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About the CPS
Our Mission:
"To optimize public safety
in the City of Calgary"
2003 Chief's Awards
Awards were presented in the following categories at a dinner ceremony on May 28, 2003:
The Award of Excellence
A two-year investigation that ended in March 2001 and involved dozens of officers - from the Calgary Police Service and from other agencies - resulted in over 40 arrests and over 250 charges. Six officers were honoured with the Chief's Plaque for their roles in the operation's success.
For his steadying and calming influence, and for his initiative in leading the team to its decisive success, the operation's commander, Retired Acting Inspector Dan Dorsey was honoured with a Leadership Award.
The primary investigator assigned to the operation, Acting Staff Sergeant Darren O'Brien, established valuable partnerships with other policing agencies and was responsible for directing day-to-day activities and for ensuring all tasks were completed. For his exemplary performance through diligent and sustained effort, Acting Staff Sergeant Darren O'Brien received an Award of Excellence.
Awards of Excellence were also awarded to Detective Richard Stewart, Detective Robert Greenwood, Sergeant Sean Doyle, and Acting Sergeant Ray Robitaille for their exemplary performance through diligent and sustained effort throughout the investigation.
The Award of Exceptional Recognition
Alanna Hachey, 10, Alisha Roode, 8 and Amelia Buffam, 10 are the youngest citizens ever to have been honoured with a Chief's Plaque. The three girls helped an officer arrest a man wanted for breaking into a house and stealing a truck.
On July 19, 2001, Constable Kelly Kliewer saw a truck drive by that had been reported stolen, but when he caught up to it, it had been abandoned. Alanna, Alisha and Amelia, who were riding their bikes nearby, had seen two men run from the vehicle and told Constable Kliewer that one of them had run up the street and was hiding behind a tree.
The man was arrested and charged with break and enter, theft and possession of a stolen vehicle. He was also charged with a previous robbery. He was convicted on two of the charges and sentenced to two years in jail.
For their valuable assistance to the Calgary Police Service in the preservation of law and order, Alanna Hachey, Alisha Roode, and Amelia Buffam were each honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
On the morning of September 1, 2001 Ryan Clarke was vacuuming the pool at the Calgary West KOA Campground. Suddenly, a vehicle broke through the surrounding fence and plunged into the pool. It knocked Mr. Clarke into the water, but he was not injured.
He rushed to help the driver, a 77-year-old woman, who was struggling to get her seatbelt off. The driver's door was locked, so he swam to the other side. As the vehicle started to sink, he got in through the window. Water rose over their heads before the woman freed herself and Mr. Clarke pulled her to safety. The woman was shaken, but not hurt.
For his courageous actions, Ryan Clarke was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
Joseph Hylton and his wife and children were driving north on Deerfoot Trail on August 24, 2001 when a chaotic scene erupted in front of them. Another driver had a seizure and lost control of his truck. It swerved across the northbound lanes, across the median and into the southbound lanes before veering back into the northbound lanes.
When Mr. Hylton saw the truck was heading back towards the oncoming traffic, he stopped by the median and ran to the truck. With no concern for his own safety, he got inside the moving truck, push the driver aside and put the truck into park, bringing it to a stop. His heroic actions likely prevented a potentially serious or deadly collision. No one was injured and only one other vehicle received minor damage.
For his courageous actions, Joseph Hylton was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
On November 8, 2001, Joseph Elder and Philip Streifel saw two men break into a house in southwest Calgary. As Mr. Streifel called 9-1-1, Mr. Elder tried to block the men from leaving the house until police arrived. They got away and Mr. Elder chased them down an alley and over a fence.
The culprits split up and Mr. Elder followed one, lost him and then doubled back to the house just as police arrived. As Mr. Elder was describing one of the men to the officer, he saw a man walking a block away, and identified him as the suspect. The officer arrested the suspect shortly after.
For his courageous actions in delaying the culprits at the house and his valuable assistance to police, Joseph Elder was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
John Hornach has dedicated his volunteer efforts to community crime prevention programs for more than 20 years. In 1980 he began working with the Calgary Community Radio Watch Association, an organization that helps police with a variety of crime prevention activities. He volunteered with the Service as a team leader during the 1988 Winter Olympics.
