Evan Harrison embodies what it means to be a community police officer - his dedication and passion can be seen daily in his work and I have witnessed it personally when he attended our 3rd Annual BeYOUth Mental Health Conference. PC Harrison attended the conference in Toronto and was a mentor to over 100 youth in attendance to gain strategies on how to cope with mental health in their daily lives. PC Harrison shared his personal story and was able to build positive relationships with the youth, empowering them and being an exceptional role model. 

His ability to connect with the community and celebrate the differences that make the youth special was demonstrated. He was able to foster relationships with the youth, many of whom have not have positive interactions with police officers and he built their trust. By the end of the conference, youth were asking for PC Harrison to attend the conference every year moving forward and said that they felt valued and heard when working with PC Harrison during the day. We need officers like PC Harrison who allow the community to see the human side of policing through genuine and authentic connections.