Friends and Families Get an Inside Look at Toronto Police
At the Toronto Police College over the weekend, cadets preparing to join the city’s police force invited their families inside for a candid look at the work ahead — and the resources available to guide them.
“I want them to see that there is support for us as a family, as a police family,” said Cadet in Training Abner Cotter, emphasizing the strength found in close connections within policing.
Saturday’s Friends and Family Day, only the second since the pandemic, gave cadets a valuable opportunity to bring their loved ones into that fold.
Throughout the day, booths showcased specialized units, wellness programs and recruitment pathways. The event also created space for questions often left unspoken in daily life.
For Cotter’s wife, Judy Robinson, who works as a 9-1-1 call operator, the experience was eye-opening.
“As a first responder, you don’t actually always hear about everything,” she said. “There’s a lot of resources that we just don’t know about so it’s good to come to something like [this] and learn more about it.”
Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue shared that same thought during her address, stressing how important it is for families, whether they’re in uniform or not, to stay informed and connected.
“As every police officer knows, you don’t get through the hiring process or recruit training on your own,” Pogue said. “It is with the support of our loved ones that we all succeed.”
Pogue also highlighted the Toronto Police Service’s growing investment in mental health and wellness, emphasizing the expanding programs designed to support officers and their families.
“The health and well-being of our members will always be a top priority,” she added, noting the variety of work available beyond frontline policing. “We have many and numerous career opportunities at the Toronto Police Service, depending on the skills and interests,” Pogue said.
Those possibilities, and the support that comes with them, were front and centre for the families in attendance.
Watching his two-year-old son, Cross, excitedly wade through the gym, Cotter smiled. “I’m not sure how he sees [police officers] yet, but probably the way I saw them when I was a little kid. I think he’s going to be proud to see me in my uniform,” he said.
As Cotter and the other cadets prepare to walk the stage, it's clear they won’t be doing it alone. Their families will be right there with them every step of the way.
“Our new recruits will get their badges soon and they’ll become part of our police family,” Pogue said. It’s a family, she added, that will now include their loved ones and that the Service "will always be there for one another.”
