Three Prince Albert Police officers were honoured Wednesday for their efforts to take impaired drivers off the road.
Const. Rob Lindsay, Const. Dwight LeBlue, and Const. Curtis Stasiw all received the Van de Vorst Family Award for Excellence in Prevention from MADD Canada and SGI. The trio combined to stop and arrest 40 impaired drivers between April 2020 and April 2021.
“We’re thrilled to see that because it’s so important,” said MADD treasurer Karen Anthony-Burns, who was on hand to present the awards along with MADD president Darren Deck. “When you add up the number of impaired drivers those three officers took off the road in the course of the year, that’s a lot of work. Just getting that many impaired drivers off the road makes it so much safer for everybody else, and hopefully with the awards and the recognition, people will see that.”
In addition to the certificates, Lindsay also received a Gold Challenge Coin for taking 17 or more impaired drivers off the road, while LeBlue and Stasiw received a Silver Challenge Coin for taking between eight and 16 off the road. Between April 2020 and April 2021, Prince Albert Police removed 104 impaired drivers from the road.
Lindsay and LeBlue were recognized for their work in the Combined Traffic Services Unit, while Stasiw is a member of the Patrol Section.
“My husband and I and just both so thrilled with those officers,” said Anthony-Burns, whose son, Daniel Carter, was killed by an impaired driver in 2010. “We just want them to know that we really appreciate their hard work and their dedication to making our community safer for everyone.”
This is the second time in two years Lindsay has received the Van de Vorst Family Award, while LeBlue and Stasiw were first-time recipients. Anthony-Burns said they were grateful for all officers, but especially thankful for the work Lindsay does in the community.
“He is making our community safer,” she said. “We can’t say enough about the work that he has done. He’s such a champion of the cause, and he certainly has been a big support to our MADD group.
The Van de Vorst Family Awards for Excellence in Prevention were created to honour the memory of Jordan and Chanda Van de Vorst and their two children, Kamryn and Miguire, who were killed by a drunk driver just north of Saskatoon in 2016. The awards are presented annually.
Two Prince Albert police officers received the awards last year: Lindsay, and Const. Nicholas Danyliuk.