Acting Sergeant Shawn Code receives a meritorious service and service recognition award, along with a “Bar of Courage”, from Inspector Sherri Meeks, Mayor Taso Christopher and Chief Ron Gignac, on January 18, 2018. (Photo: David Foot / Quinte News)
Two Belleville Police officers were recognzed for their service and bravery, in front of the police services board, on Thursday.
Detective Constable Darrell Hatfield was recognized for his organizational skills, investigative tenacity and communication abilities, as the lead investigator into the Dr. Garry Solomon voyeurism case.
Hatfield helped to identify more than 330 girls and women who were videotaped without their knowledge, by the late former Belleville orthodontist and notified the majority of those victims personally.
While Hatfield wasn’t present at the meeting, the commendation was given by his 2017 unit commander Staff Sergeant Kristina Patterson.
Also, Acting Sergeant Shawn Code was recognized for his service for assisting the friends of a man who was hit by a drunk driver, while crossing the street after a concert early last year.
The group wrote a letter to the police service saying that while Code drove them to the hospital he was “incredibly kind and sympathetic” and followed up with them to check on the victim’s condition throughout his recovery process.
The letter said the group got through “one of the scariest incidents of their lives” relatively unscathed, thanks to Code.
The victim would survive from his multiple injuries.
Code was also honoured with a “Bar of Courage” for his role in responding to a gun call at a Belleville home, where a man suffered a significant gun shot injury.
Police Chief Ron Gignac noted that Code and two other officers risked their lives responding to the call and if they hadn’t, the victim may not have survived.
