Abbotsford Police Board commendations were presented to three Abbotsford citizens during a presentation on Tuesday.
Veer Harman Singh Grewal, Jennifer Pollon and Jeff Morgan were recognized for their actions in assisting the police in two incidents last year.
The awards were presented at city hall during the monthly meeting of the Police Board.
Pollon and Morgan were recognized for their involvement in reporting a street-racing incident April 14 on South Fraser Way.
Pollon was driving at the time and Morgan was a passenger when they saw a group of six vehicles driving in tandem and racing west.
The pair saw the vehicles pulling away from other traffic, travelling an estimated 90 km/h in an area with a speed zone of 50 km/h.
Morgan (in photo at left with Mayor Henry Braun) called 911 and the two monitored the cars, providing continuous updates to police dispatchers.
Pollon and Morgan noted that at each red light, the occupants of the vehicles would get out and take photos of themselves and their cars.
Then, the vehicles that were at the rear would move to the front of the pack.
That evening, police issued a “drive without due care” ticket to each driver and impounded all six cars for street racing.
“Road safety is the number one priority for the Abbotsford Police, and with your assistance in providing clear and descriptive details of the driving behaviour of these individuals, six erratic and aggressive drivers were taken off the roadways,” Mayor Henry Braun said in presenting the commendations to the pair.
Grewal was recognized for his efforts in stopping a thief on March 15, 2014.
He had just returned home with a group of friends in his cousin’s vehicle and noticed that the front passenger door of his truck, parked in the driveway, was slightly ajar.
Grewal approached the truck and saw a man inside. The thief quickly exited the vehicle and fled on foot.
Grewal and his friends chased after him for two blocks until the thief climbed on the roof of a home.
Grewal continued watching the thief, ensuring he remained on the roof until police arrived. The man was then taken into custody and is now before the courts on charges.
“Your keen observation, clear thinking and quick response proved to be invaluable in allowing the police members to arrest the thief,” Braun said in honouring Grewal.