83 www.rnca.ca Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Association Police and Peace Officer of the Year Award Police Officer of the Year, Royal Newfoundland ConstabularySgt. Paul Didham, North East Avalon Region Police Officer of the Year, Royal Canadian Mounted Police - Staff Sergeant Greg Hicks, Clarenville Detachment Peace Officer of the Year - Co-Recipients - Constable Danielle Greavette, City of Mount Pearl Municipal Enforcement and Fishery Officer Nikki Wright, Fisheries and Oceans Sergeant Paul C. Didham, Northeast Avalon Region Sergeant Paul C. Didham joined the RNC in 2000 and has worked in Patrol Services, the Recruiting, Traffic and Accident Investigation Units and the Drug Section. Since being promoted to the rank of Sergeant in 2014, he assumed responsibility for the supervision of RNC Traffic on the North East Avalon. He spearheads various traffic campaigns with a view of reducing the number of traffic collisions, fatalities, and personal injury accidents. Sgt. Didham understands the importance of reaching out to community stakeholders and establishing partnerships. He has successfully engaged and united members of the RNC’s Traffic and Patrol Services Divisions with community partners in an effort to change driver attitude and create safer highways. On the enforcement side, he has reached out to and partnered with the RCMP, High Enforcement, Newfoundland Liquor Corporation Inspectors, and Municipal Enforcement Officers among others. From an education perspective, he has worked with municipal leaders, engineers, Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the Department of Education, Crown Attorney’s, and the Department of Justice and the Public safety Highway Traffic Act Committee. Sgt. Didham’s lends his knowledge and expertise to proposed changes to highway safety legislation and regulations. He meets with community leaders and traffic engineers regarding traffic related matters such as school bus safety, traffic sign placement, and intersection configuration. He regularly visits areas of concern to gain intimate knowledge of the issues that are present before giving an opinion as to a solution that will help make the area safer. Sgt. Didham makes himself available to the media and welcomes any and all opportunities to engage and educate the public on highway safety. His latest initiative entitled “Driven” is a partnership with the media that gives the public a behind the scenes look at the devastating impact vehicle collisions are having on our community. Described as a neighbour that “gives regardless and without expectation,” Sgt. Didham’s caring also comes to work with him. He is present at all serious motor vehicle collisions to offer guidance, support, and mentorship to officers. He identifies the potential for an officers’ health to be at risk and will step in to take on the most difficult task. He often takes on the unenviable task of delivering death notices to a victim’s family and in doing so makes himself available to those families, takes their calls, assists and makes sure they have updated information. Professionally, he understands the importance of early intervention and arranges critical incident briefings and ensures all employees exposed to tragedies attend. Sgt. Didham is the RNC search supervisor for ground search and rescue and in closing, the description provided by the Rover’s Ground Search and Rescue team is a very fitting summary. Sgt. Paul Didham, “fully engaged, active in finding resolutions, and a team player that says what he means and means what he says.” Staff Sergeant Greg Hicks, RCMP Clarenville Detachment S/Sgt. Hicks fulfills his commitments in a professional, thorough, and consistent manner through self-discipline and a sense of duty, showing strong attention to detail and a focus on quality. With a keen interest in ensuring his own skills are current, he is currently enrolled in Strategic HR Management for Police with Dalhousie University and is working toward the completion of the Police Leadership Certificate Program. S/Sgt. Hicks also works to ensure the working environment of the detachment is harassment free, but also productive and successful for all aspects of policing. This involves giving his employees all the opportunities available to ensure they are prepared for successful careers. Upon his arrival in Clarenville, and in his previous posting in Harbour Grace, S/Sgt. Hicks made it a priority to establish and build relationships with community leaders and partner agencies. The impact of these relationships have already resulted in developments that assist in enhancement of the police services for these areas, including the re-establishment of the community office in Old Perlican; and re-alignment of services between Bay Roberts & Harbour Grace. He has also recently initiated a 24/7 policing pilot in the Clarenville area; and continues to monitor all operational and administrative functions to ensure this pilot is a success, which will further enhance policing services to the Clarenville Detachment communities. S/Sgt. Hicks is seen as a team player, respected by his members, and the public in general; but also by other Detachment Commanders in the District. He is an active participant in the Health & Safety Committee; a key member of the Trinity Bay Mothers Against Drunk Driving group. He is often relied upon in serious investigations in the detachment, and the District & Division as a whole. S/Sgt. Hicks achieves the common goals of all stakeholders by ensuring that a positive work climate exists for all members and working cooperatively with all members of the community. Continued...
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0NTk1OA==