The North District RCMP honored officers, police civilian staff and public servants during an awards ceremony Tuesday.
In all, 19 people received recognition. The RCMP provided details on the awards that were issued.
There were five award recipients for meritorious service to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and their country, having served for 20, 25 and 35 years.
Cpl. Madonna Saunderson, district advisory media relations officer for North District RCMP, was awarded the 35-year Gold Clasp and Certificate as well as a Commanding Officer’s Citation. The Long Service Medal and Clasp are not awarded in recognition of a single act or one specific incident but are awarded in recognition of all those occasions where the recipients had to display courage, daring, bravery, tenacity, patience and good judgment. Saunderson was awarded the Commanding Officer’s Citation for professionalism exercised by the members of B.C. RCMP’s Communications Team during the search for the suspects in a triple homicide in northern B.C. in July 2019.
The Commanding Officer’s Citation was awarded to Sgt. Kyle Ushock, Cpl. J.R. Gohn and commissionaire Shawn Standbridge, for their actions in Vanderhoof on Nov. 25, 2021 when a man started shooting into the Vanderhoof RCMP detachment, causing police officers and civilian employees to take cover and attempt to monitor the gunman’s movements.
Const. Hayden Fehling and public service employees James Dyck and Kathy Morin were awarded the Commanding Officer’s Certificate of Appreciation for their actions both during and in the months following the same event.
Const. James Dela Torre with the Prince George RCMP’s Street Crew Unit was awarded the Commanding Officer’s Commendation and Insignia for Outstanding Service for his actions in rescuing an individual from a submerged grader that was in approximately 12 feet of water.
I want to extend my sincerest congratulations to all of the deserving awards recipients for their outstanding contributions and achievements. The dedication, bravery and selflessness that are exemplified in these awards is a testament to the hard work and success of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in B.C,
states Chief Supt. Brian Edmonds, commanding officer for the North District RCMP.
