CHARLOTTETOWN, Prince Edward Island, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, an inaugural ceremony is shining a spotlight on police officers whose work is helping save lives and prevent injuries across the province. The MADD Canada Prince Edward Island Police Awards, the first police awards ceremony in Prince Edward Island (PEI), honour officers from across the province for their outstanding efforts to remove impaired drivers from the province’s roadways, waterways, and trails.
Every hour in Canada, an average of nine charges are laid for alcohol or drug-impaired driving, a strong reminder that this preventable crime continues to put lives at risk. In PEI, where impaired driving remains a serious issue, the role of police officers in preventing these tragedies is more important than ever.
“This inaugural award ceremony in Prince Edward Island is an important step in recognizing the officers who work tirelessly to prevent impaired driving tragedies in real time,” said Steve Sullivan, CEO of MADD Canada. “We are grateful for their commitment to protecting lives and for our partners’ efforts to prevent impaired driving.”
MADD Canada established its Police Awards program in 2015 to recognize RCMP, Regional, and Municipal police officers who make extraordinary contributions to keeping impaired drivers off the roads, highways, waterways, and trails in our communities. The MADD Canada Prince Edward Island Police Awards are made possible through a partnership between MADD Canada, the PEI Department of Justice and Public Safety, and the PEI Association of Chiefs of Police. Together, the partners are taking meaningful steps to prevent impaired driving and protect communities across the province from a crime that destroys thousands of lives each year in Canada.
“On Prince Edward Island, impaired driving continues to affect families across our province,” said The Honourable Rob Lantz, Premier of PEI. “The officers recognized today are doing difficult, often unseen work to prevent harm before it happens. Their efforts are making a real difference in communities across Prince Edward Island.”
“The PEI RCMP is proud to support the Inaugural MADD Canada Prince Edward Island Police Awards,” said Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on PEI and President of the PEI Association of Chiefs of Police, Kevin Lewis. “Every impaired driver removed from our roads represents lives protected and families spared unimaginable loss. This event recognizes the dedication, professionalism, and commitment of police officers across Prince Edward Island who work tirelessly to keep our communities safe. We value our continued partnership with MADD Canada and share a common goal—to prevent impaired driving and ensure that everyone gets home safely.”
The MADD Canada Prince Edward Island Police Awards highlight the critical role law enforcement plays in deterring impaired driving and sends a clear message that driving impaired by alcohol, cannabis, and/or other drugs will not be tolerated.
Today’s award ceremony at Government House in Charlottetown brings together partners and community leaders including: The Honourable Dr. Wassim Salamoun, O.P.E.I., Lieutenant Governor of PEI; The Honourable Rob Lantz, Premier of PEI; Commanding Officer of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police on PEI and President of the PEI Association of Chiefs of Police, Kevin Lewis; MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer, Steve Sullivan; MADD Canada Atlantic Regional Manager, Shayla Morag Steeves; and Brenda Simmons, mother of Jacob Simmons, killed in an impaired driving crash in Kinross, PEI, in 2020.
This year, 22 police officers are being honoured for their efforts in impaired driving enforcement in 2025. The Top Performer Award is presented to the officer who removed the most impaired drivers from PEI’s roadways, waterways, and trails. Gold Awards recognize officers who removed 24 or more impaired drivers, while Silver Awards are presented to those who removed between 15 and 23 impaired drivers. Officers who removed between 6 and 14 impaired drivers will receive Bronze Awards and will be recognized with a special Certificate of Appreciation.
About MADD Canada
MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in close to 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads. For more information, visit www.madd.ca.
For more information, contact:
Arielle Nkongmeneck, MADD Canada Communications Manager, 1-800-665-6233 ext. 240 or ankongmeneck@madd.ca
