Cobourg police officers develop unique response to homelessness and addiction

Sgt. Janice MacDonald and Constable Janice Bertrand

Sgt. Janice MacDonald and Constable Janet Bertrand are on their walking rounds in Cobourg’s downtown. They are responsible for the formation of the HARP. It stands for Homeless and Addiction Response Project.

The show:

The full interview with bonus material:

It was a beautiful Sunday morning just over a year ago. Sgt. Janice  MacDonald of the Cobourg Police was sitting in her cruiser in a parking lot on Strathy Road. On a small patch of grass, she saw a homeless woman sleeping. It broke her heart. She vowed at that moment to do something.

In this interview, you will hear about what Sgt. MacDonald did. She and her partner Constable Janet Bertrand came up with HARP. That stands for Homelessness and Addictions Response Project. It is a unique program where officers assist homeless people. The program was recently given more than $400,000 in provincial funding to expand its initiative. The two officers were recently honoured with an Ontario Women in Law Enforcement Major Award. Here is that interview.

Originally aired: August 5, 2022

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