Finalists for the 19th annual Police Officer of the Year Awards have been announced by event host Surrey Board of Trade.
Winners in eight categories will be announced at a gala event on Thursday, Oct. 8 at the Sheraton Vancouver Guildford Hotel in Surrey. For details, visit Businessinsurrey.com or call 604-581-7130.
Finalists for Police Officer of the Year (peer-nominated category) are Sgt. Michael Sanchez, Sgt. Shawna Baher and Cpl. Jennifer Schiffner.
In the Police Officer of the Year (community-nominated category), the finalists are Insp. Ghalib Bhayani, Staff Sgt. Martin Blais and Special Const. Joshua Waltman.
Auxiliary Constable of the Year award nominees are Krishnek Adzijaj, Zoe Johnston and Ken Merrells.
Lisa Eason, Leeanne Kelly and Marnie Neal are finalists for the Municipal Employee Award.
In the Volunteer of the Year award category, the three finalists are Bill Brand, Irene Merrells and Roger Reid.
Finalists for the Arnold Silzer Community Policing Initiative Award are the Auto Crime Target Team in partnership with the Crime Reduction Unit/D2 Neighbourhood Liaison Unit, the pair of Const. Carl Garlinski and Const. Ryan Camping, and the team of Const. Sanj Sidhu and Community Safety Officer Dennis Bell (for the Think of Me initiative).
For the Police Team award, finalists are the Crime Reduction Unit’s South Team, Surrey Detachment Special Victims Unit and Surrey Operations Review Unit.
Finalists for the Police and Business Partnership Award are OMNI TV, Sophie’s Place and Surrey Crime Prevention Society.