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Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award 2010
- Message from the Minister
- Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award
- Winner
- Video of winner for 2010
- Certificate of Distinction
- Transcript of video
Message from the Minister
As Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, I would like to congratulate the recipients of the 2010 Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award.
This award recognizes police officers who display excellence and innovation in dealing with youth who come into conflict with the law. The officers being honoured have devoted their time to developing and implementing groundbreaking projects that are helping young people who have made bad decisions to turn their lives around. We all benefit from the dedication and innovation these officers have shown.
Police officers who work with youth in conflict with the law face unique challenges, but they also have real opportunities to make a difference in our communities. Officers hold the youths with whom they work accountable for their actions while also providing the guidance and support these young people need to make smarter choices in the future.
The Government of Canada is proud to work in partnership with Canada’s policing community in tackling crime and protecting Canadians. Our balanced approach includes prevention, enforcement and rehabilitation. This year’s recipients have shown how their knowledge of the youth criminal justice system, combined with their extensive expertise, have allowed them to find effective ways to help rehabilitate troubled youth.
On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to thank Deputy Chief Gary McGuigan and Constable Todd M. Snooks, along with each and every police officer, for their hard work in keeping our communities safe.
The Honourable Rob Nicholson, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada
Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award
The Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award was established in 2000 in collaboration with the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP). The award recognizes police officers who, individually or as a team, develop approaches for dealing with youth in conflict with the law that go beyond the formal court system. It celebrates innovative policing and serves to inform the police and wider community about creative responses to youth crime.
Specifically, the award recognizes individuals or teams who draw upon the programs and approaches outlined in the Youth Criminal Justice Act (YCJA), including:
- The use of measures that, as described in the Youth Criminal Justice Act, go beyond the usual course of legal proceedings or the authority of a court, such as warnings, cautions, and referrals to community agencies;
- Providing advice to decision makers in the youth justice process;
- Contributing to the rehabilitation and reintegration of youth who have been found guilty of crime.
All nominees must have demonstrated a commitment to helping young people understand the impact of their actions and encouraging the involvement of parents, families, and communities in the justice system.
Winner
DEPUTY CHIEF GARY MCGUIGAN
Charlottetown Police Services
Deputy Chief Gary McGuigan was selected to receive the 2010 Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Award for his achievement in conceiving and creating the Charlottetown Police Service Horse Program.
Deputy Chief McGuigan joined the Charlottetown Police Service as a constable in 1985. After serving in successively more senior positions, he was named Deputy Chief in charge of Operations and Community Policing in June, 2009.
In 2008, Deputy Chief McGuigan, then a corporal, envisioned an innovative program designed to develop practical skills and the communication abilities of troubled youth by matching them with a brood mare ready to foal.
Deputy Chief McGuigan says his program “gives the participants time to bond with the mares and to build a trusting relationship between horse and human. It is a very powerful experience for these kids to have cared for these mares and to see, when the foals are born, the very real result of their participation. They come away with newly acquired skills and tools. When these kids are given the instruction and support they need to care for the horse, and they do it and it works, you have won their trust and given them a reason to trust again.”
To be considered for admission into the program, troubled youth are first referred by police to the Youth Intervention Outreach Program, rather than to the formal court system. Deputy Chief McGuigan and an outreach worker then conduct interviews with them to determine who will be best suited to take part in the Horse Program. In his innovative approach to applying the principles of the Youth Criminal Justice Act to youth in conflict with the law, Deputy Chief McGuigan exemplifies the compassion, caring and responsiveness of community.
Certificate of Distinction
CONSTABLE TODD M. SNOOKS
York Regional Police
Constable Todd M. Snooks was awarded the 2010 Certificate of Distinction for his work with the York Regional Police ECOTRIP program, and his success in engaging youth, communities and police in a creative approach to dealing with youth in conflict with the law.
Constable Snooks began his policing career in 1997 with Peel Regional Police and joined York Regional Police in May 1999. In 2007 he was named to his current position as Community Liaison Officer.
Constable Snooks was instrumental in the creation and implementation of the ECOTRIP program in 2009. ECOTRIP provides mentoring, wilderness training and personal skills development to at-risk youth between the ages of 14 and 17 who have successfully completed a referral program. Participants are given a rare opportunity to discover and develop their individual capacities to team-build and to lead.
In his caring approach to helping rehabilitate troubled youth, Constable Todd M. Snooks is a key contributor to the effectiveness of community liaison programming. In addition to his contribution as a member of the ECOTRIP steering committee, he also volunteers his time in the program, participating in the out-trip portion and taking on the role of mentor to a youth participant.
