The Sunshine Coast RCMP detachment was recently honoured for its crime reduction record, while one of its members was recognized for disarming an emotionally disturbed person.
On Oct. 30, the RCMP's Lower Mainland district commander, Asst. Commissioner Norm Lipinski, presented Staff Sgt. Herb Berdahl with the district commander's certificate of appreciation during a ceremony at the detachment building in Sechelt.
The award recognized Sunshine Coast as the only detachment in the Lower Mainland district to record a significant reduction in crime in 2012.
We've been very successful in our crime reduction strategies here, Berdahl told the Sunshine Coast policing committee on Nov. 4, adding that he accepted the award on behalf of the detachment members.
It's a certificate that has my name on it, but it's the efforts of all the people in my detachment that are responsible for it, he said. They're the people who are doing what I'm asking them to do, pushing forward our initiatives.
In late February, Berdahl told the committee that in 2012 all detachments in the district were given a target to reduce property crime by five per cent. While few detachments hit the target, Sunshine Coast saw drops of 35 per cent and 30 per cent, respectively, during the last two quarters of the year.
Factors that led to the sharp drop, Berdahl said at the time, included court-ordered curfews for offenders on probation and community policing initiatives such as foot patrols and members working with the schools.
Also on Oct. 30, Lipinski presented Cpl. Murray McNeil with the district commander's certificate of appreciation, recognizing McNeil for de-escalating a situation involving an emotionally disturbed person.
Calling the award noteworthy, Berdahl said the incident occurred in the District of Sechelt and involved an individual known to police who was suffering from mental health issues. On July 20, police responded on two occasions to complaints of excessive noise and causing a disturbance, with McNeil attending on the second call at about 2 a.m.
And this individual had a knife was armed with a knife and was imploring police to kill him, Berdahl said. Cpl. McNeil saw an opening and took the individual to the ground.
The suspect was taken into custody and no one was injured.
This was a classic case, Berdahl said, of one of our individuals putting himself in harm's way.
