A pair of White Rock bylaw officers who helped nab a crime suspect were among three men recognized by council Monday for going “above and beyond” the call of duty.
“We owe them a great deal of gratitude,” Mayor Wayne Baldwin told attendees of Harim Estrada and Harmail Gill, following a report by financial services director Sandra Kurylo.
Kurylo told council that Estrada and Gill were conducting routine parking-enforcement patrols near Peace Arch Hospital on an evening in February when they came across a pair of individuals breaking into a parking meter.
There had been dozens of area meters damaged over the course of the previous weeks, and the issue was one police had been working “quite hard” to address, Kurylo said.
Shortly before the incident of note, the duo had advised police of another vandalized meter, so when they came across the crime in progress, they decided to act.
“They got out of their van and apprehended the individuals before the RCMP got there,” Kurylo said.
It was “a very positive result” for the city, she said.
“The vandalism has stopped.”
City manager Dan Bottrill told Peace Arch News in February that 45 meters were damaged over a five-week period beginning Jan. 5.
Following the apprehension, police announced charges of mischief under $5,000 and theft under $5,000 against a South Surrey man in connection with the damage.
According to court records, William Furugori pleaded guilty to the mischief charge on March 5, and was sentenced to one day in jail and one year probation.
Furugori was also ordered to pay $427 restitution.
Senior cited
Council also recognized senior Clive Griffiths, the outgoing chair of Kent Street Activity Centre’s executive committee.
In thanking Griffiths for his seven years at the committee’s helm, Baldwin said he had an “enviable record.” He cited upgrades to the centre’s kitchen and the addition of an elevator as among work completed under Griffiths’ watch. In addition, Griffiths was key in budgeting, planning and liaising for the centre.
“You carried that off with style and panache,” Baldwin said. “It’s a shame to be losing you. You’ve left shoes that are going to be hard to fill.”
Griffiths shared the credit with fellow committee members.
“I think it’s an indication of how easy the job was (that) I had the support of all these people and their confidence,” he said. “It was a pleasure.”