Cornford’s community policing & Parkinson’s efforts are remembered
Tony Cornford
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Updated: October 07, 2009 9:19 AM
Antony Cornford, a longtime Coquitlam volunteer who started the Tri-Cities’ first community police station and Tri-City Speed Watch, died on Saturday after a long battle with Parkinson’s disease. He was 74.
Cornford set up the Ridgeway community police station, at the request of Coquitlam RCMP, in 1995 following the murder of Graham Niven and in response to the growing crime rates in Austin Heights. The next year, he also saw the opening of the Port Coquitlam community police station on Coast Meridian Road; for his efforts, then-mayor Len Traboulay rewarded Cornford with a key to the city.
That same year, Cornford was named as the BC Independent Senior of the Year for his work in crime prevention and public safety, and he was presented with the Attorney-General’s Crime Prevention/Community Policing Outstanding Volunteer Award. In 2002, Cornford was recognized with the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Commemorative Medal.
A Korean War veteran, former RCMP member and retired CN Railway Police officer, Cornford served on many school, health and public safety committees in Quebec and in Coquitlam, including with the Tri-City Parkinson’s support group, which he founded in 2002 (he also launched the SuperWalk for Parkinson’s in Coquitlam in 2005).
A memorial service will be held Thursday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m. at St. Laurence Anglican Church.
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