5th Annual Police Services Hero of the Year Awards Program Launches Today
Public Encouraged to Nominate Their Local Police Heroes
TORONTO, Feb. 3, 2020 /CNW/ - The Police Association of Ontario (PAO) launched its fifth annual Police Services Hero of the Year Awards program today, encouraging Ontarians to nominate police service heroes in their communities who have gone above and beyond. Last year, the program garnered over 380 nominations from residents across the province.
Beginning today, members of the public can nominate their local police heroes for one of three awards:
- On-Duty Difference Maker – Uniform/Sworn Police Officer (An individual or group who has gone above and beyond the expectations of the job while on-duty)
- On-Duty Difference Maker – Civilian Police Service Employee (An individual or group who has gone above and beyond the expectations of the job while on-duty)
- Community Role Model (An individual or group – uniform officer or civilian police service employee – who has made a difference in their community while off-duty)
As a reminder, Civilian Police Service Employees include 9-1-1 dispatchers and communications personnel, court services personnel, forensics identification personnel, and many other important roles within a police service.
The stories of last year's Police Services Hero of the Year award recipients represent some of the finest individuals and groups that have chosen to dedicate their lives to the policing profession:
- Cst. Aaron Reichert, Ottawa Police Service: 2019 On-Duty Difference Maker - Uniform Officer
- Dispatcher Mylene Lacroix, Cornwall Police Service: 2019 On-Duty Difference Maker - Civilian Police Service Employee
- K9 Unit, Durham Regional Police Service: 2019 Community Role Model
"Every day, Ontario's police officers put their personal safety at risk to ensure the safety of others, and civilian police service employees throughout the province make significant contributions to protect their communities," said PAO President, Bruce Chapman. "Whenever our members leave their homes to start their shifts, neither they nor their loved ones can predict what adverse and possibly life-threatening interactions may arise and how those situations may impact them," he said. "At meetings with our 47 police association members across the province, I regularly hear stories about how local police officers and civilian personnel have encountered serious and potentially negative situations that were successfully avoided because of their actions – often just regarded as a normal day at the office," said Chapman.
Ontarians are encouraged to submit their nominations online at www.policehero.ca or via direct message on social media (Facebook or Twitter). Nominations will be accepted until March 13, 2020, and award winners will be announced at the PAO's Annual General Meeting in Niagara Falls during the week of May 4, 2020.
About the Police Association of Ontario (PAO):
Founded in 1933, the Police Association of Ontario (PAO) is the official provincial representative body for 18,000 sworn and civilian police personnel from 47 police associations across Ontario. A unifying voice for advocacy in policing, the PAO provides its member associations with representation, resource, and support.
Website: www.policehero.ca
Facebook: @PoliceAssociationofOntario
Twitter: @PoliceAssocON
SOURCE Police Association of Ontario
Sarah Coulter, Communications Manager - [email protected], 416.569.7577
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