By: Sue Hutton

The Self Advocates Council begins work with the Toronto Police

SAC member Mark Miller recently suggested the SAC meet with Toronto Police to talk about respect and the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. Mark has witnessed Police being a little heavy-handed with people with disabilities in the past, and thought it would be great to have a conversation to help police understand the communication needs of people with intellectual disabilities better. Then when Francie Munoz came to the SAC to talk about her experiences with two Toronto officers, she spoke with optimism and hope about improving things with the police. Francie believes that officers want to work well with people with disabilities, and the two officers she encountered that were disrespectful to her were not the norm of the Toronto Police Services.

When we reached out to Toronto Police Vulnerable Persons Unit officer Jason Peddle, he was super eager to come meet with self advocates. He brought along with him Sargent Charles Zekeres, who is in charge of curriculum development for training for Police. Sargent Charles (Or Chaz as we called him), took a lot of notes and listened to the SAC’s suggestions on how people need to be treated. Francie Munoz was in attendance and shared her feelings with them also.

It was a really powerful discussion! We are very thrilled to be working together.

Charles and Jason were really approachable and friendly. Also with them was another officer who Nelson Raposo was excited to meet. Officer Eddie told the SAC the story of being in a pretty serious accident when he was a new police officer, which left him in a wheelchair for life. Nelson and Eddie swapped notes on accessibility issues. He was very excited to work with the SAC, and was incredibly saddened when he learned about the officers who spoke in a demeaning way about anyone with a disability.

The meeting with police and the SAC was so fun, that nobody wanted to leave! The officers hung out with the group for a good long time after the meeting, chatting, telling jokes.

The SAC is meeting with the officers again in September to continue working together. Starting off, the SAC will speak with Sargent Zekeres about the training for police. What a thrilling partnership!

For more information on the Self Advocates Council contact:

Sue Hutton shutton@cltoronto.ca ,

Michelle Grimley michelle.grimley@cltoronto.ca

Tara Bates tara.bates@cltoronto.ca