Honourable Mentions

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Constables Grant Hamilton and Tom Woods
Victoria Police Department

An area of Victoria once known as a hot-bed of criminal activity is now a safe, well-lit outdoor art gallery, thanks to the efforts of Constable Grant Hamilton, Constable Tom Woods and several young people who have been in conflict with the law. The Trackside Art Gallery (TAG), officially launched on Sept. 14, 2002, gets youth involved in the planning of the gallery, the construction and mounting of the art panels, the design and maintenance of the park, and the creation of the art. Many of the participating youth are on court ordered conditions or are considered at risk of coming into conflict with the law.

The gallery consists of several pieces of art that have been enlarged and mounted onto panels. Revenue is generated through corporate sponsorship of the artwork and purchases of the original pieces. More than $135 000 was raised through TAG in the first year. Part of the proceeds goes to a crime prevention education program designed for young elementary school students.

This creative solution was conceived and designed by Hamilton and Woods. It's part of a concept they developed called Closed Loop Crime Prevention, which is based on the idea that not only can young people in conflict with the law be rehabilitated, they can also make huge contributions in solving a problem. The main impetus of this approach is to get young people who have made mistakes to take responsibility for their actions and recognize that their energy can be redirected into positive, proactive causes.

Contact person:
Constable Grant Hamilton or Constable Tom Woods
(250) 995-7654

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