For Immediate Release: June 16, 2009

(Toronto, ON) – Two outstanding traffic safety initiatives by Niagara Regional Police Service and Kingston Police have won the 2009 OACP Traffic Safety Initiative of the Year awards from the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP).

Niagara Regional Police Service took top honours for Traffic Initiative of the Year Award for Police Service With More Than 500 Police Personnel for its Think And Drive program while Kingston Police’s Festive RIDE Program won the Traffic Initiative of the Year Award for Police Service With Less Than 500 Police Personnel.

Both awards are supported by the Ontario Ministry of Transportation.

“These two traffic programs focus on preventing traffic tragedies from occurring in these communities,” said Ontario Provincial Police Chief Superintendent Bill Grodzinski, Co-Chair of the OACP’s Traffic Committee. “OACP and our partners at the Ontario Ministry of Transportation salute Kingston and Niagara on these innovative and effective programs that are helping to save lives on our roads.”

Awarded annually by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and supported by the Ontario Minister of Transportation, the Traffic Safety Initiative of the Year awards are presented to the police organizations creating, developing, and implementing Ontario’s most successful traffic safety programs.

“Through the OACP’s Traffic Committee, Ontario’s police leaders work with many community and government partners to promote traffic safety across Ontario,” said Committee Co-Chair Superintendent Earl Witty (Toronto Police Service). “It’s important to recognize the many men and women of our police services who work tirelessly to prevent tragedies on all our roads.”

These awards will be presented at the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police’s 58th Annual Conference and Global Showcase (www.oacpconference.on.ca) in Sudbury on June 22.

-30-