Nine corrections officers from Maple Ridge who’ve logged countless hours working in provincial prisons were honoured at recent awards ceremony.
The annual awards are presented to honour corrections staff members who have reached milestones for exemplary service, beginning at 20 years for the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal and 30 years for the Corrections Exemplary Service Bar.
Six of the 33 award recipients, including Kenneth Fox, who works at Fraser Regional Correctional Centre in Maple Ridge, received the Corrections Exemplary Service Bar for their service.
The awards are the most prestigious national decoration for corrections professionals in Canada. The medal recognizes exceptionally commendable service and is not to be used merely to recognize lengthy terms of service.
For the first time in B.C. Corrections history, two brothers received Exemplary Service Medals together at the ceremony - Scott Vallance of the Nanaimo Correctional Centre and David Vallance of the Vancouver Community Corrections Regional Office.
"I would like to extend my congratulations to all of the corrections staff who received awards for outstanding contributions to service in correctional centres and probation offices throughout B.C.," minister of justice Shirley Bond.
"It is an honour to see such commitment to creating a safe environment in our facilities and working with offenders in the community. It is important to acknowledge that corrections staff play a vital role in keeping our families and communities safe every day, and they deserve our gratitude and recognition."
The awards are the most prestigious national decoration for corrections professionals in Canada.
The medal recognizes exceptionally commendable service and is not to be used merely to recognize lengthy terms of service.
The first Canadian medal to recognize long and outstanding service in the public safety professions was the Police Exemplary Service Medal, created on Aug. 12, 1982.
Awards
• 30 years: Kenneth W. Fox (Fraser Regional Correctional Centre, Maple Ridge).
• 20 years: (Alouette Correctional Centre for Women) Allan Gillespie, Eileen Johnston, Dawn Kelly, Randall Nelson; (Fraser Regional Correctional Centre) Denean Jones, Gerald James Lapointe, Michael Albert Page, Nedeljko Macesic.