He became involved with the District 6 Business Liaison Unit in 1996, where he led a campaign to teach other volunteers about counterfeit cash and credit cards so they could pass the information on to business owners.
Now in his 70s, Mr. Hornach continues this work with enthusiasm and commitment.
For his many years as an exceptional, dedicated volunteer, John Hornach was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
Assistant Chief Crown Prosecutor Larry Stein played a crucial role in the return of Harvey Harold Andres to Calgary in 1999 and in his subsequent conviction of the 1982 murder of Shirley Ann Johnson. Working with detectives from the Homicide Unit, Mr. Stein committed 1-1/2 years to this case. With the assistance of Prosecutor Susan Pepper from the Crown's office, he successfully argued the admissibility of DNA evidence during the Andres trail.
Described as the "mastermind behind the drafting of the warrant upon which the entire prosecution was dependant," Mr. Stein did a great service to the memory of Shirley Ann Johnson and to her family.
Prosecutor Susan Pepper received a Certificate of Recognition for her dedicated work.
For Larry Stein's outstanding commitment and dedication to this investigation, he was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
On March 13, 2002, Heather Wharran and Dwight Klein walked into the Town and Country Cold Beer Store and were told by the security officer that the store had just been robbed. The culprit had threatened to injure the store clerk with a six-inch knife.
Ms. Wharran and Mr. Klein immediately jumped into their vehicle and went after the culprit. When they saw him duck between houses they circled the block into the alley. When he didn't come out, they went back to the front and tracked his footprints in the fresh snow into one of the residences. They flagged down a passing police car and the officers entered the residence and arrested the man. He was charged with robbery, wearing a mask, uttering threats and assault.
For their valuable assistance to police, Heather Wharran and Dwight Klein were each honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
Rosemarie Boulier was in her vehicle in a parking lot on February 12, 2002 when she saw a man in the vehicle next to her get out and fall down. A revolver fell on the ground next to him. When Ms. Boulier saw he was bleeding from the back of his head, she called 9-1-1 to notify the police and EMS.
Another citizen, Benjamin Postma, also witnessed the scene. Ms. Boulier and Mr. Postma decided to remove the revolver.
Ms. Boulier placed it in her grocery bag and took it to a business beside the parking lot.
Another citizen, Stephen Massicotte, was in the business. He came out to help, and he and Mr. Postma tried to stop the suspect from leaving the scene. Mr. Postma grabbed the suspect's key from the ignition. The suspect produced a can of pepper spray and threatened the two men with it.
Then the first of several police officers arrived and attempted to calm the suspect.
Eventually, they had to use chemical spray and were able to physically restrain him. The officers found a 15-inch knife, a balaclava, a face mask and other questionable items in the suspect's vehicle.
If it weren't for the quick-thinking of these three citizens, this incident could have had devastating results.
For their courageous and unselfish actions, Rosemarie Boulier, Benjamin Postma and Stephen Massicotte were each honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
Dr. Anna Kossakowska was walking along a bike path on July 20, 2001, when she heard faint cries coming from the bushes. Without regard for her own safety, she investigated and found a 14-year-old girl tied up and naked. She had been sexually assaulted and robbed at gunpoint.
Dr. Kossakowska untied the girl, helped her get dressed, took her to safety and called the police. The speed at which Dr. Kossakowska acted helped police arrest the offender, a serial rapist.
For her unselfish actions and valuable assistance to police, Dr. Anna Kossakowska was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
Sadly, Dr. Kossakowska has passed away since receiving her award.
When Mike Walsh took his 3-1/2-year-old granddaughter, Zoe, to get her water wings from his shed in June 2002, he didn't realize Zoe's two-year-old sister had followed them from the house. Zoe spotted Katie's foot sticking out from under the tarp that covered the pool and told Mr. Walsh.
He yelled for someone to call 9-1-1, pulled Katie out and performed CPR on the child, who was not breathing and had turned blue, while other family members reacted with distress. After one or two minutes, the child began to throw up and cry, and EMS and police officers arrived shortly after.
