Niagara police officer recognized by MedicAlert for going beyond the call of duty
MedicAlert Canada Foundation is proud to announce that Niagara police officer, Constable Shawn Richard of the OPP Niagara Falls Detachment, will be awarded their prestigious Legends of the Call award, an annual distinction given to an emergency responder who follows the MedicAlert Look, Read, Call Procedure, ensuring a swift, positive outcome for a person who cannot speak for themselves in a moment of need.
Constable Richard demonstrated compassion and good judgement last August when he found 80 year old Maria wandering on the ramp of the QEW and Niagara street in St. Catharine’s, Ontario. After locating her MedicAlert bracelet, he promptly called the hotline to determine her address and emergency contacts, which allowed Maria to be reunited with her worried family right away.
“Any other options for locating Maria's family would have resulted in hours of undue hardship on Maria. My experience with MedicAlert was a positive one and I think that it is an effective tool for police. Policing often involves making rapid decisions based on whatever information we have in the moment. The night we found Maria, her MedicAlert bracelet and quick response from the hotline service provided us with the details we needed to get her home quickly and safely, ” said Constable Shawn Richard of the OPP Niagara Falls Detachment. “I am honoured to receive this award and thankful to the team at MedicAlert for the support they provide so that we can do our jobs as effectively as possible.”
Maria’s son called back to the hotline to thank MedicAlert for the outstanding service he and his mother received.
“My mother’s wandering has been of great concern to us. We got the MedicAlert bracelet and service for her safety and our family’s peace-of-mind. On the night she went missing, we realized exactly how a little bracelet can make a big difference,” says Mario, caregiver. “We are grateful for how Constable Richard responded to the situation with such care and compassion and congratulate him on receiving the Legends of the Call award.”
Constable Shawn Richard will receive the award at the Blue Line Expo Awards Gala in Ajax, Ontario on April 28th. The Constable will be honoured in front of his law enforcement colleagues. He was selected from a group of emergency responders from across the country.
“We are proud to award Constable Richard the Legends of the Call award and thank him and all frontline workers for the important role they play in keeping our families and communities safe,” says Robert Ridge, MedicAlert Foundation Canada’s President and CEO. “Their consistent commitment to the Look, Read, Call procedure is a testament to the fact that collaboration between MedicAlert and emergency responders can provide Canadians with faster, better care during emergencies.”
MedicAlert Foundation Canada (MAFCA) is the largest membership-based registered charity in Canada. It is the leading provider of emergency medical information services. More than one million Canadians have been protected by their services. For over 50 years, its mission is to protect Canadians and save lives.
Learn more about MedicAlert, how it works, and how you or a loved one can become a member at
www.MedicAlert.ca or by calling 1.800.668.1507.
For more information or to schedule an interview contact:
Jeffery Livingston
Manager, Marketing, Communications and Donations
Email: jlivingston@medicalert.ca
Tel: 416.696.0142 ext# 1146
Toll Free: 1.866.679.3217 ext:1146