XVIII CP-002 – Crime Prevention

The Toronto Police Services Board views crime prevention as one component of community safety and well-being that, when properly embedded into community policing approaches, works to ensure those in Toronto feel safe in the communities in which they live, work and otherwise participate. The prevention of crime can only be achieved through information-sharing and strategic collaboration with the City, local organizations and government agencies, businesses, and members of the community itself. These initiatives must exist in addition to local crime prevention activities being undertaken by front-line officers and supervisors in accordance with the police service’s procedures on problem-oriented policing, to which this Chapter of the Policy does not apply.

It is the policy of the Toronto Police Services Board that:

1. The Chief of Police will ensure that the police service provides community-based crime prevention initiatives by using Service members and may also use auxiliary members, special constables and volunteers. Auxiliary members, special constables and volunteers used in community-based crime prevention initiatives must be under the direction of a Service member;
2. The Chief of Police will designate a member(s) to have overall responsibility for the police service’s involvement in community-based crime prevention initiatives;
3. The Chief of Police will identify the need for the implementation of crime prevention initiatives for crime, call and public disorder analysis, criminal intelligence, road safety and community needs;
4. The Chief of Police will ensure that the police service works, where possible, with the City of Toronto school boards, community organizations, neighbourhoods, businesses and neighbouring municipalities or jurisdictions to develop and implement community-based crime prevention initiatives;
5. The Chief of Police will consider the need for a multi-agency strategy to prevent or counter the activities of criminal gangs, including youth gangs, and prevent the proliferation of guns in the community;
6. The Chief of Police will establish procedures and processes on community-based crime prevention initiatives for the police service;
7. The Chief of Police will ensure the development and implementation of evaluation frameworks for crime prevention initiatives; and
8. The Chief of Police will include in the Service’s annual report to the Board:
   1. information and examples of the Service’s crime prevention initiatives; and
   2. evidence on the effectiveness of a sample the Service’s crime prevention initiatives.