Eight Victoria police officers were recognized for their life-saving work at a ceremony at Government House last Thursday.
VicPD Sgt. Darrell Fairburn received a B.C. award of valour for braving smoke and flames as a first responder to a fatal house fire last February in the 1300-block of Johnson St.
Three people – Emily Morin, 20, Mark Mitchell, 26 and Georgia Klap, 22 – died as a result of the fire, but Fairburn acted quickly to help other residents to safety and prevent flames from spreading to a neighbouring house.
VicPD Sgt. Alexander Yelovatz and Constables Marie Bourque, Brent Keddell and Eric LeQuesne were also given awards of meritorious service for their efforts in the incident.
Awards of valour were also given to VicPD Constables Christopher Gilbert and Boris Stark for stopping a violent assault on a woman by an armed man in Oct. 2012, and to Const. Mark Jenkins, who pulled a suicidal, drowning man to safety in July 2012.
Lieut.-Gov. Judith Guichon and Attorney General and Minister of Justice Suzanne Anton presented awards to 82 police officers from across the province as part of B.C.’s 33rd annual Police Honours Night.