Two constables stayed to reassure the family while the child's mother and grandmother accompanied her to the Children's Hospital in the ambulance, where she was kept for 24 hours to ensure she wouldn't develop pneumonia. She suffered no ill effects from the incident. The constables determined that because the tarp was dry and floating on the pool's surface, Katie thought she could walk across it.
For his actions in taking control of the chaotic scene and saving his granddaughter's life, Mike Walsh was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
On June 15, 2002, Maria Vass was travelling behind a motorcycle when a vehicle entered the road directly in front of it, leaving the rider no time to stop. Ms. Vass saw the collision, stopped her vehicle and ran to help.
She pulled the visor off the rider, wiped away the blood from his nose and performed CPR. With the help of an EMS dispatcher, she brought the man back to life.
He told her to tell his girlfriend and parents that he was sorry and that he loved them. Ms. Vass comforted him and held him until EMS arrived and transported him to Foothills, where he died of his injuries. Ms. Vass and the attending officer met with the man's girlfriend and parents a few days later. She told them what had happened and what the man had said, for which they were very grateful.
For her compassionate and courageous actions, Maria Vass was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
As he was about to leave his office at 7:30 p.m. on June 7, 2002, Navdeep Shergill heard a noise in the boardroom and went to investigate. He found a man who said he was looking for a job. When Mr. Shergill asked the man how he got in, he claimed to have walked through an open door. When Mr. Shergill showed the man the door was locked, he tried to flee.
Mr. Shergill struggled with him and restrained him while police were called, who took the man into custody. The man was known to police for entering offices and stealing money and laptop computers, wearing a suit and committing his crimes at the end of the business day to avoid raising suspicion.
For his courage and selfless actions that provided invaluable assistance to police in the arrest of the suspect and the clearing of additional criminal offences, Navdeep Shergill was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
On October 4, 2001, Constable James Hands was a passenger on a southbound C-Train leaving the downtown core when he noticed an 83-year-old passenger having medical difficulties. He approached the man and determined he was not breathing and had no pulse. He immediately instructed someone with a cellphone to call 9-1-1 as other passengers asked the driver to stop at the Victoria Park station to meet EMS.
For 15 minutes, Constable Hands administered rescue breathing while another passenger, Karra Coutu, performed chest compressions. Passenger Laura McDougall took over rescue breathing so Constable Hands could clear a pathway for EMS.
The man regained a faint pulse after being shocked by EMS, and was then carried off the platform and transported to the Foothills Hospital Cardiac Unit, where staff members determined that the CPR performed by Constable Hands and the two women was instrumental in saving the man's life. The man later had bypass surgery and is now back home with his wife, and said he was indebted to his rescuers.
For their outstanding life-saving actions, Karra Coutu and Laura McDougall were each honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition and Constable Jim Hands was honoured with a Life Saving Award.
Brothers Darren and Chad Bennett were jogging along the Bow River near Edmonton Trail on October 12, 2002 at 9 p.m. when they heard a bystander yelling that someone was drowning. The victim was about 15 meters from shore when Darren, with no thought for his own safety, removed his coat and ran into the river.
He was up to his shoulders in the icy water when he reached the man and pulled him to safety, where Chad helped get him onto the shore. Darren gave the man his jacket and ran to a gas station two blocks away to call EMS. Paramedics said the man, who admitted he was trying to commit suicide, was suffering from hypothermia and would have died if he'd been in the water any longer or if they'd been called 10 minutes later.
For their courageous and compassionate actions that saved the man's life, Darren Bennett and Chad Bennett were each honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
The Community Service Award
For 16 years, Constable Gordon Leek served the youth of his community as Commanding Officer of the Calgary Highlander Army Cadet Corps in Airdrie. Through this work, he is recognized as a leader who set high standards for his cadets and provided the needed support and encouragement to achieve those standards.
Constable Leek has devoted countless hours of his own time to the Army Cadet League (Alberta Chapter) and has made a long-lasting and significant contribution to the development of hundreds of young people.
In recognition of his outstanding sustained dedication, Constable Gordon Leek was honoured with a Community Service Award.
