Brantford Police Service recognized for contributions to school safety

TORONTO, Dec. 5, 2016 /CNW/ - Today, CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) is pleased to award Constable Andrea Cooper the prestigious CAA School Safety Patrol Program Achievement Award at the Brantford Police Headquarters.

The annual award is given to a police service which lends exceptional support to the CAA School Safety Patrol (SSP) program, designed to help ensure the safety of children on Ontario's roads -- an important role shared by traffic safety advocates, police partners and community leaders.

"I am so honoured to be the recipient of this award. The School Safety Patrol Program allows kids to be actively involved in keeping other kids safe, and I have seen firsthand how proud patrollers can be when they wear their vests on duty. I couldn't be more proud of the patrollers and their teacher supervisors in Brantford," said Constable Andrea Cooper.

Constable Andrea Cooper has served with Brantford Police for 29 years and has been the police service's School Safety Officer since September 2013. She oversees over 600 patrollers from 34 schools, and assists with training additional patrollers from surrounding areas.

"I am proud of Constable Andrea Cooper and her commitment to keeping school children safe. The energy and passion she brings to the CAA School Safety Patrol Program is what makes it a fun experience for the patrollers. She is an outstanding ambassador of youth safety education programs and the Brantford Police Service," said Chief Geoff Nelson, Brantford Police Service.

"Constable Andrea Cooper is a true leader and an exceptional role model committed to the safety of students," said Tracy Nickleford, Community Relations Manager, CAA SCO.

Brantford Police have participated in the CAA School Safety Patrol program for over 50 years, with over 1,100 safety patrollers trained at their Children's Safety Village in September 2016. 

Across Ontario, approximately 800 schools participate in the School Safety Patrol program, while CAA SCO partners with over 55 police services to deliver the program. Since the program's inception, there have been more than 80 documented cases of patrollers saving others from serious injury.

As a leader and advocate for road safety and mobility, CAA South Central Ontario is a not-for-profit auto club which represents the interests of 2 million members. For over a century, CAA has collaborated with communities, police services and governments to help keep drivers and their families safe while travelling on our roads.

SOURCE CAA South Central Ontario

Media contact: Jeff LeMoine, Communications Consultant, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone] or Tony Tsai, Director of Corporate Communications, CAA SCO, [email protected], Office: [phone], Cell: [phone].