Police Officers Awarded for Traffic Safety Achievements

The 2005 National Police Award for Traffic Safety went to the Toronto Police Service.  Superintendent Steven Grant received it on behalf of Toronto Police Service members involved in the development and delivery of the Operation Ped Safe Program. RCMP Assistant Commissioner Darrell Lafosse, Chair of the CACP Traffic Committee, presented the award. The winning initiative was developed to address the fact that about half of all fatal collisions in the city of Toronto involved pedestrians.

An Honourable Mention Award was presented to Staff Sergeant Scott Diefenbaker of the Waterloo Regional Police Service, Waterloo , Ontario . Staff Sergeant Diefenbaker was recognised for his efforts in developing the Toyota Matrix Impaired Driving Simulator. Realizing that alcohol was a factor in one out of every four traffic deaths in the Waterloo Region,  Staff Sergeant Diefenbaker created an innovative and effective public education tool.

For most front line police officers, protecting the public is more than just a job.  This year two individuals received the Transport Canada Director General’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Road Safety:  Staff Superintendent Gary Grant of the Toronto Police Service, Toronto , Ontario ; and Corporal Peter Holmes of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Cranbrook , British Columbia .  Derek Sweet, Director General of Road Safety and Motor Vehicle Regulations presented the awards to Staff Superintendent Grant and Corporal Holmes, recognising them for their outstanding dedication to safety on Canadian roadways throughout their years of policing.

Traffic fatalities have dropped by about one-third over the past 20 years despite a 38 per cent increase in  licensed drivers on the road. In 2003 there were 2,766 traffic fatalities, down from 4,120 in 1984.

Yet despite this impressive progress, Canada still sees more than 50 deaths and 600 injuries a week due to road crashes. Canada ’s Road Safety Vision 2010 aims to reduce Canada 's road fatalities to fewer than 2,100 by 2010.

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