"We need more of this"

Marc Boychuk, the Deputy Mayor Town of Peace River, recently posted on LinkedIn about the HELP team.

Last night I saw a young woman having what looked like a very bad reaction, possibly from drugs or alcohol. She was confused, stumbling, throwing herself against the ground and seemed completely out of it. It was heartbreaking and honestly terrifying to watch.

I called 911.

As I watched in tears, hopeless and unable to help this young woman, the police arrived. When they approached her, she was immediately handcuffed. I found myself biting my lip waiting for the screams of pain and agony to come as they often do when people are resisting arrest. But instead of escalating the situation, something remarkable happened.

Two members of the Edmonton Police Service's HELP Team (Human-centered Engagement and Liaison Partnership) arrived, not just officers, but trained professionals who understand the delicate balance between safety and empathy.

They didn’t rush. They didn’t judge. They listened.

Instead of a jail cell, she was offered a warm place to sleep, a hot meal, and most importantly a path to long-term care and recovery.

This is what real change looks like.

As mental health and addiction challenges continue to rise in our communities, Edmonton is leading the way with community first policing, compassion driven crisis response, and meaningful alternatives to incarceration.

We need more of this.

And we need to keep supporting the services and people who make it possible..