Why This Canadian Cop Started Helping the Homeless Instead of Arresting Them

Why This Canadian Cop Started Helping the Homeless Instead of Arresting Them

From Reasons We Serve: Police Careers & Officer Experience by Reasons We Serve

May 17, 2026 · 1h 47m · Episode 161

About this episode

Retired Hamilton Police Sergeant Pete Wiesner shares his journey from policing to helping the homeless, discussing mental health and crisis response.

Retired Hamilton Police Sergeant Pete Wiesner shares one of the most honest interviews about the real cost of wearing the badge. From contemplating suicide during marriage breakdown and family mental health struggles, to becoming a pioneer in crisis response and helping former criminals turn their lives around — this is a powerful story of trauma, resilience, and hope. Pete discusses: • Why he became a cop and what policing in Canada is really like • Mental health crisis in law enforcement (Canada vs USA) • The "Marginalized Triangle" — mental health, addiction & homelessness • How he helped transform the lives of career criminals like Danny and Leon • Innovative police mental health programs, social navigators & co-response teams • His current work using Virtual Reality for police de-escalation and officer wellness A must-watch for police officers, first responders, their families, and anyone who cares about mental health. Welcome to our Channel Reasons We Serve, a podcast dedicated to exploring the motivations, challenges, and realities of working in law enforcement. We dive deep into the personal stories of officers, discuss different career paths, and break down the…

People in this episode

Host: Reasons We Serve

Guest: Pete Wiesner

Topics covered

Keywords

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Hamilton Police

Places: Canada, USA

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