WINNIPEG, Man. — A Winnipeg police officer has won an award from the Canadian Trucking Alliance for outstanding work in detecting criminal activity on the nation’s highways.

Winnipeg Police Service Constable David Karsin was presented with CTA’s 2011 Highway Interdiction Award at the annual dinner of the National Pipeline/Convoy Conference held in Toronto on May 3.

The award is given to the individual responsible for seizing the highest value of goods or contraband from criminals on the highway.

The Pipeline/Convoy program provides training for police officers in the detection and apprehension of travelling criminals. Since its inception in 1994, the program has let to seizures totalling more than $4 billion.

“The trucking industry is pleased to recognize the people like David Karsin whose job it is to help keep our highways safe,” says CTA president and CEO David Bradley.

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

Bradley was the keynote speaker at the conference, which had in attendance police officers from all over North America in addition to trucking industry dignitaries.