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About the CPS
Our Mission:
"To optimize public safety
in the City of Calgary"
2004 Chief's Awards
Awards were presented in the following categories at a dinner ceremony on April 22nd, 2004:
Award of Exceptional Recognition
Marita Anacleto was waiting for her husband in the passenger seat of their idling van on October 19, 2002, with their four-year-old daughter. Suddenly, a man jumped into the van and began driving. Screaming, Ms. Anacleto struggled with him and he punched her in the head twice. Jogger Stephen Douglas had seen the suspect get in the van and chased it on foot until it pulled in front of St. Mary's Senior High School on 18 Avenue S.W. Three men and two women heard Ms. Anacleto's screams and rushed to help. The man fled the scene and Mr. Douglas was joined in his pursuit by Murray McLachlan, Darcy Gnyra and Lance Humeniuk. Karin Potter and Sarah Hoag stayed to comfort Ms. Anacleto. Mr. Humeniuk called 9-1-1 from a cellphone and stayed in contact with police during the chase. The four men continued their pursuit over a bridge as the suspect swam across the Elbow River to the Talisman Centre where police arrested him. For their courageous and unselfish actions, Mr. Douglas, Mr. McLachlan, Mr. Gnyra, Mr. Humeniuk, Ms. Potter, Ms. Hoag and Ms. Anacleto were each honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
Each year the Calgary Police Service accepts donations of winter clothing for children through the Coats for Kids campaign. Two community members have gone far beyond simply donating items. Over the past few years, Marjorie Millier and Leslie McBain collected old sweaters, laboriously unravelled and washed the yarn and knit over 400 sets of mittens and hats. They packaged the items and delivered them to the Service's Riverbend/Ogden Community Station for distribution. Their efforts were all the more remarkable considering one of the women had suffered a stroke. For their outstanding commitment to their community and to the well-being of disadvantaged children, Ms. Millier and Ms. McBain were each honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
On November 4, 2003, Dilpal Singh was approached by a man who demanded his car keys and money. When Mr. Singh refused, the man grabbed him around the neck in a chokehold. Mr. Singh broke free and called 9-1-1 as the suspect fled. Mr. Singh got in his vehicle and followed the suspect to a strip mall, where he saw him open the door of an idling vehicle and try to pull the driver out while threatening to kill him. Mr. Singh ran to help the victim, grabbing the offender from behind and ripping his shirt and jacket to reveal a large tattoo on his shoulder. The man fled down a back alley. When police arrived, Mr. Singh and the other victim gave a detailed description. The officers tracked the accused through the snow for over two kilometres and apprehended him. The offender has a lengthy and violent criminal history and had been released on bail awaiting trial for approximately 18 robberies of businesses. For courageously placing himself at risk to help the second victim and for his assistance in identifying and apprehending the offender, Mr. Singh was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
Stephanie Kazoleas was driving to work on June 16, 2003, when a young woman ran toward her car. Ms. Kazoleas stopped and the woman, who was crying and obviously upset, tried to open the locked passenger door. Ms. Kazoleas let her in, heard her story and drove her to the nearest police district office. Although she was now late for work, Ms. Kazoleas stayed with the woman to console her. After the victim had been taken to hospital, Ms. Kazoleas took the investigating officers to the building she'd seen her running from. A man had abducted the victim from Rosetown, Saskatchewan the day before and had sexually assaulted her at gunpoint three times during the drive and once the next morning in his apartment. While the man was taking a bath, the victim untied herself and ran outside. The man was arrested and a gun, duct tape and rope were recovered. For her compassionate actions and her assistance to investigators in the apprehension of the suspect, Ms. Kazoleas was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
Despite the perceived odds against getting a conviction, Crown Prosecutor George Combe took a courageous stand when he decided to prosecute Scott Allan McLaughlin for murder. While investigators and other prosecutors who reviewed the case believed McLaughlin was responsible for the crime, no forensic evidence had been recovered from the scene or the victim. There were also concerns that the witnesses would not be considered credible. The two-month investigation involved the monitoring of over 12,000 phone calls and numerous interviews with witnesses. Mr. Combe's expertise, commitment and profound knowledge of the testimony led him to present a case that resulted in the accused being found guilty of second-degree murder on January 24, 2003. For his expert prosecution, Mr. Combe was honoured with an Award of Exceptional Recognition.
Leadership Award
Soon after the announcement that the 2002 G8 Summit of world leaders would be held in Calgary/Kananaskis, Deputy Chief Rick Hanson accepted the challenge of taking a lead role in establishing the policing and security plans for this political event, which had drawn violent protests in other cities. As Officer in Charge of the Calgary component of the largest peacetime security operation in Canada's history, Deputy Chief Hanson worked closely with the RCMP, who were in charge of security for Kananaskis, for almost a year before the event. Deputy Chief Hanson and RCMP Chief Superintendent Lloyd Hickman led a large team of officers from both agencies, plus 500 officers from other Canadian police agencies. The result was a peaceful and successful Summit far beyond anyone's expectations. For his exceptional organizational skills, tremendous dedication and leadership abilities that inspired excellence in everyone involved, Deputy Chief Hanson was honoured with a Leadership Award.
Life Saving Award
On October 11, 2002, Constable Scott Baumle and three other officers responded to a call from a citizen concerned about a neighbour in an apartment building. The officers asked the building superintendent to unlock the door, as they could hear the victim groaning and suspected he needed medical assistance. They found the victim lying unconscious with a weak pulse. Constable Baumle found a medical kit in the victim's bathroom that indicated he was diabetic. He searched further and discovered a glucose tube in the victim's lunchbox. Despite the difficulty of administering the glucose to the unconscious man, Constable Baumle succeeded in placing enough of it into his mouth to be effective. He continued until paramedics arrived and treated the man for insulin shock. The paramedics said Constable Baumle's actions probably saved the man's life, or at the very least, prevented permanent brain damage. For his quick decisions and actions that resulted in preventing death or injury to a citizen, Constable Baumle was honoured with a Life Saving Award.
