Truckers hi-five one cop; say bye to another

TORONTO — Constable David Karsin of the Winnipeg Police Service seized more contraband from on-highway criminals than any other cop in the country.

Ands this week, he was rewarded for his efforts.

Every year, Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) presents a law-enforcement officer with the "Canadian Trucking Alliance Highway Interdiction Award," and the 2011 version went to Karsin.

The presentation took place at the National Pipeline/Convoy Conference in Toronto.

The Pipeline/Convoy Program provides training for police officers in the detection and apprehension of traveling criminals and is overseen by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police has led to total seizures of contraband valued at over $4 billion.

"Karsin,” says RCMP Staff Sgt Rob Ruiters, Program coordinator, "consistently leads the national policing community in detecting criminals traveling our highways utilizing commercial vehicles to move illegal drugs and other contraband."

The conference also marked Ruiters’ official departure from the program. He has been with the transport-crime program for the past 18 years but it is moving its head office to Ottawa and he will be staying in Saskatchewan.