Ten Surrey RCMP officers were among 34 B.C. officers honoured last week with Meritorious Service Awards.
Sgt. Drew Grainger, Cpl. Marc Searle, Cpl. Michael Hall, Cpl. Heather Matthew, Constable Tanya Hermann, Constables Leanne Krauss and Amberia Sovdi, Constables Ranjit Singh Seehra and Lucas Sovio, along with one officer whose identity was withheld, received the awards Thursday in a ceremony at Government House marking the province's 32nd Police Honours Night.
The Meritorious Service Award is presented to officers who act "in a manner significantly beyond the expected."
Grainger and Searle – both South Surrey residents – were noted for their "initiative, tenacity and dedication to duty in significantly reducing crime and violence on the "strip" in Surrey"; Hall, for "exceptional skill and dedication to duty during a complex and difficult investigation of a high-profile gang member"; Matthew and the unnamed officer, for "dedication to duty and tenacity during an investigation of an individual who abused his authority to sexually assault several victims"; Hermann, for "professionalism, compassion and dedication to duty in her efforts to save the life of a female who had been shot several times"; Krauss and Sovdi, for "exceptional performance and dedication to duty during an investigation of sexual assaults against two young girls"; and Seehra and Sovio, for "dedication to duty and using exceptional judgment in dealing with an intoxicated male armed with a knife."
Another 25 B.C. officers received Awards of Valour. It is the highest honour bestowed on police in B.C., representing their decision to place themselves in extreme danger to save others.
Recipients were selected by a committee of representatives from the B.C. Association of Chiefs of Police and the ministry's Police Services Division.