The Van de Vorst Family Award for Excellence in Prevention has been presented to five Weyburn police officers. 

This includes Constable Maralee McSherry with the Weyburn Police Service, Donovan McSherry and Jeffrey Bartsch from the Saskatchewan Highway Patrol, and Cathy Walter and Christopher Lamontagne from the RCMP Traffic Services Unit. 

The award is given to law enforcement officers across the province by MADD Canada and SGI in memory of Jordan and Chanda Van De Vorst and their children, Kamryn and Miguire, who lost their lives at the hands of an impaired driver in 2016.  

“The award is in recognition of the officer's commitment to preventing impaired drivers from being involved in potential tragedy, removing impaired drivers from the road, and for the safety that these officers have provided to communities and families in Saskatchewan,” said Constable Maralee McSherry. “The award is provided to officers who have had a minimum of seven impaired drivers that year.”   

McSherry said the recipients would have busted seven or more impaired drivers, and the highest amount this year was 42. She added to stop impaired driving they sometimes receive calls from the community which is appreciated, but sometimes they witness impaired driving. 

“Sometimes we will see drifting or swerving, or we'll see impaired drivers that are driving slower than usual, and sometimes it's just random stops pr traffic violations.”   

She added it’s better to be safe than sorry, and if you believe you are witnessing an impaired driver you should call the police.