The Calgary Police Service has partnered with two local organizations to create more co-ordinated support for those impacted by family violence. The new initiative, called Safer Pathways, will see staff from YWCA Calgary and FearIsNotLove embedded within the CPS domestic conflict unit at police headquarters to create a more integrated approach to responding to family violence. The co-location model is designed to improve collaboration between police and community agencies, allowing them to share information, co-ordinate services and connect people with support sooner. The announcement was made Tuesday. “It’s especially fitting that we come together in November, which is recognized annually as Family Violence Prevention Month,” said Insp. Lee Wayne at a news conference. “This month is an important opportunity to raise awareness about family violence, its impact and the role we all play in changing the trajectory for those in our community that are affected by family violence.” Wayne says in 2025 alone, police received nearly 25,000 domestic-related reports — an average of 2,076 calls each month. “Those numbers reinforce something we have known for a long time: domestic abuse is complex. It cannot be addressed through enforcement alone,” he said. “Our involvement is only one part of the response.” Wayne said effective intervention requires police to work closely with community organizations to bring specialized expertise, resources and support to those affected by domestic violence. “Safer Pathways builds on that collaborative effort by strengthening our partnerships with FearIsNotLove and YWCA Calgary.” ‘Preventing violence and intervening are different’ Kim Ruse, CEO of FearIsNotLove, says Safer Pathways is an important and unique community initiative. “We’ve been doing this work for a long time, and there’s one thing that we’ve learned — and that is that preventing violence and intervening are different. This project will bring those together in a really different way than it has happened in the city before. “Of course, we need to be there when people are in crisis — this work really does save lives — but we also have to ask ourselves, what we can do differently so that fewer people find themselves in these crisis situations.” In the past, police would respond to an incident, and after, community agencies would offer support. “We know that things can get lost along the way; people experiencing violence are already dealing with so much; they shouldn’t also have to figure out how to navigate a complicated system to get the help that they need,” Ruse said. “By working more closely together, we have a better chance of recognizing risk, responding earlier and making sure that people get the right support at the right time.” Talia Bell, CEO of YWCA Calgary, says the goal is to increase their impact and deepen engagement with people experiencing trauma and crisis. “We also aim to intervene earlier, before conflict escalates and leads to more serious charges,” Bell said. “Through safer pathways, we expect to work with more individuals and families, and provide more support for everyone involved.” How to get help The organizations say anyone experiencing abuse or violence in family or intimate relationships should seek support in ways that feel safe for them. Free, confidential help is available by calling 211.Additional resources for those experiencing family violence are available through:
