Since 2008, members of Alexa’s Team, those police officers who are the top impaired driving investigators in the province, have been removing impaired drivers from the streets and highways of our communities making the roads safer for all.
On Thursday, the BCAA Road Safety Foundation, ICBC and the Middelaer family honoured police officers in recognition of their efforts. Among them was Cst. Steven Schenkeveld, with North Okanagan Traffic Services.
“As a family, we are heartened to see that there has been a significant decrease in the number of people injured and killed by impaired drivers over this past year,” Laurel Middelaer, Alexa’s mother.
“We know that the members of Alexa’s Team have served unwaveringly to make our communities safer.”
Alexa’s Team formed in memory of Alexa Middelaer, who was killed by an impaired driver when she was four years old.
The team has grown over the past five years from 26 members to more than 1,000 new and returning members who are RCMP and municipal police officers.
Since 2008, team members have processed 41,354 impaired driving charges or penalties against drivers in violation of B.C.’s impaired driving laws.
To be nominated for Alexa’s Team, police officers must have removed at least 12 impaired drivers from the road in the previous calendar year through a Criminal Charge investigation (for alcohol or drug impairment) or through an administrative driving prohibition (90-Day Immediate Roadside Prohibition or 90-Day Administrative Driving Prohibition).