The Community Policing Award
Constable Bruce Haddow was named District 6 Volunteer Manager in January 2002, and, working closely with Constable Doug Taylor, made numerous beneficial changes to the district's volunteer programs and training procedures. They introduced new methods of assessing and tracking the quality and hours of volunteer work and implemented a standardized training format. They also developed a Volunteer Procedure Manual and an informative newsletter for volunteers, News & Views.
Constables Haddow and Taylor have organized several major social events that are attended by over 200 volunteers and officers, as well as taking responsibility for volunteer awards.
The Business Liaison Program in District 6 was floundering until these officers established new guidelines and defined goals, and is now highly successful. Constables Haddow and Taylor also interviewed and selected volunteers for the G8 Summit Security Information Centre, garnering high praise from G8 Summit commanders for their professionalism and superb efforts.
For their exemplary performance through diligence, sustained effort and sound judgment, Constable Bruce Haddow and Constable Doug Taylor were each honoured with a Community Policing Award.
As Community Liaison Officers in District 5, Constable Gerry McAleese and Constable Jon Sibun worked above and beyond expectations to develop trust between the Calgary Police Service and the diverse communities of the district.
They also made significant contributions to youth development, both in the district and the province.
In 2000 and 2001, Constables McAleese and Sibun were key players in the organization of local youth conferences for the North of McKnight Youth Council.
The officers then volunteered to sit on a board with several community partners to organize the first highly successful provincial youth conference, Youth Challenge 2002 in Calgary, each spending 300 hours of their own time. They were also instrumental in the planning of the 2003 conference.
In addition to these volunteer activities and the regular responsibilities of their jobs, Constables McAleese and Sibun provided food hampers for several years for families in need in the district.
For their outstanding commitment to community-based policing and to the core values of the Service, Constable Gerry McAleese and Constable Jon Sibun were each honoured with a Community Policing Award.
Tragically, Constable Gerry McAleese died in a vehicle collision on April 27, 2003, just one month after his retirement at age 47.
The Leadership Award
On October 17, 2001, the tragic shooting of Calgary police officer Constable Darren Beatty by a fellow officer during a training exercise left several other members on the scene in a state of deep distress. Sergeant Derek Steedman entered the training room and immediately took charge, sending an officer outside to ensure EMS came to the correct entrance and administering first aid to the fallen officer.
He directed another officer to have Communications establish traffic points to enable efficient movement of the ambulance to the Foothills Hospital and rode with Constable Beatty, holding his hand up to the moment he entered the trauma room. In the following days, many officers who had been on the scene remarked on Sergeant Steedman's dignity, professionalism and strength.
In recognition of his extraordinary leadership during this very difficult situation, Sergeant Derek Steedman was honoured with a Leadership Award.
In September 1999, Sergeant Marcel DiPalma recognized deficiencies in the way the Calgary Police Service's computer system searched for, assigned and managed case files and took the initiative to find a solution. After a year of work, he field-tested a successful solution and then enlisted the help of computer programmer Carl Coate in the Information Services Section to design the changes to the system.
Working together, they devised a new, more user friendly system at very little cost to the Service that has had an enormously beneficial impact since it was implemented in October 2001.
For their dedication and many hours of hard work resulting in significant improvement to the efficiency and effectiveness of the case tracking system, Sergeant Marcel DiPalma and Carl Coate were each honoured with a Leadership Award.
The Life Saving Award
An officer's calm professionalism and compassion prevented a young man from jumping off a pedestrian overpass after he fled from the Rockyview Hospital emergency room on April 30, 2001. His mother had brought him in for a psychiatric assessment because she was concerned about his suicidal behaviour.
Two officers were informed of the incident and pursued the man, who ran to the middle of the overpass above 14 Street. The man climbed over the railing and leaned over backwards, holding on with one hand.
Constable Bill Kennedy approached and calmly negotiated with the man for 45 minutes, building a rapport and gaining his confidence until he agreed to accompany Constable Kennedy back to the hospital. Although the incident was extremely stressful for the officer, he didn't try to physically stop the man from jumping, which, according to a member of the Service's Hostage Negotiator Team who was called to the scene, could have had a tragic result.
For his exemplary communication skills and compassionate interaction that saved the life of a distressed individual, Constable Bill Kennedy was honoured with a Life Saving Award.
