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Police Officers honoured with Const. Heidi Stevenson Watch Award from MADD Canada

May 24, 2024

Photos in this story are courtesy our good friend Sean DeWitt of Waterfront Halifax.

DARTMOUTH: Many Nova Scotia police officers are being recognized for their extraordinary work to take impaired drivers off the roads at MADD Canada’s Second Annual Constable Heidi Stevenson’s Watch Award ceremony, held recently at Nova Scotia RCMP Headquarters in Dartmouth.

The Top Performer Award is presented to the officer who removed the most impaired drivers from the roads in 2023. Gold Coin Awards are presented to officers who removed 24 or more impaired drivers. Silver
Coin Awards are presented to officers who removed 15 to 23 impaired drivers.

Several more officers are Bronze recipients, for taking between six and 14 impaired drivers off the roads, and they will be recognized with a special Certificate of Appreciation at their local detachments.

“For every impaired driver these officers take off the roads, it is a potential tragedy averted,” said MADD Canada National president Tanya Hansen Pratt. “It means a family may not have to mourn a loved one.

“In honour of all victims of impaired driving and in honour of Heidi Stevenson, MADD Canada offers our heartfelt and lasting gratitude to the committed police officers who take impaired drivers off the roads.”

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The award ceremony is being hosted today during National Police Week, May 12-18 in recognition of all police officers.

Joining MADD Canada for the award ceremony were : Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Barbara Adams; A/Commr. Dennis Daley, Commanding Officer, Nova Scotia RCMP; and Chief Mark Kane of the Nova Scotia Chiefs of Police Association.

“Const. Stevenson made my community better and stronger, and we continue to miss her deeply,” said Adams. “These awards honour her memory and create a legacy so that others can be inspired and follow in her footsteps.”

The award program is named in honour of Const. Heidi Stevenson, who was a 23-year veteran of the RCMP. She loved her chosen career and spent most of it in Nova Scotia. She held many different roles
throughout her career, including as a dedicated Drug Recognition Expert.

Const. Stevenson was especially proud of her expertise in that area and was deeply committed to helping make Nova Scotia’s roadways safer.

She was one of the 22 people killed by a gunman in April 2020 in Nova Scotia.

Const. Stevenson was posthumously awarded MADD Canada’s Terry Ryan Memorial Award for Excellence in Police Service in honour of her work to prevent impaired driving.

East Hants RCMP has several officers that will be honoured with this Bronze coin for doing that, but that will be done at a more local presentation, MADD organizers said.

Inspired by Heidi’s unwavering commitment to road safety, we honour her legacy and recognize the
dedication of our fellow Nova Scotian officers,” said A/Commr. Dennis Daley, Commanding Officer N.S. RCMP.

“Together, our mission is to make our roadways safer for all.”

Every year, in Const. Stevenson’s name, MADD Canada recognizes members of police services across Nova Scotia who remove impaired drivers from roads and highways, thus preventing crashes, deaths and injuries.

“These awards are a collaborative effort by MADD Canada, the Nova Scotia Police Chiefs of Police Association, the Nova Scotia Department of Justice and the Nova Scotia RCMP, and we are so grateful for their partnership,” Hansen Pratt said.

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