Constable Sanchuk Nominated for the 2021 Police Services Hero of the Year Award

Monday, 1 March 2021 at 13:53

"This is a job that I love, it's actually my dream job, I still have pictures from when I was 4 or 5, when my Mom and Dad gave me my first uniform based on the TV show CHIPS."

OXFORD COUNTY - A familiar face has been nominated for the 2021 Police Services Hero of the Year award.

Constable Ed Sanchuk was nominated for being an on duty difference maker in Norfolk County.

If you live in Norfolk County, there is a very good chance you know Constable Sanchuk, what he sounds like and what he looks like.

Sanchuk has always been willing to lend a hand, whether it's speaking at a school or talking to seniors about different scams and frauds. He has always made himself available to the media to get crucial information out to the public, whether it be for a missing person, a bad accident or terrible weather.

Constable Sanchuk takes pride in connecting with his local community. He says it was truly an honour to be nominated for this award.

"I was actually shocked, it was a very humbling experience because every day when you put this uniform on, you want to do the very best you can for your community and everyone living in it. This is a job that I love, it's actually my dream job, I still have pictures from when I was 4 or 5, when my Mom and Dad gave me my first uniform based on the TV show CHIPS, jeez, I'm dating myself with that reference."

Sanchuk is currently doing work for Brant, Haldimand and Oxford County as well. He explains why it's important to him to engage with the community.

"When we take off this uniform at the end of the day, we are human beings, we are no different than anybody else out there. I have a 16 year old son and a 12 year old girl, who it feels like she's turning 21 at times (chuckles) and you know what, we have the same issues as anyone else. When we take out uniforms off, we still take part of this job home with us. The crashes we have to see or the notifications we have to give to loved ones that a family member is deceased as a the result of a collision. So working with the community is our chance to, it is our chance to show them how important they really are, because when the Police and the community work together, there is no crime that we can't solve."

Sanchuk says he always treats people the way he wants to be treated or the way he wants his mother to be treated. If you follow the OPP West Region on twitter or Facebook, you will see Constable Sanchuk posting videos and messages in real time. he does this to keep the community updated and also has done a lot of work in raising awareness about different frauds and scams happening every day in our communities.