West Shore RCMP recently presented Transit Supervisor (TS) Jeff Birtwistle with an Officer in Charge Certificate of Appreciation to thank him for his actions in finding a missing child on what was his first day as a TS.
“It’s definitely rewarding being recognized on behalf of everyone else at BC Transit that was involved,” said Jeff Birtwistle. “I believe everyone at BC Transit in Victoria works hard and does a good job in supporting our community and it’s definitely nice to be recognized.”
At 7 p.m. on May 1, 2021, West Shore RCMP received a call from a View Royal family saying their 10-year old daughter had uncharacteristically left their home without her phone or tablet. The girl has health challenges, and her parents were extremely concerned about her whereabouts.
West Shore RCMP officers attended the area and conducted extensive foot and vehicle patrols searching for the young girl. They also notified local taxi companies, BC Ferries and BC Transit, providing a description and a request to notify police if anyone saw her.
“The success of any investigation often relies on the cooperation between partnering organizations and local agencies,” said West Shore RCMP Superintendent Todd Preston. “It is the positive working relationships within our community that contributes to the safety and security of our residents. The actions of Jeffrey Birtwistle and BC Transit are prime examples of how a successful collaboration yields a positive outcome.”
Requests of this nature are common for BC Transit to receive, and there have been many instances where people in the organization have played a key role in locating missing persons. Once the information is received by BC Transit’s T-Comm team, the key details are communicated out to all employees on the road.
Jeff Birtwistle has been a Transit Operator since 2017, but this incident coincided with his first solo shift as an acting Transit Supervisor. He heard over the radio that Transit Operator Steve Pihl had a visual on someone matching the description of the child on the Old Island Highway in Colwood, and he headed to the area to see if he could help. A short time later, he caught up with the girl across from West Shore Recreation Centre.
Just 45 minutes after the initial call came in to West Shore RCMP, they were notified by BC Transit that TS Birtwistle had located the girl and would stay with her until police could arrive on the scene. It wasn’t long before she was returned to her worried family.
On November 1, an Officer in Charge Certificate of Appreciation was presented to Jeff Birtwistle by West Shore RCMP Superintendent Todd Preston at the Langford Transit Centre. The certificate commended Jeff for taking it upon himself to attend the area and complete further patrols to locate her. It states:
Mr. Birtwistle’s willingness to assist in the search and to take the time to follow up on a reported sighting by one of his BC Transit Drivers helped to locate this young girl. Mr. Birtwistle’s efforts are in keeping with the highest traditions of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and helped to bring this situation to a quick resolution and ensure this young girl’s safety.
BC Transit congratulates Jeff Birtwistle and the rest of the team for their tremendous impact on this View Royal family and their wider community. This is just another example of the work BC Transit employees and operating partners do across the province to support emergency services in many ways.
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