The winner of the 2012 Police Officer of the Year Award was announced during the annual tribute dinner held this evening at the Toronto Region Board of Trade.
The Board of Trade created the award in 1967. Its purpose is to recognize officers of the Toronto Police Service who have made significant contributions to making Toronto one of the safest cities in the world. Each month, an officer is selected for Police Officers of the Month, based on the following criteria: bravery, humanitarianism, superior investigative work and outstanding police skills.
The monthly winners are then re-evaluated by a panel of judges. One winner is chosen to receive the Police Officer of the Year Award. This year the winner is Constable Joel Manherz.
Constable Joel Manherz was appointed to the Toronto Police Service as a 3rd Class Police Constable on August 16, 2000 and on November 16, 2002 he was reclassified to a 1st Class Police Constable. Constable Manherz is presently assigned to the Sex Crimes Unit.
Constable Joel Manherz have successfully demonstrated outstanding investigative skills and commitment for a safe community. The professional manner with which he has conducted himself is worthy of substantial recognition not only by his peers but also the Toronto Police Service and the Community in which he proudly serves.
Dutch authorities commenced an investigation into a historic child abuse and pornography case which dated back to the 1960s. Constable Manherz, attached to the Child Exploitation Section, reviewed the historic case and was able to identify one of the children in the images. He tracked down the now-43-year-old victim and provided him the opportunity to bring the offenders to justice. The identification of this one victim led to the identification of 8 other victims.
A search warrant was executed and a huge collection of exploitive child images were seized. The suspect had lived in England, Holland and France before settling in Canada. The suspect was charged and the prosecution proceeded to trial with information from victims who were between 10 and 15 at the time the offences were committed. During the course of the trial, another victim came forward. The suspect was convicted and is currently serving 8 1/2 years for his crimes in Canada. He will be deported once released.
Constable Manherz has identified a total of 42 victims worldwide by their first name. The child abuse images seized make up the largest seizure of self-made images ever located in Canada.
In November 2011 Constable Manherz presented the case as a case study at the Ontario Provincial Child Exploitation Conference. The presentation reminded the 300 investigators who attended from across Canada and the United States to never marginalize dated cases as victims of these cases will still want to be given a voice and the opportunity to face their abuser.
As a result of his perseverance, a dangerous offender was arrested and removed from the community.
Constable Joel Manherz was recently selected as Police Officer of the Month for November 2012.
Congratulations to Constable Joel Manherz and to all the award winners for their continuing efforts to make Toronto one of the safest cities in the world.
The Board of Trade created the award in 1967. Its purpose is to recognize officers of the Toronto Police Service who have made significant contributions to making Toronto one of the safest cities in the world. Each month, an officer is selected for Police Officers of the Month, based on the following criteria: bravery, humanitarianism, superior investigative work and outstanding police skills.
The monthly winners are then re-evaluated by a panel of judges. One winner is chosen to receive the Police Officer of the Year Award. This year the winner is Constable Joel Manherz.
Constable Joel Manherz was appointed to the Toronto Police Service as a 3rd Class Police Constable on August 16, 2000 and on November 16, 2002 he was reclassified to a 1st Class Police Constable. Constable Manherz is presently assigned to the Sex Crimes Unit.
Constable Joel Manherz have successfully demonstrated outstanding investigative skills and commitment for a safe community. The professional manner with which he has conducted himself is worthy of substantial recognition not only by his peers but also the Toronto Police Service and the Community in which he proudly serves.
Dutch authorities commenced an investigation into a historic child abuse and pornography case which dated back to the 1960s. Constable Manherz, attached to the Child Exploitation Section, reviewed the historic case and was able to identify one of the children in the images. He tracked down the now-43-year-old victim and provided him the opportunity to bring the offenders to justice. The identification of this one victim led to the identification of 8 other victims.
A search warrant was executed and a huge collection of exploitive child images were seized. The suspect had lived in England, Holland and France before settling in Canada. The suspect was charged and the prosecution proceeded to trial with information from victims who were between 10 and 15 at the time the offences were committed. During the course of the trial, another victim came forward. The suspect was convicted and is currently serving 8 1/2 years for his crimes in Canada. He will be deported once released.
Constable Manherz has identified a total of 42 victims worldwide by their first name. The child abuse images seized make up the largest seizure of self-made images ever located in Canada.
In November 2011 Constable Manherz presented the case as a case study at the Ontario Provincial Child Exploitation Conference. The presentation reminded the 300 investigators who attended from across Canada and the United States to never marginalize dated cases as victims of these cases will still want to be given a voice and the opportunity to face their abuser.
As a result of his perseverance, a dangerous offender was arrested and removed from the community.
Constable Joel Manherz was recently selected as Police Officer of the Month for November 2012.
Congratulations to Constable Joel Manherz and to all the award winners for their continuing efforts to make Toronto one of the safest cities in the world.