Beyond words to receive the 2026 Jim & Vicki Chu Community Safety Leader Award from the @VancouverPD. I feel incredibly privileged to work, in different ways, with the VPD, Correctional Service Canada, the Justice Institute of BC, and the City of Vancouver — all organizations that play vital roles in public safety. Being welcomed into these spaces gives me and my colleagues valuable insight into the challenges facing our communities, and opportunities to bring different people together to explore how we can make those communities stronger, safer, and more socially connected. It's a genuine honour to do this work, and I am deeply grateful to everyone who has shared in it alongside me. A special shout-out to my CSC Citizen Advisory Committee colleagues Shira W. and Judy Reiman, and to my fellow VPD SOGD Committee members Robert (Jules) Hadley, Jutta Kohli, and Staff Sgt. Chad McRae for joining me yesterday. Many thanks as well to the VPD Board, especially member @lorrainelowe_ , for encouragement and support. Congratulations also to Arezo @ZarrabianCOV, Senior Crime Analyst extraordinaire, who received a Chief Constable’s Commendation in recognition of her exceptional skill and leadership in crime analysis. Arezo has visited our SOGD Committee before and members found her to be a wealth of knowledge. Thanks to Chief Constable Rai @VPDChiefRai for always leaving his door open for us, and to Senior DCC Howard Chow for consistently making time to listen whenever I had a concern. Thank you as well to DCCs Alison Laurin and Andrew Chan, Inspector Michelle Torvik, Minister @terryyungyvr, and Councillors @LisaDominato @LennyNanZhou, and @MikeKlassen for their warm greetings. And thank you to Chris Birkett and the great folks at @OutOnPatrol for always making me and our SOGD Committee members feel so welcome, and for their work in combatting bullying and supporting 2SLGBTQ youth interested in public safety careers. Much gratitude to Detective Constable Kat Dauncey and Taylor Keen @VPDDiversity for believing in me and nominating me for this award. And finally, a big thanks to Sergeant Adam Donaldson and Cst. Megan Lui for doing such a wonderful job MC’ing, and to Susanna Lim and her entire team for organizing such a meaningful and well-attended event. Lastly, thank you to the many citizens, volunteers, and public safety professionals who work quietly every day to look out for others. So much important work happens behind the scenes, often without recognition or remuneration, and our communities are stronger, safer, and more connected because of it. Congratulations to you all.