Minister of Justice recognizes Surrey RCMP officers for their innovative work with youth
Annual Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award presented to members of the Surrey Wrap Program
VANCOUVER, Aug. 31, 2018 /CNW/ - Creative programming for youth in conflict with the law is critical for their rehabilitation and community reintegration. The Youth Criminal Justice Act encourages police to look beyond the formal court system to bring stability into youths' lives, increasing their chances of future success.
Yesterday, the Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award was presented to Acting Sergeant Ivan Lee, Corporal Jacob Cheung, Constable John Wilson and Constable Dylan Horgan of the Surrey Wrap Program. This award is presented annually in collaboration with the Canadian Police Association and the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police. It recognizes officers who have shown incredible leadership and innovative policing, and serves to increase public awareness of their creative work to respond to youth in conflict with the law.
The Surrey Wrap Program is designed to provide intensive services to youth who are in conflict with the law or are gang-associated. The program works to identify and reduce the risk factors in a youth's life that influenced their participation in criminal activity in the first place. It uses a "wraparound" approach to examine six main areas: family, peers, school, drug or alcohol usage, negative police contacts, and socioeconomics. Once these risk factors have been addressed, the youth are supported with re-integration to school and school-based programs, work experience and courses outside of school that greatly increase their chances of success.
The winners were recognized yesterday during the Canadian Police Association biennial convention which took place in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Quotes
"Identifying and responding to signs of gang-associated behaviour are critical to helping youth in conflict with the law stay out of gangs and the criminal lifestyle. The Surrey Wrap Program is an exceptional example of how to surround youth with positive support and attention in all areas of their lives. I am pleased to recognize the remarkable efforts of the Surrey RCMP through their innovative program as they work to make a difference in the lives of youth and make the criminal justice system more just, compassionate, and fair."
The Honourable Jody Wilson-Raybould, P.C., Q.C.,.M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
"The Canadian Police Association is happy to honour our colleagues from the Surrey RCMP detachment, and their partners, for their innovation in creating the Wrap program. This community-based partnership is a testament to the hard work and dedication of these front-line police personnel, and their efforts will no doubt help to build positive and lasting relationships between law enforcement and the community they represent."
Tom Stamatakis,
President, Canadian Police Association
"Congratulations to the Surrey RCMP members, the Surrey School District and the City of Surrey, for developing an innovative program to help young people through an integrated community response. As a community-based program, Wrap can help at-risk youth address issues that could lead to criminal activity and provides support to get them back on the right track. I commend the police officers who initiated this program for seeing the need and getting all of the partners together for a response."
Chief Constable Adam Palmer,
President, Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police
"We are honoured to receive this award in recognition of our efforts to address the issue of youth involvement in crime. Together with our partners at the Surrey School District and City of Surrey, the Surrey Wrap Program continues to have success in deterring youth from entering a criminal lifestyle. Our dedicated police officers and school staff work directly with at-risk youth to attach them to their school, community, and home. Wrap is an important intervention program that is part of the Surrey RCMP's long-term youth strategy that promotes positive choices for kids and accessible support and guidance to parents."
Assistant Commissioner Dwayne McDonald
Officer in Charge, Surrey RCMP
Quick Facts
- The Surrey Wrap Program is a partnership between the Surrey School District and the City of Surrey that began in 2009.
- With a third of Surrey's population under the age of 19, the Surrey RCMP is committed to working with partners to ensure youth get support and attention to help them stay out of gangs.
- The Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award recognizes police officers and others involved in police-led initiatives who, individually or as a team, develop innovative approaches or promising practices that go beyond the formal court system when dealing with youth in conflict with the law.
- The award is presented in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police and the Canadian Police Association.
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SOURCE Department of Justice Canada
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