A Surrey Transit Police officer who continued to pursue an armed suspect who had shot him was among 154 law enforcement personnel honoured this week for bravery and dedication.
According to a news release, the Award of Valour – the highest honour a B.C. officer can receive – was presented to Const. Joshua Harms on Wednesday (April 19) at Government House, on the second evening of Police Honours Night.
Harms was shot in the arm and hand on Jan. 30, 2019, 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.
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READ MORE: Daon Glasgow sentenced for shooting transit cop in Surrey
Surrey RCMP’s Sgt. Melvin Wong was also among those to receive an Award of Valour, for his efforts while working at the Coquitlam detachment. He and Const. Jonathan Lesperance, Const. Morgan Nevison and Const. Kamaljit Singh Sall, “placed themselves at risk during response to a call of a suicidal man firing an assault rifle.”
The officers were among 45 across B.C. to receive the Award of Valour – the highest award for a police officer in this province.
“It is awarded to police officers who acted for the benefit of others while knowingly placing themselves at substantial risk of death or serious injury,” the release explains.
“These officers exhibited exceptional courage, regardless of personal safety, to attempt to save or protect others from harm.”
An additional 109 officers received Awards of Meritorious Service, presented for “exemplary performance that answered the call to service in exceptional ways… to officers who demonstrated that they acted in a manner beyond the call of duty.”
From White Rock Cpl. David Brown, Const. Travis Anderson and Const. Alexander Kwon – as well as one officer whose name was withheld – were recognized for their efforts evacuating White Rock pier during its dramatic collapse in December 2018.
READ MORE: VIDEO: White Rock pier destroyed by storm, stranded man rescued
The pier split in half shortly after 2 p.m. on Dec. 20, 2018, during a windstorm that battered the structure and moored boats with gusts of up to 100 km/h. One person was stranded and had to be rescued by helicopter.
Anderson is now with the Federal Serious and Organized Crime Pacific Shiprider, while Kwon has moved to the serious crime unit, the news release notes.
Current and former Surrey officers cited with Awards of Meritorious Service included Const. Michael Jason Lee, for “exceptional performance during an investigation spanning 30 years of domestic violence.”
Insp. Jeff Bowerman (now with Upper Fraser Valley regional detachment), Staff Sgt. Robert Kurtz (now with criminal intelligence section), Sgt. Derek Bonner, Sgt. Brian Sprott and Const. Kristina Jasmins – with the Major Crime Section-Special Projects and Surrey detachment – were recognized in connection with an investigation into a gang-related shooting that resulted in the seizure of drugs, firearms and cash.
Former Transit Police officer Const. Thomas Clarkson (now with Surrey Police Service) and Const. Chris Elvidge – along with one unnamed officer – were honoured for pursuing an armed suspect who had shot and injured a fellow officer.
Police Honours Night recognizes members of independent municipal police forces, the RCMP, First Nations, Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit and transit police services who have acted in an exemplary manner.
Recipients were selected by a committee comprised of representatives from the BC Association of Chiefs of Police, the Association of Municipal Chiefs of Police of British Columbia, the RCMP and the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General’s policing and security branch.
tracy.holmes@peacearchnews.com
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