At this time of year, when the weather can be very unforgiving for Vancouver’s un-housed, there is a notable VPD-led community initiative that helps vulnerable individuals get to open shelter spaces and temporary warming centres around the city. Spearheaded by VPD Constable Jason Doucette in 2021, this free and compassionate transportation program has supported nearly 150 individuals who need it most over the last three years. And with winter just getting underway, the program will likely support another 50 individuals before spring 2025.
The need for this service was something that Jason identified when he was the Neighbourhood Policing Officer (NPO) for the West End and Coal Harbour communities. As the NPO, he spent most of his shifts walking or riding his bike through these neighbourhoods getting to know as many people as he could. Jason would regularly start his walking or riding tour early in the morning which allowed him to see who was sleeping outdoors. It was this daily activity that made him realize there was a specific gap in support services for those who live and sleep on the street.
“Starting my days early and touring the neighbourhoods on foot or by bike gave me the chance to get to know individuals who needed support,” explains Jason. “I’d have conversations with them so I could learn enough about their situations to help connect them with resources that could get them off the streets and improve their quality of life.”
During his first winter as an NPO Jason quickly realized that many people sleeping outdoors were suffering due to the harsh weather. Most were wet, cold, exhausted, and understandably upset when they were being told to move along.
“Instead of simply asking them to leave, I took the time to listen to their stories, learn about their circumstances, and offer whatever assistance I could. I carried a list of shelter locations to share as a temporary solution, but I often heard, ‘I can’t get there because I’m freezing, and the closest shelter is too far away.’”
It became clear to Jason that while shelter spaces were available, they were essentially useless unless there was a practical way for vulnerable individuals to get to them. Public transit isn’t an option in the late night and early morning hours, walking long distances in cold, wet weather wasn’t reasonable, and forcing people to leave without viable alternatives wasn’t fair.
“That’s when I approached the Vancouver Police Foundation for funding to cover taxi rides to shelters for those who had no other way to get there,” says Jason. “As always, the VPF stepped up immediately.”
With funding from the VPF, the VPD liaised with Black Top Cabs who also supported his idea and agreed to provide the rides to shelters and warming centres. So, for the last three winters, Vancouver’s most vulnerable un-housed individuals and families have been able to make their way to shelters at no cost, all thanks to an idea Jason had after getting to know the people of his NPO community better.
The process for VPD officers who want to use this program is quite simple. Once they’ve identified someone who would benefit from this service, the officer then confirms where shelter space is available and calls ahead to confirm a spot. Next, the officer calls a Black Top cab and waits with the individual until the taxi arrives. The taxi drivers are aware of the destination and purpose of the ride.
“As police officers, we often have a brief opportunity to help a vulnerable person who is experiencing potentially dangerous weather conditions,” says Jason. “And by the time we speak with someone sitting or sleeping outdoors in terrible conditions, they are too wet, cold, sore, and tired to walk to a shelter. I have not met anyone who has been unreasonable, they are just simply too run down to make the walk after being exposed to the elements.”
For example, VPD Officers attended to an elderly male with reduced mobility who had fallen over and had been stuck in a snowbank for several hours. Police ensured the male was uninjured and able to warm up while speaking to him. Officers decided that, given the extreme weather conditions paired with limited mobility, the program would get this man safely to a shelter.
On another occasion, officers came across a female from out of town who had limited resources, no working cell phone, and needed police assistance in getting to a shelter. Police were able to utilize the program to facilitate transport to a local Women’s Shelter, getting her off the streets and into a safe space.
Then there was the time that police were called to a male passed out on a bus who, when spoken to, appeared confused and could not provide any information for where he lived. Police did not want to leave the male out in the cold. They found a warming shelter for the male and utilized the program to transport the male and confirmed he got checked in safely.
What may seem like a small gesture, these rides can be the difference between misery and hope, or even more extreme, between life and death. For Jason and his VPD colleagues, having this kind of support program in their toolbox is a true difference-maker across Vancouver.
In 2023, Jason moved into a new role in VPD’s Public Affairs Section, so Constable Dan Cameron, Sergeant Jennifer Simms, and Constable Ram Sandhu took over the program in Jason’s absence and have continued managing it with great success. Until other long-term solutions by partner agencies are considered and implemented, Jason’s VPD transportation program helps those who need it most each winter.
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It should also be noted that Jason is no stranger to identifying a need, determining a solution, and turning to the VPF to fund his idea. In 2022, in response to a rise in fear surrounding personal safety among those living and working in the West End and Coal Harbour neighbourhoods, Jason sourced and distributed 500 Personal Safety Kits to those in the neighbourhood. Each kit included a tote bag with reflective striping, a safety tips brochure, important phone numbers card, an emergency contact card, personal safety alarm, water bottle and the recipient’s choice of a Fox 40 whistle on a breakaway lanyard, silicone smart wallet, or neck wallet card holder on a breakaway lanyard.
The Vancouver Police Foundation supports programs and initiatives that fall within three streams: community outreach and engagement (including programs for women, youth and seniors); public and personal safety; and specialized equipment and technology. You can help make Vancouver safer for all by donating to the Vancouver Police Foundation.
