News release

Minister Recognizes Leaders in Crime Prevention

Justice

Nova Scotians working to prevent crime and make their communities safer were recognized at 25th Annual Atlantic Crime Prevention Conference in Halifax recently.

Justice Minister Ross Landry presented 10 awards in six categories.

"It's an honour to recognize individuals and organizations dedicated to preventing crime and make a difference in their communities," said Mr. Landry. "Preventing crime is a community issue: government, police, communities, organizations and individuals have to work together to make our communities safer."

Awards were presented in six categories:

  • individual
  • youth
  • community group or organization
  • community policing
  • media
  • business community

Halifax Shopping Centre received the award in the Business Category for its Youth Centre program. The Youth Centre is a safe place for youth to spend time, meet new people, receive counselling services or help with homework.

"Kids trust us and want to be here," says Jake MacIsaac, director of The Youth Centre. "The Youth Centre has become a place where over 1,500 kids, over the past 10 years, have felt comfortable to come hang out and get help if they need it. We really are making a difference in their lives and that is a great feeling."

A committee reviewed the nominations and selected 10 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.

"I am so honoured to have been chosen for a Minister's Leadership Award for Crime Prevention," said Beatrice LeBlanc, winner in the individual category, who has worked for 30 years with Cape Breton Transition House and with the victims of domestic violence. "I have felt privileged every day to be doing this work and I thank the minister and the Department of Justice for taking a leading role in the issue of crime prevention, particularly family abuse and violence."

Following is the 2011 award recipients:

  • Media Category: 98.9X FM Radio
  • Youth Category: Justin Fenton, originally from Yarmouth and now living in Dartmouth, and Bria Miller, of Yarmouth
  • Business Category: Halifax Shopping Centre
  • Community Category: The Association for Safer Cape Breton Communities, Cape Breton Regional Municipality, and The Demetreous Lane Tenants Association in Dartmouth.
  • Policing Category: Const. Susan Foote of the Lunenburg County District RCMP, Const. Holly Thomas of Halifax Regional Police, Const. Kenneth MacDonald of New Glasgow Police Service
  • Individual Category: Beatrice LeBlanc of Sydney.

For more information on the awards and the 2011 recipients, go to www.gov.ns.ca/just .