Today, RCMP NL congratulates nine RCMP police officers from this province who have been inducted into the Nick Coates Impaired Driving Team for 2023 by MADD Canada.
Nick Coates' Team is a program that recognizes dedicated police officers throughout Newfoundland and Labrador who diligently work to reduce the number of drivers on the road impaired by alcohol and/or drugs.
The team is named for Nicholas Coates, who was killed by an alcohol-impaired driver in 2013. While this initiative is named after Nick Coates, its purpose is to honour all survivors and victims of impaired driving.
"RCMP NL remains dedicated to maintaining public safety, which includes roadway safety. Impaired drivers continue to place themselves and others at increased levels of risk throughout our province." said RCMP NL Commanding Officer Jennifer Ebert. "These nine police officers, recognized by MADD Canada today, have shown a keen interest and ability in the enforcement of impaired drivers and I commend each of them for their continued efforts."
To be part of the Nick Coates' Team, an officer is required to have removed eight or more impaired drivers from the province's roadways from April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024. The awards are classified into two categories:
- Gold - 12 or more impaired drivers
- Silver – minimum of 8 impaired drivers
This year's gold award recipients are:
- Corporal Dennis Thornhill (Traffic Services Central)
- Constable Mackenzie McCoy (Harbour Grace)
- Constable Adam Graham (Nain)
- Constable Caleb Pellerin (Traffic Services West)
- Constable Janet Reddy (Holyrood)
- Constable Bradley Layman (Burin Peninsula)
This year's silver award recipients are:
- Constable Jarrett Thorne (Traffic Services Central)
- Constable Jean-Francois Gagnon (Corner Brook)
- Constable David Ballard (Bay St. George)
Both Constables MacKenzie McCoy and Caleb Pellerin are returning award recipients, having been inducted as part of this team in 2022.
This year's top performer was awarded to Constable Caleb Pellerin of RCMP Traffic Services West. With 50 impaired drivers apprehended, and this being his second year in a row receiving the top performer award, RCMP NL congratulates Cst. Pellerin for his outstanding performance.
RCMP NL congratulates this year's Nick Coates Impaired Driving Team recipients on a job well done in the apprehension of impaired drivers. Your contributions towards road safety are to be commended!