Prestigious national medals honour exemplary corrections staff in B.C.
Forty-eight provincial correctional staff that work with adults and youth have received the most prestigious national decoration for professionals in the correctional field.
Corrections Exemplary Service Medals and Bars recognize two decades or more of exceptionally commendable service. Janet Austin, Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, presented the awards at a ceremony at Government House on Tuesday, April 25, 2023, along with Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, and Mitzi Dean, Minister of Children and Family Development.
“These are correctional staff who have dedicated decades of public service to keep the public safe, with the highest levels of compassion, integrity and skill, in what is a very dynamic and challenging field,” Farnworth said. “The resilience, care and commitment these recipients have demonstrated in order to create better outcomes for individuals under their supervision is incredibly inspiring and admirable.”
Eligible staff include those who work in probation offices, correctional and custody centres, and provincial headquarters for the ministries of Public Safety and Solicitor General, and Children and Family Development.
“We know the importance of setting youth on a path for a bright future, and even more so for those who have been involved with the justice system,” Dean said. “Thank you to these staff who have dedicated their careers to supporting young people in corrections so they can move forward with their lives in a positive way.”
The Corrections Exemplary Service Medal marks 20 years of exemplary service; the Corrections Exemplary Service First Bar, 30 years; and the Corrections Exemplary Service Second Bar, 40 years. This year, 41 staff received the medal, six received the first bar and one received the second bar.
The Corrections Exemplary Service Medal, created in 1984, was the second medal in Canada designed to recognize long and outstanding service in public-safety professions. The first was the Police Exemplary Service Medal, created in 1983.
Learn More:
BC Corrections website: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/justice/criminal-justice/corrections
A backgrounder follows.