Moose Jaw cops collect Van de Vorst Family Award for work on impaired driving

Six police officers in Moose Jaw collected the Van de Vorst Family Award this week for their work fighting impaired driving.

The award was established by Linda and Lou Van de Vorst five years ago in memory of their son and his family, who were killed in a crash with an impaired driver back in 2016.

The wards were presented by Mothers Against Drunk Driving Canada, along with the Van de Vorst family and SGI.

Each of the six officers awarded was successful in charging or suspending numerous impaired driver during the last calendar year.

Cst. Alanna Coghill suspended or charged 15 driver over the last year, Cst. Sarah Kristy amassed nine charges, Cst. Ryan Lundquist nabbed 17 impaired motorists, Cst. Brandon Braun removed 26 impaired drivers from the roads, Cst. Payton Denet busted nine impaired drivers, and Cst. Jacques Geyer got 12 impaired motorists off the roads.

Lundquist said he was honoured to receive the award, and even had a personal connection with the Van de Vorst family.

“I went to University with Chranda Van de Vorst and knew both her and Quinn Stevenson through officiating hockey,” Lundquist said.

“Both were killed by impaired drivers. I take pride in removing impaired drivers from the streets and working to prevent other families from going through what the Van de Vorsts and Stevensons had to go through.”

Between April 1 of 2022 and March 31, Moose Jaw officers have laid 116 impaired driving charges and issued 158 licence suspensions, the police service noted.

“The simple fact is that impaired drivers steal lives from our communities every single day,” Kristy said in a statement.

“Every arrest or licence suspension that saves a life, is a win, and I’ll take any chance I can.”