An Agassiz RCMP officer has been awarded with two Excellence in Valour Awards, in connection to events that took place last year.
The awards were presented at the annual Officer in Charge Awards Ceremony held on Wednesday night (March 13) at the Chilliwack Cultural Centre. Superintendent Davy Lee, Officer in Charge of the Upper Fraser Valley Regional Detachment (UFVRD) commended 46 individuals for their exceptional acts of bravery, outstanding performance, innovative contributions, leadership, and community service.
Among them was Cst. Ben Stewart of the Agassiz detachment.
On Feb. 20, 2023 he responded to a call of a missing woman from the Harrison Hot Springs Hotel, along with Langley RCMP’s Cst. Meghan Marsden. Challenging weather conditions, including heavy rain and freezing temperatures, added to the urgency of the situation, a news release from the UFVRD says. “Coordinated search efforts led to the discovery of the woman stranded on a precarious cliff face, disoriented and in imminent danger,” it says. “Undeterred by adverse weather conditions and limited visibility, the officers exhibited extraordinary courage as they ascended the cliff, risking their own safety to reach and rescue the distressed woman.”
Marsden was also awarded with Excellence in Valour.
Stewart also was commended for a call he attended to with Coquitlam RCMP’s Cst. Clayton Wright, in which the two officers performed first aid to a man in distress. Both officers received the Excellence in Valour award.
A total of 19 awards were presented to peace officers, employees and civilians, which included service medals and commendations. Three Chilliwack police officers were honoured with an Alexa Team Award for their relentless efforts in combating impaired driving, a cause to honour the memory of four-year-old Alexa Middelar who was tragically killed by an impaired driver.
Two of the officers were also awarded the All-Star award for taking a higher number of impaired drivers off the road.
Chilliwack’s Sgt. Ron Elliot was presented the Long Service Medal for thirty years of service. The Long Service Medal may be awarded to any regular member or special constable who bears an irreproachable character and who has completed no less than twenty years of service.
Several recipients were honoured with Excellence in Valour awards, including bank manager Kathy Parker, for her remarkable composure and swift action during an attempted bank robbery at the downtown Chilliwack CIBC that occurred on April 27, 2023.
READ MORE: Chilliwack woman who thwarted bank robbery among RCMP award recipients