Backgrounder Added - Nov. 29, 2011

VICTORIA - Adult and youth corrections and probation officers from throughout the province are being honoured at the Solicitor General's annual Corrections Exemplary Service Medals award ceremony.

This year, 28 employees from the Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General and the Ministry of Children and Family Development will receive awards from Solicitor General and Attorney General Shirley Bond and Minister of Children and Family Development Mary McNeil at a medal presentation ceremony at Government House.

The awards are presented to honour B.C. 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.

At today's ceremony, Kevin Bennett from Burnaby Custody Services will be receiving both a Corrections Exemplary Service Medal and a Corrections Exemplary Service Bar for his work at both the Ministry of Public Service and Solicitor General and the Ministry of Children and Family Development.

Quick Facts:

• The standards for these awards are established by the Chancellery of Canadian Orders and Decorations for medal recipients.
• 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.
  
• The second was the Corrections Exemplary Service Medal, created by Letters Patent signed by Her Majesty the Queen on June 11, 1984.

Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
250 356-6961

BACKGROUNDER

2011 Award Recipients

Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General

Robert John Alexander -- Fraser Regional Correctional Centre, Maple Ridge
Kevin Batter - Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre, Kamloops
Walter Baxter - Nanaimo Correctional Centre, Nanaimo
June Birch - North Fraser Pretrial Centre, Port Coquitlam
William (Bill) Bouthot - Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre, Kamloops
Giuseppe (Pino) Cuscito - North Fraser Pretrial Centre, Port Coquitlam
Donald Horning - Kamloops Regional Correctional Centre, Kamloops
Leona Imrie - Surrey Pretrial Services Centre, Surrey
Rodney Johnston - Surrey Pretrial Services Centre, Surrey
Alanna Love - Prince George Regional Correctional Centre, Prince George.
Phillip McArthur - North Fraser Pretrial Centre, Port Coquitlam
Maurice Weistra - Fraser Regional Correctional Centre, Maple Ridge
Sandra Murray - Maple Ridge Community Corrections Office, Maple Ridge
Chad Salim - Surrey East Community Corrections Office, Surrey
Marilynn Watchorn - Vancouver West Community Corrections Office, Vancouver

Ministry of Children and Family Development

Randy Anderson - Vancouver South Youth Justice
William (Mark) Armitage - Vancouver Island Regional Office
Kevin Bennett - Burnaby Youth Custody Services, Burnaby
Shannon Elliott - Prince George Youth Probation Office, Prince George
Kim Fogtmann - Prince George Youth Custody Services, Prince George
Sheryl Hudspeth - Burnaby Youth Custody Services, Burnaby
Ian King - Prince George Youth Custody Services, Prince George
Charlene Lewis - Kelowna Youth Probation, Kelowna
Pamela (Pam) MacDonald - Victoria Youth Custody Services, Victoria
Narinder (Nin) Mand - Youth Justice Custody Consultant, Burnaby
Roger Meuser - Victoria Youth Custody Services, Victoria
Karl Olfert - Abbotsford Youth Team, Abbotsford
Mark Streifel - Burnaby Youth Custody Services, Burnaby

Contact:

Government Communications and Public Engagement
Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
250 356-6961