Surrey RCMP Sgt. Winston Shorey was recognized as Police Officer of the Year, as voted by the community, at the Surrey Board of Trade鈥檚 annual awards ceremony on Oct. 5.
Shorey works as a district commander for Cloverdale/Port Kells, although he鈥檚 currently also overseeing South Surrey and Newton. This is the first time he鈥檚 been officially recognized by the community, he said, and 鈥渢here鈥檚 no greater honour.鈥�
鈥淔or all the things a person could be nominated for 鈥� that would be probably the most important for me,鈥� Shorey said.
鈥淭here鈥檚 really no better honour than to be nominated by the community that you serve and recognized by that community. That really to me says, 鈥業 guess I was on target.鈥欌��
According to the Surrey Board of Trade鈥檚 website, Shorey received the award because he is 鈥渁 team player that embraces new technology 鈥�, [and] works collaboratively with members of the community.鈥�
鈥淗is positive outlook on policing and keeping Cloverdale safe is his priority,鈥� the website reads.
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According to the Surrey Board of Trade, nominations for the police officer of the year awards from the community are gathered over the summer. Each nomination must include examples of how the nominee has been innovative, shown commitment, contributed to the community, and exhibited perseverance. A judging committee selects their top three nominees, and points are assigned to each nominee. The one with the most points receives the award.
Based on the reasons Shorey was nominated for the award, he said he could tell the nominations came from a variety of sources.
鈥淚 work with a lot of different groups and different people,鈥� he said. In the nomination, 鈥渢here were things I was working on with a particular group, or another group I was working on something different.鈥�
Specifically, Shorey was nominated for his work with Cloverdale BIA in creating the 鈥淗eads Up鈥� email chain, where local businesses can share information with the RCMP about suspicious people and behaviour.
He was also commended for working to inform the community about new ways to report crime by promoting the Surrey RCMP鈥檚 reporting app.
鈥淔or me when that technology came out, it was like 鈥極h, here鈥檚 a great technology because now people can use this app on their phone 鈥� to take a picture, send a complaint and it goes directly to the people that can deal with it鈥�,鈥� he said.
Shorey distributed pamphlets to local businesses and made sure all the members of his team were trained to use the app. He also introduced the app in his speeches to the Cloverdale Chamber of Commerce and the Cloverdale BIA.
Shorey was also nominated for his involvement in community events, and for his use of social media to inform the public, although that came as a surprise to him.
鈥淚鈥檓 not really sure where that came from,鈥� he said.
Most of the RCMP鈥檚 social media presence goes through the media unit, which Shorey is not a part of.
鈥淚鈥檓 not a big social media guy really,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 look at social media with a very guarded, kind of jaded opinion.鈥�
Shorey was one of eight police officers or teams given awards at the gala. Others were awarded for Community Policing Initiative, Municipal Employee of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Auxiliary Constable of the Year, the Police Team of the Year and the Police Officer of the Year award, as nominated by peers.
