A gang prevention program run by the Abbotsford Police Department (APD) has won an international award.

The Pathways program received the Webber Seavey Excellence in Law Enforcement Award on Tuesday night (Oct. 22) in Boston from the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

Accepting the award was Harpreet Jhinjar, program manager and the architect of Pathways.

APD Chief Colin Watson said the award is a "significant recognition in the field of policing and a testament to our Pathways team's hard work and dedication to public safety in Abbotsford."

"This award has been bestowed upon outstanding agencies worldwide, and we are proud to be among them," he said.

The IACP website states that the award "recognizes tried and true solutions to a variety of problems that law enforcement officers face daily on the ground."

"More than just simply recognizing the winners, the award helps promote and share these approaches with the entire law enforcement profession. These innovative programs serve as a blueprint to help others develop and strengthen their agencies to make their communities safer," the website states.

The Pathways program began in 2019 after the APD received provincial and federal funding under the Guns and Gangs Violence Action Fund (GGVAF).

The program is designed to prevent at-risk youth and young adults from gang participation. The goal is to intervene and prevent these individuals from engaging in gang activity.

Since its launch, the Pathways gang intervention team has worked with approximately 75 young people.

The GGVAF funding ended in 2023, but Pathways received other support under the federal Building Safer Communities Fund. That funding is set to end in March 2026.

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