A Richmond RCMP officer was recently recognized for her work educating youth on how to resist falling victim to drug abuse.
Const. Baljinder Kandola, who has been a police officer for 19 years and is the coordinator of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education (DARE) program, received the Youth Leadership Award at the 23rd annual Community Safety and Crime Prevention awards ceremony.
Five people and one non-profit across the province received the awards at the virtual ceremony.
A press release about the provincial recognition stated Kandola has been “instrumental” in giving youth “the tools they need to make healthy choices.”
This includes resistance strategies to deal with peer pressure and stress.
“Since joining the DARE Society's board of directors in 2016, Kandola has expanded her passion for education beyond schools, developing and implementing DARE initiatives and events within the community,” the press release elaborated.
“These award recipients and nominees demonstrate that we can make a real difference in the lives of those who have been impacted by crime, violence and victimization,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.
The awards recognize individuals, non-profit organizations, police and other local partners for their work in crime prevention, restorative justice and other approaches to keep communities safe.
