2005 Winner – Rick Rozoski
A previously unrecognized Hamilton police constable Rick Rozoski was announced by Canadian Hero Chris Robertson as the winner of the first “To The Top Canada Award”, on Saturday, January 8th, 2005 from the steps of Parliament Hill. Like police officers across Canada, he would fight crime by day, but by night on his time off Rick Rozoski has been a virtual superhero working as the founder and coordinator of the International Police Diver Symposium (I.P.D.S), the largest symposium in the world that brings Police, Fire and Rescue Divers together for training and educational seminars. It is a massive event with people attending from across Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Norway, Bermuda, Ireland, Great Britain, Netherlands, Germany, France, Sweden, South Africa and the USA. Rescue Divers from N.A.S.A., many of the world’s Navies, Police Services and Fire Departments internationally have benefited from the I.P.D.S.
“As rescue divers from around the world worked in Asia in the region hit by the devastating Tsunami in December 2004, they might likely have a single Canadian police officer to thank who created an information exchange of rescue diving best practices. The International Police Diver Symposium which has grown to be the foremost international conference in the world on search and rescue diving techniques has had international delegates take the information home and incorporate these best practices into their training programs. This information has the power to save lives not just in Canada, but around the world. Here is a wonderful example of the leadership of just one person, just not making Canada better but the world we live in,” commented To The Top Canada Award founder Chris Robertson.
