Boots on the Ground (Ontario)

Boots on the Ground was started by Dave McLennan, a dedicated Police Officer who, on the verge of retirement, felt called to continue to serve his community in a new way. He had become passionate about the impact that exposure to trauma was having on police officers and other first responders and he believed that he could bring together a group of dedicated volunteers to help make a difference. Dave was able to engage a group of dedicated retired and serving police officers who worked together to establish a confidential peer support program that would be available 24/7. The dedicated team took over two years to plan the types of services, engage in training and discuss procedures that would be required to provide safe, secure and confidential support to other first responders. They remained focused on first responders, the experiences that occur in the work and their strong desire to make a positive difference for their community. Each team member has received peer support trai...