Welcome York Beyond The Blue

May 4 will mark the official launch date of York Beyond The Blue. After collaboration with the York Regional Police Service's Peer Support Unit, York Beyond The Blue was born; uniting police families from opposite ends of our country. York is a former municipality of Toronto but emancipated to become their own city, currently with a police force equivalent in size to Calgary. The YRP Peer Support Unit realized the need and importance of educating and supporting our members families and saw great success in the BTB model; paying Calgary a visit in the fall of 2015 to see first hand the resources we offer. We, the BTB leadership, are proud to see this organization grow and stretch across our Canada. We are equally thrilled to see police agencies recognizing the need for family support and taking proactive steps to create these resources.

Jen Thompson, a YRP Peer Support civilian employee and LEO spouse, spearheaded the movement to establish a BTB chapter in York and was fully backed by her department which has embraced the BTB model of supporting police families.

“As spouses and family members we are the true first responders to our first responders.

At times it can be difficult to watch your loved one struggle and not know where to turn. I am grateful that I knew where to turn when my husband, a York Regional Police Officer, was struggling, however I fear what the outcome would have been, if I had not.”

- Jen Thompson

In addition to YorkBeyondTheBlue.com, we have also launched CanadaBeyondTheBlue.com which will act as a tool for establishing BTB chapters in other areas of Canada and connecting all of our branches!