EKTS officers part of Alexa’s Team

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Posted: May 10, 2018

Local officers play role in 10th anniversary of Alexa’s Team

It has been 10 years since four-year old Alexa Middelaer was killed by an impaired driver in Delta, and this year marks 10 years of hard work by Alexa’s Team.

Alexa’s Team was formed in 2008, the year of Alexa’s death, in her name as an anti-impaired driving program to recognize dedicated police officers throughout British Columbia who are committed to reducing the number of drivers on the road affected by alcohol or drugs.

In the past 10 years, Alexa’s Team has grown from 26 members to 2,400 new and returning RCMP and municipal police officers from all corners of the province.

All of the officers who earned a place on Alexa’s Team over the years, did so because of their diligence in removing impaired drivers from B.C. roads.

Alexa’s Bus, the province’s mobile road safety unit (MRSU) is another initiative that Alexa’s family advocated for and saw come to fruition. Provincial anti-impaired driving police initiatives are supported by Alexa’s Bus, which has been deployed 293 times in communities around the province since its launch in 2014 as an education and enforcement tool.

The RID 911 program, supported by communities, police services, MADD Canada and other road safety organizations, is another anti-impaired driving initiative that encourages the public to call 911 to report suspected impaired drivers, and has also been effective in helping police remove impaired drivers.

Overall, more than 86,534 drivers affected by alcohol or drugs have been removed from the streets, roads and highways of this province by Alexa’s Team members since 2008.

MADD Canada, ICBC, the RCMP and supporters of Alexa’s Team are gathering this spring at four events held around the province to recognize those officers named to the 2017 Alexa’s Team and to celebrate ten years of hard work. Events will be held in Metro Vancouver, Victoria, Kelowna and Prince George where officers will be greeted and personally thanked for their tireless work fighting impaired driving by Alexa’s family, road safety organizations and community leaders.

“It has been ten years since Alexa Middelaer tragically lost her life because of a drunk driver. During the last nine years 17,151 drivers have been apprehended in the South East District by the officers that are here today committed to prevent these incidents from ever happening. On behalf of the South East District I thank you all for your hard work and dedication. Be very proud of your efforts and know you have made a huge difference in so many families’ lives,” stated RCMP South East District Traffic Services (East) OIC, Insp. Dale Somerville.

“I want to thank Laurel and Michael Middelaer and every member of Alexa’s Team for working so tirelessly and effectively over the past decade to help prevent other families from experiencing devastating, entirely preventable losses of loved ones on our roads. Thank you also to every dedicated police officer in B.C. for your unfaltering efforts to remove impaired drivers from our roads. Your actions are vital to ensuring those who choose to drive while impaired face the full consequences of their actions,” said Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General.

“We are proud to celebrate this milestone honouring police officers across the province who have dedicated their time to getting impaired drivers off our roads. That’s ten years of late nights, standing road-side in all weather conditions to help make B.C. communities safer,” added ICBC Director Responsible for Road Safety, Lindsay Matthews.

MADD Canada National President, Patricia Hynes-Coates said, “Impaired driving kills and injures people every day. It devastates individuals, families and communities. By taking impaired drivers off the roads, the extraordinary members of Alexa’s Team make are preventing those senseless tragedies. MADD Canada is proud to recognize and thank these dedicated officers for their efforts to stop impaired drivers and keep our roads and communities safe.”

“As we reflect on the ten years since Alexa’s life was taken, as a family we were hoping to find some good in the wake of her tragic loss. Alexa’s Team is a shining example of that goodness, and of what can be accomplished when like-minded people band together to honour a young life,” said Alexa’s Mother and Road Safety Advocate, Laurel Middelaer.

“The skill and hard work of these remarkable men and women has accomplished so much and will continue to do so in the future. Looking ahead, it is our sincere hope that this model of team work, dedication and genuine friendship will be used as British Columbia holds steadfast in its commitment to lead Canada in public safety on our roads. Alexa’s Team, you have exceeded our hopes and dreams of what can be and made our life better—thank you.”

2017 Alexa’s Team Provincial Stats (* Data is as reported and unaudited):

Members	RTCCs	ADPs	24 Hr.	IRP Fail	IRP Refuse	IRP Warn	Total Drivers		DRE Tests
247	505	51	1,104	3,143	472	1,882	7,157		329

2017 Alexa’s Team Southeast Region Stats (* Data is as reported and unaudited):

Members	RTCCs	ADPs	24 Hr.	IRP Fail	IRP Refuse	IRP Warn	Total Drivers		DRE Tests
61	137	17	282	826	115	406	1,783		101

Since 2008

Alexa’s Team members have processed more than 86,534 impaired driving sanctions for alcohol and drug related driving offences.
The total number of Alexa’s Team members has grown from 26 to 2,400 and includes officers from all regions of the province.

2017 Alexa’s Team – Cranbrook

Cst. Robert Roy – East Kootenay Traffic Services -All-Star;

Cst. Maggie Banich – East Kootenay Traffic Services.

Total impaired drivers removed = 62.

* All-Star team members are the top impaired driving investigators in the province. Each has taken at least 34 criminally impaired drivers off the road in 2017.

Above photo: Alexa’s Team (2017) members from the southeast region of B.C. honoured at Quigley Elementary School in Kelowna on May 9 for their work to reduce alcohol-related motor vehicle deaths in the province.