Five Delta police officers were among the 154 honourees recognized for their bravery and dedication at a ceremony in Victoria last week.
At the 39th annual Police Honours Night, held April 18 and 19 at Government House, Lt.-Gov. Janet Austin and Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth presented 45 officers with the Award of Valour — the highest award for a police officer in B.C. — and recognized another 109 officers with honours for meritorious service.
It was the first Police Honours Night event held since 2019 due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“Day in and day out, police officers work hard throughout British Columbia to keep our communities, homes and roads safe by preventing crime and responding to a variety of calls for service,” Farnworth said in a press release.
“Policing is a difficult job, and the pandemic spawned a whole new set of challenges. I want to thank our officers for putting their lives on the line for the safety and security of our communities.”
Among those to receive the Award of Valour was Const. Josh Harms, who was working for the Metro Vancouver Transit Police on Jan. 30, 2019, when was shot in the arm and hand while on duty at Scott Road SkyTrain station.
The shooter, Daon Gordon Glasgow, had been on mandatory release from prison on a Surrey manslaughter conviction at the time.
Harms, who has since joined the DPD, was honoured for continuing to pursue Glasgow after he had been injured.
RELATED: Daon Glasgow sentenced for shooting transit cop in Surrey
Four other DPD officers — constables Melissa Ker, Chris Bond, Mixon Madland and Mason Woods — received awards Awards of Meritorious Service.
Ker was honoured for saving the life of an injured driver who otherwise may have drowned after their vehicle flipped into the Fraser River on May 18, 2022.
The single-vehicle collision resulted in the vehicle being on its roof and partially submerged in the river. Ker went into the river, broke one of the car’s windows, and held the driver’s head above water until more help arrived and were able to extract the occupant from the car.
Bond, Madland and Woods were honoured for placing themselves at risk by entering a burning home to apprehend and rescue a woman suffering from a mental-health crisis on Nov. 15, 2022.
The woman was unco-operative and confronted the officers with a knife. Due to the circumstances, the officers had to take immediate action to disarm the woman, secure her and get out of the burning house.
According to a press release, the Award of Valour is awarded to police officers who “acted for the benefit of others while knowingly placing themselves at substantial risk of death or serious injury. These officers exhibited exceptional courage, regardless of personal safety, to attempt to save or protect others from harm.”
Awards of Meritorious Service honour “exemplary performance that answered the call to service in exceptional ways,” and are awarded to officers who “demonstrated that they acted in a manner beyond the call of duty.”
“Every person we’ve honoured over the past two nights has demonstrated extraordinary bravery, quick thinking and initiative in different and unpredictable situations,” Austin said in a press release.
“It was an honour to hear the stories of these brave men and women who put themselves in jeopardy to ensure the rest of us can live in peace and safety. We thank them for their service and acknowledge all who support them to do such impactful work for the province.”
RELATED: Surrey, White Rock police recognized for bravery, dedication
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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