North District RCMP recognizes Alexa’s Team members

Thirty-five North District RCMP officers were named to Alexa’s Team during a ceremony at Immaculate Conception School on Wednesday.

Officers are annually recognized for their efforts getting impaired drivers off BC roads. All team member’s have taken at least 12 impaired – either alcohol- or drug-related – off BC roads.

In 2016, five Prince George Constable – McCreadie, Hallmark, Dunnett, Wilkstrom, and Davis –  took a combined 85 drivers off through road through either a Criminal Code Investigation or an administrative 90-day Immediate Roadside Prohibition. Constable Brian Davis alone accounted for 28 roadside failures.

While it’s nice to be recognized for his efforts, Davis says it’s disheartening that we’re still having ceremonies like this.

“The fact that each year we’re coming back should make everybody, the public in general, they should be furious that this kind of behaviour is going on in 2017. We all know the dangers of impaired driving and the results.”

He also recognized those he works with, and the contributions they made to this program.

“The General Duty guys are taking all these other files and they’re going after impaired drivers. That’s way more impressive from my point of view.”

These awards are named after Alexa Middelaer, who died on May 17, 2008. She and her aunt were feeding a horse in Delta, BC when a drunk driver hopped the curb and hit them. Alexa was only four years old.

Alexa’s parents, Laurel and Mike, attended to celebrate the officer’s accomplishments.

Laurel spoke to the room about her daughter, sharing stories of Alexa confronting rowdy teenagers and even once convincing lifeguards the toddler could jump off the high dive.

“It’s a privilege for me to talk about my daughter but it’s damn tough. I look around the room and I thinks she could’ve been here with those kids in the school. She would’ve been a force to be reckoned with and that reality keeps on you as a mother and I can just say it’s like a kick in the stomach.”

Laurel called her daughter courageous, tenacious, just, real, and passionate and believes the qualities are shared amongst this year’s members, which is why she continued to speak at these ceremonies.

“Impaired driving used to be the number cause of criminal death in Canada so now that those numbers have decreased, we still need to have that presence. I think these events bring a little bit of inspiration and motivation.”

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