Minister Recognizes Leaders in Crime Prevention

Individuals and businesses who make their communities safer were recognized today, March 28, at the province's Crime Prevention Symposium in Halifax.

Justice Minister Ross Landry presented 14 Minister's Awards for Leadership in Crime Prevention and thanked all award winners and nominees for their contributions.

"It is an honour to recognize these 14 Nova Scotians who are truly making a difference in their communities," said Mr. Landry. "The entire community is affected by crime and we all need to be involved in creating solutions. The best crime prevention responses are led by community and those dedicated to creating safer communities and a safer province overall."

The 2012 award recipients are:

• Media Category: The Weekly News of Halifax
• Youth Category: Brandin Arsenault and Emily McInnis of Bible Hill
• Business Category: Spring Garden Area Business Association/ Downtown Halifax Business Commission and TELUS Atlantic Community Board of Halifax
• Community Category: Leave Out Violence 'LOVE' of Halifax, Our Thyme Café of Dartmouth and Seniors Safety Program of Wolfville
• Policing Category: Cst. Jennifer Arnold of Antigonish RCMP and Cst. Dennis Burns of Cape Breton Regional Police
• Individual Category: John O'Reilly of Bedford and Lori Morgan of Dartmouth
• Special Category: The late Myles Burke, former chief of Cape Breton Regional Police, received an award posthumously.

The province recognized Our Thyme Café for its employment program with at-risk women and female youth. It provides skills training to females who may be experiencing or at risk of experiencing homelessness, poverty or incarceration.

"It is our privilege to work with the women that come through the Our Thyme Café Program," said managers Mary Young and Lynn Yetman. "Over the last four years, we have worked with over 100 women and watching them change their lives has been more than rewarding."

A committee reviewed the nominations and selected the recipients based on commitment to their local issue, empowering their community, leadership by encouraging and educating others, working together to build partnerships, and innovation, inclusiveness and flexibility.

For more information on the awards and 2012 recipients, go to www.gov.ns.ca/just .