Several officers responded on March 4, 2002, when a social worker reported that a woman had threatened to shoot herself. After a male occupant of the third-floor apartment opened the door, Constables Andrea Tirrell, Mike Holowaty and Garry Jensen discovered a woman tied to the outside of a balcony railing with a plastic skipping rope, which was wrapped several times around her neck and leg. Constable Tirrell tried to persuade her to climb back over the railing without success. Sergeant Michael Bain arrived to find Constables Tirrell and Holowaty holding on to the 200-lb. woman as she struggled. As Sergeant Bain grabbed the woman, she pulled herself away from them, the rope tightened and she began choking. She lost consciousness and with the help of Constable Lacey Murdok and Constable Jensen, the officers pulled her over the railing. Sergeant Bain then cut the rope away from the victim's neck and she began breathing. For their brave and compassionate actions that prevented the woman from jumping to her death, Sergeant Bain and Constables Tirrell, Holowaty, Murdok and Jensen were each honoured with a Life Saving Award.
Constable Geoffrey Gawlinski was dispatched to a downtown apartment building on November 17, 2002, after a woman called to say her husband was threatening to jump off the sixth floor balcony. When Constable Gawlinski arrived, the man was sitting on top of the balcony railing with one leg on either side. The officer tried to persuade the distraught man to climb down, but instead, he swung his second leg over the railing and hung on facing the balcony. The officer moved closer, continuing to talk, when the man suddenly pushed himself back and let go. Constable Gawlinski lunged forward, grabbed the man around his chest and lifted him over the railing to the balcony floor. Constable Gawlinski was aware of the victim's history from the original complaint, so knew the man was schizophrenic, depressed and extremely intoxicated and wouldn't hesitate to take the officer with him. For acting decisively and courageously and with no regard for his own safety, Constable Gawlinski was honoured with a Life Saving Award.
When Constable Cindy Provost and Constable Ralph Veckenstedt responded to a call from a residence on August 19, 2002, they found an elderly, unconscious man who was not breathing and had no heartbeat. His wife was attempting to perform CPR, but panicked and Constable Veckenstedt began chest compressions and rescue breathing. Constable Cindy Provost physically restrained the hysterical woman, who was trying to get to her husband. Firefighters arrived and performed chest compressions while Constable Veckenstedt continued rescue breathing. Paramedics took over on arrival and the man survived. For immediately performing CPR without wasting time to locate a mask for his own protection and for his decisive actions that kept the victim alive until EMS arrived, Constable Ralph Veckenstedt was honoured with a Life Saving Award. For her quick action in preventing the woman from interrupting Constable Veckenstedt, Constable Cindy Provost was also honoured with a Life Saving Award.
On July 13, 2002, a 20-month-old girl went missing while with her parents visiting friends. The police were called and Constable Dave Ladic and Constable Scott Campbell were first on the scene. Constable Ladic searched the house while his partner searched outdoors. Constable Ladic noticed two feet of pool cover in the water in the indoor swimming pool and lifted it up to find the child floating face down. He pulled her out and performed CPR, radioing his partner for help. Constable Campbell returned to the house and prevented the parents from interrupting Constable Ladic's life-saving efforts. Several other officers were scouring the neighbourhood and heard over the radio the child had been found. Constable Jeff Baker rushed to the scene and took over CPR until paramedics arrived. The HAWC1 helicopter flew the victim to the Children's Hospital, while Constable Ladic drove her distraught parents. Sadly, the child was pronounced dead at the hospital. For their quick actions and outstanding efforts to save the child's life, Constables Ladic, Campbell and Baker were each honoured with a Life Saving Award.
On July 9, 2002, Sergeant Clive Marsh asked Len Baskerville, the Calgary Police Service building security coordinator, to cut a key. After remarking that he had indigestion, Mr. Baskerville went to the key cutting room and closed the door. When another employee observed that he was taking a long time, she and Sergeant Marsh went to check on him. They found him motionless on his back. Sergeant Marsh immediately began CPR. Another employee informed CPS civilian employee Michael Serediuk of what had happened, and Mr. Serediuk took over mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while Sergeant Marsh continued chest compressions, both continuing until EMS arrived. Sadly, Mr. Baskerville did not survive. This tragic incident was extremely emotionally trying for Mr. Serediuk and Sergeant Marsh, who had known Mr. Baskerville for some time and considered him a friend as well as a colleague. For their outstanding efforts in attempting to save Mr. Baskerville's life, Mr. Serediuk and Sergeant Marsh were each honoured with a Life Saving Award.
Award of Valour
A Crime Stoppers tipster called police on October 9, 2002, to say a man wanted on numerous warrants was hiding in a southwest apartment. The tipster warned that the man carried weapons. Constables Jason Heck, James Dore, Kevin Dyrgas and Glenn Spurrell knocked on the door and a distraught woman answered, conveying through her body language that she was in danger and wanted out. She was quickly taken to safety and revealed the suspect had held her against her will and threatened her at gunpoint. The officers entered the apartment and saw a man with a gun pointed at his head. During negotiations, the man was alternately calm and aggressive, several times demanding to be shot by the officers. During the 40 minutes he taunted the four officers, they remained calm and finally persuaded him to allow them to leave, at which point the Tactical Unit took over. The suspect surrendered about five hours later. For their courage and restraint in diffusing an extremely tense situation and saving the lives of two citizens, Constables Heck, Dore, Dyrgas and Spurrell were each honoured with an Award of Valour.
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