Two Sunshine Coast RCMP members have been honoured for taking drunk drivers off the road by being made members of Alexa's Team.
Const. Jen Balfour and Const. Todd Bozack were both made honourary team members for arresting more than 20 impaired drivers on the Sunshine Coast during 2012.
Alexa's Team was set up in B.C. in 2008 by the family of Alexa Middelaer, a four-year-old girl who was killed by a drunk driver. Alexa was feeding horses with her aunt on the side of a rural road when a drunk driver came careening out of control and hit the little girl, killing her instantly.
In an effort to get more drunk drivers off the road, Alexa's family started Alexa's Team. To become part of the team, RCMP officers have to successfully lay at least 10 impaired driving charges over the course of a year.
The challenge was given to RCMP officers in 2008, and that year 26 members joined Alexa's Team. In 2009 the team grew by another 177 members. This year, 228 police officers were made members of Alexa's Team.
The effort is made possible through a partnership with the BCAA Road Safety Foundation and ICBC.
A press release from BCAA showed the number of fatalities related to impaired driving is steadily dropping from 126 fatalities in 2010 to an "historic low" of 59 for 2012.
"Preliminary RCMP data for 2012 also indicates that the number of impaired drivers on the road has significantly decreased with fewer drivers being charged," the press release stated.
"Combined with the reduction in fatalities, this suggests that public attitudes and behaviours are changing significantly when it comes to impaired driving."
That's exactly the outcome Alexa's Team was hoping for.
Sunshine Coast RCMP Sgt. Russ Howard said he was pleased two local officers were honoured by Alexa's Team this year.
"Any investigation or any proactive work by our police officers to cut down the number of impaired drivers on the road is always a good thing," he noted.
