A former Saanich cop is the first Victoria Police Civic Service Award recipient.
Michael Drescher, 59, earned the VicPD honour after nabbing a suspected purse snatcher Aug. 30 in Cook Street Village.
Drescher, who now works for LifeLabs, said instinct took over when he came across the suspect running toward him on the sidewalk.
Drescher took him to the ground in the 1100-block of Cook St. Victoria police arrested the suspect who they call a “prolific offender.”
“We don’t ask much of our citizens but when they step up and act like this – when they see a crime in progress and do something to take the offender in custody – to keep people safe, we can’t ask any more than that,” said VicPD Chief Jamie Graham.
“I was in the right place at the right time and I hope that any capable person in that situation would do the same thing,” Drescher said.
“I love Victoria and what happened was out of the ordinary but instinct took over.”