Ride Along With 51 Division

Lauro Monteiro, Executive Director of Haven Toronto believes, “Having a relationship with 51 Division of Toronto Police Service builds trust.

Monteiro says, "When the constables are out in the community and engage with our clients, they know each other. The fact they are here frequently, the fact they are here volunteering on their own time, resonates with our men.”

PC Susan Crawford, 51 Division, is a board member at Haven Toronto, a volunteer and a donor.

“The average person in Toronto doesn’t realize the extent of the homeless issue and how severe it is for many people,” says PC Susan Crawford. “As officers of the city, we deal with it all the time. We see how bad it can be, how much there is of it.”

Toronto is experiencing unprecedented levels of homelessness. Senior homelessness is at a crisis point. In four years, the number of seniors who are homeless has doubled.

Constable Crawford adds, “In the heart of winter, in the freezing cold, when we are out in our cars, we know people are out in the cold, sleeping, homeless.”

Haven Toronto is the only agency in Canada that is dedicated to the needs of elder men who are homeless.