Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award

National Youth Justice Policing Award Winner for 2015

Total Respect of Ourselves and Others (TROO)
Youth Services Section (VPD-YSS) Vancouver Police Department

The winners of the 2015 Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award were Acting Inspector Howard Tran, Acting Sergeant Cindy Vance, Youth Referral Coordinator Amy Powter and Diane Sowden, Executive Director of the Children of the Street Society for the Total Respect of Ourselves and Others program.

Total Respect of Ourselves and Others (TROO) is a new program and the first of its kind in Canada designed to address the issue of sexting among youth. It is unique in that not only are affected youth diverted from the criminal justice system, but the program is simultaneously delivered to parents/care givers. In partnership with the Children of the Street Society, the Vancouver Police Department's Youth Services Section runs full-day sessions multiple times a year for affected youth who have engaged in harmful and potentially criminal "sexting". Topics cover short and long term legal and social consequences, self-exploitation, peer-to-peer exploitation, victim impact, as well as other consequences of sexting. At the same time, but in a separate space, programming is provided to parents/caregivers designed to educate and provide and/or reinforce strategies to deter and prevent future sexting, not only for the affected youth, but their siblings and peer groups.

Previous Winners

The Minister of Justice National Youth Justice Policing Award was established in 2000. Here are the previous award recipients: