Another crop of police officers became members of Alexa's Team this week.
Several RCMP officers from the Deas Island detachment in Delta were among the 165 from around the Lower Mainland honoured Tuesday as member's of Alexa's Team in recognition for their diligence in taking impaired drivers off the road.
Alexa's Team was formed in 2008 in memory of fouryear-old Alexa Middelaer, who was killed that year after an impaired driver hit the little girl and her aunt as they fed a horse on the side of an East Ladner road.
"The story of Alexa has inspired police officers to join Alexa's Team," said Allan Lamb, president of the BCAA Road Safety Foundation. "We are proud to be able to celebrate their diligence and commitment to enforcing impaired driving laws."
Every year, the police officers from around the province that take the most impaired drivers off the road are made part of Alexa's Team. Since 2008, the team has grown from 26 to 355 RCMP and municipal police officers. To be nominated, a police officer must have removed at least 12 impaired drivers from the road.
Laurel and Michael Middelaer, Alexa's parents, have worked tirelessly to bring awareness to, and incite change around, drinking and driving and impaired driving laws since their daughter's death.
They have worked with the BCAA Road Safety Foundation to recognize these officers through the Alexa's Team initiative.
"These are the men and women who are fundamentally responsible for making our roads safe," Laurel Middelaer said this week.
"They have delivered on their promise in an exceptional and meaningful way and we are proud to be recognizing their excellence today in honour of our daughter, Alexa."
Eight officers - constables Sean Jeffrey, Guillaume Fauchon, Kyle Winslow, Tyrone Wilton and Jeff Miller, corporals Mark Booth and Tariq Qureshi, and Sgt. Lorne Lecker - from Deas Island Traffic Services were named as members of Alexa's Team.
They removed a total of 487 impaired drivers from local roads last year.
Qureshi and Lecker were named to the All-Star team for having taken at least 34 criminally impaired drivers off the road in 2011.
"The 355 RCMP and municipal police department members of Alexa's Team demonstrates a real commitment by the police to remove impaired drivers from B.C.'s roads," said Insp. Ted Emanuels, RCMP traffic services operations officer for the Lower Mainland.
"Fatalities from impaired driving in RCMP jurisdictions dropped by 40 per cent in 2011, from 125 in 2010 to a historic low of 74. This significant decrease can be attributed in part to the efforts of these dedicated police officers."
Carol Berner was convicted of impaired driving in 2010 in the crash that killed Alexa Middelaer and seriously injured her aunt. She's appealing her conviction and had her case heard in B.C. Court of Appeal last November. A decision on the appeal is still pending.
