. The unit also acts as a conduit to direct troubled youth to resources such as social services and school counselors. The Gang Awareness Unit serves as a model for similar projects being developed within the RCMP and the rest of Canada.

Contact person:
Corporal Rob Cameron, Constable Dean Fontaine,
or Constable Rob Lockhart
(204) 983-2778

Constable Boyd Merrill
RCMP Halifax Detachment - Tantallon

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When Constable Boyd Merrill came up with the concept for a new drug awareness program, he decided to do something a little different. His play, Norm and Fred Think About Drugs, is about four characters - a farm boy, a cop, a drug pusher, and a university student - who teach the audience about the consequences of drug use. The play is designed to empower youth to make positive choices by showing them how one bad choice can lead to even more bad choices.

Merrill has been delivering the presentation to youth throughout the Atlantic Provinces since 1995. Young people in other parts of Canada and the United States have been exposed to the program through a video of the play.

Contact person:
Constable Boyd Merrill
(902) 826-3100

Constables Stephanie Patey and Lloyd McDougall
RCMP, Rigolet

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Constable Stephanie Patey and Constable Lloyd McDougall took the initiative to transform an old building in the small town of Rigolet, Nfld., into a youth centre with a pool table, computer and other amenities. The centre can prevent young people from getting into trouble with the law due to boredom because it provides them with a place where they can participate in positive activities.

This husband and wife team devoted a lot of time to this project because the building needed several repairs. As a result of these efforts, the youth centre is now a hub of community activity.

Contact person:
Constable Stephanie Patey or Constable Lloyd McDougall
(709) 947-3400

Constable Sandy Andrews
RCMP, Strathcona County

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As a liaison officer for schools in Strathcona County, Alta., Constable Sandy Andrews has demonstrated a strong desire to get to the root of a problem when dealing with youth involved in conflict.

Andrews is actively involved as a facilitator in community conferencing and crime prevention programs. She has also worked hard to maintain and expand the local Students Against Drinking and Driving (SADD) program. Through SADD, students spread messages about the consequences of drinking and driving to other students and the greater community. Andrews has encouraged youth in conflict with the law to get involved in this program as a way of reintegrating themselves into their community.

Contact person:
Constable Sandy Andrews
(780) 467-7741

Constable Rick Davis
RCMP, Taber-Vauxhall Detachment

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"Why try in life?" Some young people might find themselves asking this question, and Constable Rick Davis is helping them find an answer. He's teaching high school students in Vauxhall, Alta., important life skills such as anger management and problem solving through the delivery of WhyTry, a hands-on educational program for grade 10 students.

But his dedication to helping youth doesn't stop there. Recognizing that boredom is one of the leading causes of petty crime in Vauxhall, a town with about 1,000 residents, Davis recently established a youth centre to help local youth stay out of trouble.

Contact person:
Constable Rick Davis
(403) 223-4447

Regina Children's Justice Centre Regina Police Service

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The Regina Children's Justice Centre is a collaborative effort of the Regina Police Service and various local and provincial child welfare agencies. The centre, which officially opened its doors in 1997, allows teams of social workers and police officers to jointly investigate allegations of child abuse in a child-friendly environment. The centre also works proactively in addressing cases of potential or suspected child abuse, and facilitates communication between different youth-related agencies.

Contact person:
Regina Children's Justice Centre
(306) 777-8615

Constables Linda Cunningham, Harry Schamart, Ron Stewart,
Dan Mayo, and Ron Huck
Saanich Police Department

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Hundreds of high school students from Victoria, B.C., and surrounding area know what a police officer's job is really like. That's because they've attended a police camp run by members of the Saanich Police Department. Throughout the weeklong program, students are exposed to the rigors of physical training, legal studies, and different types of simulations. These activities are designed to promote leadership and self-discipline, as well as help the students find a career path.

The Saanich Police Department took over the lead role of organizing and planning the camp in 1996, four years after the camp started running. Constables Linda Cunningham, Harry Schamart, Ron Stewart, Dan Mayo, and Ron Huck play key roles in running the program. The program has certainly helped some young people choose a career; a few of the police department's members are actually camp graduates!

Contact person:
Constables Linda Cunningham, Harry Schamart, Ron Stewart, Dan Mayo, or Ron Huck
(250) 475-4321

Constable Judith Yankowski
Service de police de la Ville de Montréal

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In 2002, Constable Judith Yankowski teamed up with a local teacher to help run a program aimed at helping troubled Montreal youth make positive life choices. The Vanguard program pairs police officers with elementary and secondary school students who have learning difficulties and who are in conflict with the law or are or are at risk of conflict with the law. Through the program, the youths and the police officers participate in activities designed to develop a trusting relationship between youth and the police. Other activities, like visits to a youth detention centre and a detoxification centre, are focused on showing the youths the consequences of making poor choices. The program has been running since 1996, and Yankowski helped supervise and coordinate all the activities that took place in 2002.

Contact person:

Constable Judith Yankowski
(514) 280-2000

Constable Mathieu Hinse
Service de police de la Ville de Mont-Tremblant

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Constable Mathieu Hinse is involved in a program that fosters positive interaction between police and schoolchildren in Mont-Tremblant, Que. Through the "policier parrain" (police sponsor) program, police officers are assigned a group of students for whom they will act as mentor throughout the rest of their school career. This gives police officers the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities and develop long-term relationships with young people. The program started running at the beginning of the 2002 school year.

Contact person:
Constable Mathieu Hinse
(819) 425-2723

Constable Kimberly Spitzig
Waterloo Regional Police Service

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In 2002, Cst. Kimberly Spitzig decided to combine her love of horses with her desire to help young people. That's when she developed Riding High -- a program designed to help troubled youth build self confidence, leadership skills and a commitment to give back to the community -- in partnership with Pride Stables in Kitchener, Ont.

During the first two months of a Riding High session, the participating youths take riding lessons and learn general horsemanship. For the remaining two months, the youths use these skills to help children with disabilities during therapeutic riding sessions.

Spitzig and the Waterloo Regional Police Service's youth sergeant select participants who they feel will benefit most from the program. In past sessions, some of the participants had been in conflict with the law. Spitzig has received praise for encouraging her colleagues to "think outside the box" and develop more innovative projects.

Contact person:
Constable Kimberly Sptizig
(519) 650-8500 ext. 499

Date Modified: 2011-12-01

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