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Weyburn officers recognized for their work with impaired drivers

Three members of the Weyburn Police Service received the Van de Vorst Award and a silver Challenge Coin to recognize their work in taking impaired drivers off the road.
police awards

Three members of the Weyburn Police Service received the Van de Vorst Award and a silver Challenge Coin to recognize their work in taking impaired drivers off the road. From left are Chief Marlo Pritchard, who nominated the offiers; Connie Hagel, community leader for Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), who presented the awards; recipients Const. Jeff Bartsch, Const. Jake Sonnenberg and Const. Kalin Wiebe; Weyburn-Big Muddy MLA Dustin Duncan, and deputy chief Rod Stafford. The awards were presented on Friday at the Weyburn police station.

The awards were established by the parents/grandparents of the Van der Horst family of Saskatoon, after their entire family of four was killed by an impaired driver in January of 2016.

Lou and Linda Van de Vorst received the news at 3 a.m. that their son Jordan, daughter-in-law Chanda and their two young children, Kamryn and Miguire, died as the result of getting hit by a drunk driver on Highway 11 near Wanuskewin. They set up an award that recognizes municipal and RCMP police officers for their outstanding efforts in taking impaired drivers off the road.

Officers who have charged at least eight impaired drivers in the last year receive a certificate and a silver Challenge Coin. Const. Sonnenberg has charged eight, Const. Barsch has charged nine and Const. Wiebe has charged 10 impaired drivers in the past year.