Award: Community Role Model
Service: Durham Regional Police
Year: 2019
DRPS K9 Unit team members include Detective Cst. Wayne King, Cst. Wes King, Cst. Bryan Armstrong, Cst. Jeff Burns, Cst. Corby Wright, Cst. Kevin Dunlop, Cst. Jay Dickson, and Cst. Adam Handscomb.
2019 will be the team’s 5th year producing and selling their calendars. Over the last 4 years, the DRPS K9 Unit has raised and donated more than $150,000 to many local Durham Regional charities – they choose 3 charities per year. Every year, the calendar sales and money raised steadily increases. The Unit has volunteered over 500 hours of their time while off-duty to sell their annual K9 calendars at local businesses in order to give back to the community...
...After their calendar sales events wrap up each year, the team makes a special trip to the Ronald McDonald House in Toronto with their K9 Partners to bring smiles and remaining calendars to the families staying there.
The DRPS K9 Unit has gone out and done this on their own – this was not something the service requested.
The K9 handlers pride themselves in having a special relationship with their community – they are high risk officers who balance their on-duty responsibilities with giving back to the community. They individually take pride in this project and spend countless hours ensuring its success.