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An Edmonton police officer is being honoured with the Kiwanis Membership of Edmonton – Oil Capital’s High Cop award for his work serving to youngsters.

On Monday, at a ceremony on the Edmonton Police Service’s (EPS) northwest campus, Det. Manuel Illner acquired the award for his ongoing dedication to bettering the lives of kids in his function as a police officer and a coach.

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He mentioned youngsters are essentially the most weak individuals in our inhabitants.

“After I went to the kid safety part, that’s the place I used to be in a position to make an precise distinction within the youngster’s life, particularly the actual weak ones which might be struggling abuse day by day,” he mentioned. “To make that distinction for them, it was superior.”

Iller has additionally volunteered as a coach with St. Albert Slam Basketball for the previous 10 years, encouraging and motivating youth to do their finest. Within the viewers have been his three children who have been a “enormous half” of why he acquired into teaching.

“I’ve coached them their complete basketball careers, youth careers,” Illner mentioned. “It’s superb to have them right here and share this present day with them.”

Edmonton police Chief Dale McFee mentioned it’s heartwarming to see Illner honoured.

“It’s actually what we actually wish to see in all of our officers is, being hooked up, being concerned locally, being concerned with youth, and going the additional mile to assist make our residents and positively our metropolis safer and a greater place, and to provide individuals generally that want it a hand up and construct some confidence,” he mentioned.

As a part of the award, the Kiwanis Membership is donating $1,000 to the charity of Illner’s alternative — the Stollery Kids’s Hospital Basis.

Illner is the forty seventh EPS officer acknowledged by Kiwanis for excellent volunteer contributions locally since 1976.

ajunker@postmedia.com