Sixty-nine members of Alexa's Team from the RCMP's south-east division were recognized Wednesday at a ceremony in Âé¶¹AV.
The team, made up of police officers who help take 12 or more impaired drivers off the roads during the previous year, is naned ofter four-year-old Alexa Middelaer, who was struck and killed in the Lower Mainland eight years ago by an vehicle driven by a drunkdriver. Alexa was standing at the side of the road with her aunt petting a horse when she was killed.
The officers recognized Wednesday in Âé¶¹AV join hundreds of others from across B.C. to be named to Alexa's Team for 2016. Their efforts, combined with tough new anti-drunk driving laws,helped reduce the number of impaired driving related crashes in B.C. last year by 52 per cent, saving an estimated 54 lives.
On hand for the Âé¶¹AV ceremony were Alexa's parents Laurel and Michael Middelaer, who took a break from personal involvement with the the program last year.
The Middelaers said they were very happy to be back to say public thank-you to the officers who help keep B.C. roads safe nd recognize them in the name of the daughter.
The Alexa's Team members received a team ball cap, a specially framed certificate and a personalized, hand-written note from the Middelaers.