Community Helps Most Vulnerable
Community members and policing partners were honoured for their selflessness with Toronto Police Community Members awards on September 10.
“These are courageous and passionate Toronto residents living and working here in our city who, in difficult times, stressful and sometimes dangerous situations, maintained their composure and took action,” said Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue.
Noting they are community heroes, she said the awardees are an inspiration to others.
“Your incredible actions have earned you your respective awards,” Pogue told them. “Your courage in the face of danger, your resilience in the face of adversity and your empathy and compassion for the well-being of others, are fundamental elements in creating safer communities.
“Your selflessness, quick thinking and willingness to help people in times of desperate need and your prompt actions in assisting police make all of us so proud. As both a resident of Toronto and as the Deputy Chief of Police, I am honoured to meet such extraordinary individuals like you.”
Nancy McMahon stepped up to help a victim of crime in her neighbourhood.
Last February, a 77-year-old woman was walking along Hupfield Trail in Scarborough when she was shot at multiple times with a pellet gun in an unprovoked attack.
An avid walker in the community, the victim was too scared to walk alone after the random attack.
On March 17, 42 Division Neighbourhood officer held a community walk to support the victim.
McMahon, who lives nearby, approached the victim’s family at the walk, letting them know she would walk with her so she could be safe.
“I told them if she needs to get out of the house, I could help her,” she said.
The next day, Constables Melinda Mantle and Alechia Cracknell met the victim and McMahon for the first walk since the incident three weeks earlier.
Mantle, who is now deployed to the Community Partnerships & Engagement Unit, said McMahon was a great source of support for the victim.
“She certainly stepped up when the victim was at her most vulnerable to get her out of the house,” she said.
Inspector Michael Williams said McMahon went above and beyond what is expected of a community resident.
“Nancy committed herself to make another community member feel safe doing something they love,” he said. “She provided the gift of freedom to another member of the community.”
Those honoured at the Community Member Awards included helping a stranger who was experiencing a mental health crisis, performing CPR on a stranger, apprehending a sexual assault suspect, intervening to help of a police officer who was assaulted and preventing a senior from being the victim of a fraud.
Toronto Police Services Board member Shelley Carroll noted that the honourees rose to the challenge and intervened to prevent a death or crime or to support a good cause.
“Through their quick thinking, their keen observations, their compassion and their persistence, they helped to capture suspects, solve crimes, assist people in need and even save lives,” the Toronto City Councillor said. “Each one of these is remarkable and each community member being honoured is a true hero.”
Speaking directly to the award recipients, Carroll told them their courageous and incredible actions play a critical role in building safe neighbourhoods and communities.
“Selfless and compassionate actions of individuals like you contribute beyond measure to making Toronto the best and safest city in the world,” she added. “This is a city where people care about one another, genuinely and deeply.”
While working as a Crossing Guard at the intersection of Eastern Ave. and Carlaw Ave. last April, Amy Grozelle recognized a missing person who was the subject of a massive city-wide search.
“I had seen the story on TV and we get a missing person’s report daily from work,” she said. “He had on a baseball hat and a hoodie and was walking with a beer can in his hand. I asked him how he was doing and he told me he was tired and exhausted. It was raining.”
As the elderly man started to walk away, Grozelle flagged down Constable Jordan Kowalski who was driving by in a patrol car.
Norman Gray, 75, who resides in the Jane St. & Wilson Ave. area, was missing for 52 hours.
“If it was not for Amy’s passion for community safety and knowing she could make a difference, the outcome could have been very different,” said the 51 Division officer. “Her actions and concern for a fellow citizen and her community speaks to her positive character and she should be commended for her efforts.”
Staff Superintendent Brett Nicol also said Grozelle should be commended for her compassion and assistance to police.
Other award winners were Farouk Bacchus, Adriana Serralde, Alyssa Beemer, Yaquelin Green, Aaron Seeboo, Patrizia Di Battista, Aiden Chitsazi, Ken Exley, Christine Ng-Chung, Kyle Gauvin, Medhat Maher Soliman Rofael, Scott Reynolds, Tony Jiang and Toronto Transit Commission members Haris Mujanovic and Sean Glover.