On August 2, 2002, Acting Sergeant Doug Greaves saw a man jump into the Bow River off the Langevin Bridge at Edmonton Trail. Constable Joe Hebert wrapped a block and tackle around Acting Sergeant Greaves' waist and held onto the rope from shore while Acting Sergeant Greaves waded up to his waist into the river.
The strong current prevented him from reaching the man, who tried to swim away.
Acting Sergeant Greaves waded back to shore and entered the river further downstream and again attempted to reach the man.
Constable David Wood and Constable Doug Perrault arrived, waded to a nearby island and when the man came close, grabbed him and pulled him to safety.
He had about 20 pounds of stones in his pockets to weigh him down to assist his suicide attempt. The first two officers waded to the island and took the man to shore.
For their courageous and compassionate actions, the four officers were each honoured with a Life Saving Award.
For his part in assisting a gentleman on the C-Train, Constable James Hands was honoured with a Life Saving Award. Read more about his actions in the Award of Exceptional Recognition section.
When a man collapsed at the Calgary International Airport on July 29, 2002, security staff alerted the Calgary Police Service Airport Unit. Constable Geoff MacIntosh immediately responded and determined the unconscious man had no pulse and was not breathing.
Beside the victim were his hysterical wife and daughter, who spoke no English and were unable to assist. Constable MacIntosh located an Automated External Defibrillator nearby and shocked the man following his CPR training.
Constable Terry Schwartzendruber arrived soon after and conducted a two-man CPR with Constable MacIntosh  for nine minutes until EMS arrived. EMS personnel continued CPR and then transported the victim to the hospital.
The extraordinary efforts of the two officers provided the only hope of survival for the victim, according to EMS personnel. Unfortunately, he succumbed later to an inoperable brain embolism that had caused his heart attack at the airport.
For their professionalism and superb performance under extremely stressful circumstances, Constable Geoff MacIntosh and Constable Terry Schwartzendruber were each honoured with a Life Saving Award.
G8 Summit - Award of Excellence
Three officers and two civilian members of the Calgary Police Service were honoured with an Award of Excellence for their outstanding contributions and exemplary actions that contributed significantly toward a peaceful and successful G8 Summit in June 2002.
Inspector Al Redford was recognized for his exceptional leadership and his thorough understanding of the intricacies and importance of effective communications during the Summit.
Staff Sergeant Pat Larabie was recognized for being instrumental in bringing together the Calgary Police Service, the RCMP, Provincial Corrections and the Courts in planning an effective multiple arrest process during the G8 Summit.
Acting Staff Sergeant Scott Starchuk was recognized for his role as Logistical Team Leader coordinating accommodations, meals, vehicles and special equipment to all mutual aide agencies during the G8 Summit.
Civilian member Carla Unger was recognized for her outstanding supervisory skills and attention to detail, resulting in the G8 Summit coming in at several million dollars under budget.
Civilian member Debra Perry was recognized for her outstanding interpersonal skills displayed as Project Manager during both the planning and operational phases of G8.
G8 Summit - Leadership Award
Six officers of the Calgary Police Service were honoured with a Leadership Award for their outstanding leadership skills that contributed significantly toward a peaceful and successful G8 Summit in June 2002.
As the primary incident commander, Inspector Barry Clark was also tasked with being the oficer in charge of the development of all the operational plans. His commitment, dedication and tremendous leadership skills were instrumental in developing the comprehensive security plan for the Summit.
Inspector Bill Sherlock was recognized for his flexibility and countless hours of planning to ensure security was in place at the airport, while maintaining leadership of District 3 until three weeks before G8.
Staff Sergeant Kirk McCallum was recognized for his exceptional leadership skills and the significant responsibilities he undertook as Incident Commander during the Summit.
Staff Sergeant Bryant Petkau was recognized for his excellent performance as Deputy Commander of JIG. He shared the responsibility of managing the Intelligence Information Management Team with a representative from the RCMP.
Sergeant Barry Harper and Sergeant Kevin de Villenfagne were recognized for their exceptional skills and expertise in executing the crowd management plan so critical to hosting a peaceful event.
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