MOM
At the Hamilton Police Service Annual Appreciation and Awards Night held last evening, some of the following awards were presented to citizens and members of the service in recognition of exemplary performance, acts of bravery and outstanding service to the community.
To view the entire Awards night, please tune in to Cable 14 on Tuesday, May 21 at 9:30 p.m.
Member of the Year
The Member of the Year for 2024 is Detective Constable Domenic Di Cienzo
Officer Di Cienzo was recognized for the following:
Off-duty Officer Domenic Di Cienzo demonstrated exemplary courage and compassion on February 8, 2023. While leaving Central Station, he spotted a man about to jump off a cement barrier on the Claremont Access. Without hesitation, Domenic called for assistance and engaged the man in conversation, preventing a potential tragedy. Despite the late hour and challenging circumstances, Domenic, along with fellow officers, successfully guided the man to safety, showcasing outstanding dedication to community well-being.
Courage Award
The Courage Award is presented to citizens who have acted heroically by risking their life or personal safety to help others in need. With compassion and bravery – these individuals have demonstrated care for our community.
On December 16, 2023, while working as a security guard at Corktown Tavern, Joseph dealt with a highly intoxicated patron who was verbally abusive and ejected from the bar around 11:00 pm. Despite being provoked outside the tavern as the patron attempted to re-enter and instigate a physical altercation, Joseph maintained professionalism and restraint. During the confrontation, a loaded firearm fell from the patron’s bag, and he attempted to retrieve it. Recognizing the danger, Joseph restrained him until police arrived. His actions prevented the patron from regaining his weapon, demonstrating remarkable courage and ensuring the safety of others. The 29-year-old male was arrested, and both the loaded firearm and drugs were confiscated by police.
Congratulations Josepj Kilgour
Ruchdi and Triscilla [TRIS-SILLA] intervened in an incident at a commercial parking lot where a woman was attacked by masked individuals. They disregarded personal safety to aid the victim, engaging physically with the suspects. Despite facing danger, they successfully retrieved the victim’s keys from one suspect, delaying their escape until police arrived and apprehended them. Their courageous actions prevented further harm to the victim and thwarted a vehicle theft, exemplifying commendable bravery and selflessness. Ruchdi and Triscilla are also joined by nominator Sergeant Mark Miller.
Congratulations Ruchdi Arabi and Triscilla Doorsammy
The Gordon V. Torrance Award
The Gordon V. Torrance Award was initiated in 1985 to recognize and show appreciation for Hamilton Police Service officers for their contributions to the Crime Stoppers program. Past Chief Gordon Torrance was instrumental in bringing Crime Stoppers to Hamilton. Like the man it honours, the award exemplifies the excellent work of police officers who have used Crime Stoppers in their investigations. The recognition comes from the officers’ use of Crime Stoppers information to its fullest, resulting in arrests of dangerous persons, recoveries of stolen property or the seizure of illicit drugs.
This year’s award was presented to Sergeant Scott Hamilton, Constable Scott Yuill and Detective Constable Robert Glanfield
Amazingly, over the past three years, they were able to arrest upwards of 380 fugitives!
Leonard G. Lawrence Award
Leonard Lawrence was the Chief of the City Of Hamilton Police Department from 1952 to 1973. He fostered a strong sense of duty and commitment to the community. In his memory, the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce created a memorial award to recognize outstanding work to the community by an individual officer, a group of police officers, or a section of the department who, by their actions best exemplified an outstanding police function, a particular phase of police work or service to the community. The winner is selected by a committee consisting of representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, Police Service Board, the Police Association and the Chief’s Executive Officer. The committee’s job is not an easy one. The committee must choose from excellent nominees that have made significant contributions to the community.
Congratulations to Project Odeon members
Hamilton Police Service along with the Ontario Provincial Police, York Regional Police, Toronto Police Service and several other law enforcement agencies dismantled a significant producer of fentanyl and other synthetic drugs in the Greater Hamilton and Toronto Area.
Project Odeon began after police discovered a clandestine laboratory during an overdose death investigation in November 2021 at a residence on Hamilton’s Mountain. Investigators subsequently suspected a link between this death, an earlier overdose resulting in hospitalization and a death at a Toronto condominium. These all occurred within days of each other.
Opioid addiction has resulted in significant and far-reaching impacts on Hamilton. Like many other communities across the GTHA, Hamilton has been grappling with the devastating consequences of the opioid epidemic and declared a state of emergency in April 2023 related to homelessness, opioid addiction and mental health. This investigation had a significant impact on reducing harms and improving public safety.
This year’s award was presented to Inspector Ben Thibodeau, Detective Sergeant Gary Heron, Detective Eric Hrab and Detective James Clayton
Many awards were presented last evening, congratulations to all recipients.