In celebration of Victoria residents' acts of courage and community service, the Victoria Police Department honoured six people with Civic Service Awards during a ceremony in the VicPD Hall of Honour.
On Wednesday, May 21, Chief Const. Del Manak presented each recipient with a personalized award, acknowledging their actions that went above and beyond in supporting their community.
While in a local convenience store, Sage Lathrop observed a panicked elderly woman on the phone depositing $100 bills in a Bitcoin machine. He tried to warn her that it was likely a scam, but she did not listen. He wrote down her license plate and reported the incident to police, who determined she was being scammed and were able to prevent her from losing more money. Police say Lathrop's actions saved a potential loss of $25,000.
Andrea Lee, Sam Turcott, and Marina Wang were recognized for immediately calling 911 and working together to save a woman who was found holding onto the edge of a railing on the Johnson Street Bridge.
“Civic Service Awards are particularly meaningful to me because they allow us to recognize individuals who made a conscious choice to improve our communities,” said Manak in a news release. “In policing, we often say ‘we can’t do it alone.’ While we strive to be everywhere, ready to help, we know that is not possible. Thankfully, citizens like those we are recognizing today step up to make a difference. It truly takes a collective effort to keep our communities healthy and safe.”
VicPD volunteers Barbara Haynes and David Ng were acknowledged for 25 years of volunteering with the department. Haynes started her work after seeing a VicPD ad in a local newspaper, and has been serving the community as a front desk volunteer, greeting and assisting members of the public who come into the department.
Ng became a volunteer as he was interested in a career in policing at the time. He started as a Crime Watch volunteer, going out into the community with his team conducting foot and bike patrols. Now, he serves as a special projects volunteer, writing reports on road safety for ICBC.
The awardees will have their names displayed in the VicPD Hall of Honour, joining a legacy of individuals recognized for their bravery and service.
