Strengthening the Fight Against Crime in Dufferin County

28 Jan 2021
Dufferin-Caledon: MPP Sylvia Jones is pleased to announce that the Ontario government is providing police services across the province with additional tools and resources to combat crime and keep communities safe by investing approximately $2.8 million over two years through the Community Safety and Policing Grant (CSP) program. Of this new investment, Dufferin OPP will receive approximately $120,000 over the next two years.

“Our police services and their partners play a key role in maintaining public safety. They know what it takes to combat crime and hold offenders accountable,” said Jones “This important investment will help ensure our frontline heroes continue to take action where, and when, it’s needed to keep us all safe.”

Initiatives receiving funding under the provincial priorities stream of the CSP grant program this year include:

 Education and awareness campaigns targeting the public and youth about gun and gang violence, substance abuse, and human trafficking;
 Enhanced training for police officers so they are better equipped to handle sexual violence and harassment investigations, identify signs of human trafficking and interact with victims of human trafficking;
 Crime prevention initiatives for at-risk youth and other vulnerable groups;
 Specialized units that provide a comprehensive, survivor-centered approach to address human trafficking;
 Support services for survivors of sexual violence and harassment;
 Intelligence gathering and sharing, which could include surveillance of organized crime, covert operations, and social media monitoring of gang activity;
 Intervention and diversion strategies focused on youth and young adults who are at risk of entering gangs, as well as exit strategies for victims of human trafficking; and
 Equipment purchases that support policing operations and activities such as enhanced software/technology and/or new vehicles.

“This funding will be used to provide valuable training and equipment to the Dufferin officers in order for us to be proactive against human trafficking, while supporting victims,” said Dufferin OPP Inspector Terry Ward.

This investment is in addition to the $195 million the province is already providing through the local and provincial priorities funding streams of the CSP grant program over three years. It also builds on the province’s $112 million Guns, Gangs and Violence Reduction Strategy as well as its new comprehensive strategy to combat human trafficking.
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