MADD Recognizes Officers for Preventing Tragedies

Traffic Services Superintendent Catherine Jackson joined representatives of MADD (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) to recognize three Toronto Police officers and an entire division for their outstanding efforts to remove impaired drivers from the city’s roads.

“Their efforts to reduce impaired driving, identify and remove impaired drivers from our roads, and ultimately prevent the devastating and often life-altering consequences of impaired driving are truly commendable,”Jackson said at the awards ceremony. “Through their dedication, they are helping to make our roads safer and protect everyone who travels on them.”

The ceremony recognizing Toronto Police members for excellence in impaired driving enforcement, drug recognition enforcement and breath analysis.

MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer Steve Sullivan said law enforcement officers play a critical role in preventing deaths and serious injuries caused by drivers impaired by alcohol, cannabis and other drugs.

“Every time an officer takes an impaired driver off the road, they may be preventing a lifetime of pain and heartbreak,” he said. “You will never meet the people who were not impacted by the decision of an impaired driver you removed from the road. Those people will never know what you’ve done, but we know the difference you’ve made in their lives.”

Sullivan also acknowledged the families of police officers, noting that the demands of the profession often affect those closest to them.

“I know that your work has a cost, and that cost can be borne by your families as well,” he said. “I want to recognize your sacrifices.”

MADD Toronto President Bob Carreau spoke about the personal tragedy that led him to become involved with the organization. His son, Robert, was killed by an impaired driver on November 2, 2020, while running near Rosseau Lake College in Muskoka, where he was Head of School.

“He was living his life,” he said. “Somebody made a decision to get into a vehicle that morning and drive impaired. That wasn’t an accident. It was a crime.”

Carreau said MADD helped his family understand the police, criminal and civil processes while connecting them with other families who had endured similar losses.

“It’s crippling and devastating for families,” he said. “On behalf of all the people who have lost someone needlessly, I thank you for your service. You may not know for certain how many people you are saving, but you know that the impaired driver you removed from the road will not kill anyone that day or during your shift.”

Constables Jesi Monahan, Gil Medeiros and Ali Perez received individual awards, while 55 Division was recognized for its leadership and collective commitment to road safety.

Monahan received the MADD Toronto Impaired Driving Enforcement Excellence Award after personally arresting 61 people for impaired driving offences in 2025.

His work involved identifying suspected impaired drivers during proactive traffic enforcement and calls for service, conducting roadside investigations and gathering the evidence required to support criminal charges. Each investigation demanded careful observation, knowledge of impaired driving law and the ability to complete detailed documentation that could withstand scrutiny in court.

Monahan joined the Service in August 2022 and continued expanding her skills in this specialized area. He qualified as a breath technician in September 2025 and became certified as a drug recognition expert just one month later.

“For an officer so early in her policing career, these accomplishments are particularly noteworthy,” Carreau said. “Constable Monahan’s enthusiasm, determination and commitment to excellence are a credit to the Toronto Police Service and demonstrate the positive impact that dedicated officers can have in making our communities safer.”

Medeiros received the MADD Toronto Excellence in Drug Recognition Enforcement Award. He joined the Service in August 2023 after serving for more than six years as a military police member with the Canadian Armed Forces and arrived qualified as both a breath technician and drug recognition expert.

In 2025, Medeiros completed the highest number of drug recognition expert evaluations involving people arrested for drug-impaired driving within the Service.

These evaluations require specialized knowledge and considerable attention to detail. A drug recognition expert conducts a structured assessment of the arrested person, documents observations and forms an opinion about whether impairment is present and the category of drug that may be responsible. The officer must prepare extensive documentation and may later be required to attend court and provide expert testimony.

Medeiros also conducted breath tests, arrested drivers suspected of being impaired by alcohol or drugs and shared his expertise with colleagues. His mentorship helped newer officers develop the skills and confidence required to investigate complex impaired driving cases.

“Constable Medeiros’ professionalism, knowledge and willingness to share his experience with others have strengthened the Toronto Police Service’s ability to investigate and prosecute impaired driving offences,” noted Carreau.

Perez received the MADD Toronto Excellence in Breath Analysis Award after conducting breath tests on 122 people arrested for impaired driving offences in 2025.

As a qualified breath technician, he was responsible for operating approved instruments, obtaining legally required breath samples and carefully documenting the results. The evidence gathered by breath technicians is an important part of determining a driver’s blood-alcohol concentration and supporting impaired driving prosecutions.

Perez’s 122 tests did not include drivers he personally arrested or the drug recognition evaluations he conducted during the year. He joined the Service in December 2010, became a qualified breath technician in August 2014 and expanded his expertise by qualifying as a drug recognition expert in October 2023.

“Constable Perez’s dedication to excellence, attention to detail and commitment to public safety exemplify the highest standards of policing,” Carreau said. “His work has made a measurable difference in the fight against impaired driving and serves as an example for his colleagues across the Toronto Police Service.”

MADD Toronto also recognized 55 Division after its members led all Toronto Police divisions with 102 impaired driving arrests in 2025.

The achievement reflected the work of officers across the division rather than that of a select few. Members proactively looked for signs of impairment during traffic stops, responded to reports from the public, conducted investigations and ensured that suspected impaired drivers were removed from the road.

The division was also recognized for fostering a culture in which officers are encouraged and supported in recognizing impaired driving, taking appropriate enforcement action and completing thorough and professional investigations.