Two police officers, two Lower Mainland community leaders and a local service provider of 35 years were presented with provincial awards to acknowledge their legacies of community safety, healing and prevention of victimization in British Columbia.

Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General Mike Farnworth presented the 20th annual Community Safety and Crime Prevention Awards to:

• Vancouver’s Don Wright, who won of the Award of Distinction for his extraordinary decades of work. Wright co-founded the Vancouver Society for Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse in 1990 and has provided counselling, healing therapies and help to its clients. He has spoken at more than 30 international conferences and universities, has advised organizations in other countries focused on stopping sexual victimization of males, and has published widely on the topic. He was awarded the Human Rights Medal of Honour by the B.C. Human Rights Coalition in 2001 for his pioneering work in the field.
• Richmond RCMP Cpl. Kevin Krygier, winner of the Community Safety and Crime Prevention Award, which recognizes exemplary leadership in developing innovative projects and key activities or initiatives to promote safe communities. Krygier recently partnered with the British Columbia Institute of Technology to develop smartphone alert from Richmond RCMP on road closures, missing children, silver alerts concerning missing seniors and other information. He also spearheaded a 20-member volunteer team to combat auto-theft, break and enter, and mail and bike theft, and has worked to build positive relationships between police and students and between the Jewish and Muslim communities and the community at large.
• Victoria Police Const. Chris Gilbert, winner of the Youth Leadership Award, recognizing exceptional commitment to working with youth. A school resource officer since 2013, Gilbert bonds with students in a non-judgemental, supportive and often humorous way. In 2016, he was part of a team that developed well-received school presentations on fentanyl – and he continues to visit schools weekly to maintain awareness of the drug’s dangers. He has been highly involved in Youth for Change and Inclusion, the Chief’s Youth Council, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Youth Wilderness Camp and many youth fundraisers.
• Vancouver-based WAVAW Rape Crisis Centre,  winner of the Service to Victims Award, which celebrates exemplary leadership in providing services and supports to victims. Since 1982, the centre has provided individual counselling, support groups, victim services, a 24-Hour Crisis Line and 24-Hour hospital accompaniment for victims, youth programs, and specialized services for Aboriginal women and youth. WAVAW has also helped to develop sexual assault policies for post-secondary institutions.
• Surrey’s Alana Abramson, winner of the Restorative Justice Memorial Award, which recognizes commitment to innovative partnerships that have advanced restorative justice. An educator, trainer, academic and practitioner, Abramson has aided people at all levels of restorative justice experience through her ongoing work with various post-secondary institutions and community groups. She has served as executive director of North Shore Restorative Justice, where she worked directly with victims and offenders and led community circles to promote local safety, inclusion and support. In 2016, she helped develop victim-sensitive standards for restorative justice providers in criminal matters.

“These awards remind British Columbians that each of us can make a difference to prevent crime, make our neighbours safer and help vulnerable and victimized people,” Farnworth said. “On behalf of the Province, I thank each of our award winners for their vision, perseverance and exceptional service to their communities.”

“These award winners, two of whom are based in Vancouver, have taken real action to prevent crime, and build safer, more just, and welcoming communities. We are very thankful for their work,” said Vancouver-West End MLA Spencer Chandra Herbert.

The awards acknowledge volunteers, non-profit organizations and other local public safety partners for work to reduce crime, violence and victimization in the community and support law enforcement and others in the justice sector. These efforts complement provincial investments in policing, community safety and victim services.

The award presentation preceded Crime Prevention Week, Nov. 1-7.

Learn More:

Provincial information on community crime prevention: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/safety/crime-prevention/community-crime-prevention