Last week, I met with our local officers at Toronto Police Service Division 33 to talk about how we can best work together to keep our neighbourhoods safe. They shared very valuable information about the programs and initiatives the police are working on to take a proactive approach to community safety. I want to share that information with you, the residents of Don Valley North, so that we can all work together to make our neighbourhoods as safe as possible. I also want to walk you through SafeTO, Toronto’s Community Safety and Well-Being Plan, and the work being done across sectors to take a holistic approach to safety in our city. Let’s dive into it.
I know community safety is a top priority here in Don Valley North. Our local officers at Division 33 shared some positive statistics right at the top of our meeting—Major Crime Indicators are down across the board, including a 70% reduction in break and enters and a 16% reduction in auto thefts. As many of you may know, we have had two tragic incidents happen here in Don Valley North in just the past month. Police assured me and my team that these were targeted incidents and there is no broader concern for public safety. That doesn’t mean these incidents aren’t deeply unsettling for neighbours, and that’s where the City’s safety response comes in.
When these types of events occur, the City deploys Community Crisis Response teams to support the impacted neighbourhood. These teams are made up of dedicated Community Development Officers who are trained to help communities with the recovery and healing process after violent and traumatic incidents. They work with neighbours to develop hyper-local strategies to enhance safety, doing everything from training and education sessions to community safety audits and innovative safety projects that are tailor-made for the neighbourhood. They also have staff who can provide assistance and resources in many languages to ensure communities are receiving culturally relevant support.
The Community Crisis Response Program is reflective of the City’s broader approach to community safety through SafeTO. The reality is that the root causes of crime run deep and need to be addressed through dozens of sectors including education, justice, healthcare, community services, and more. We recently made a huge step in strengthening our community safety response with the launch of the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS). Dedicated E-Blast readers have seen me write about this before, as I moved the motion to create this new service back in 2020. The TCCS is our new, non-police led emergency response to persons in mental health crisis. The program started as a pilot in 2021 and was hugely successful. As of September 2024, the program will be expanded city-wide to ensure people in crisis are receiving comprehensive and sensitive care.
SafeTO also outlines the many other avenues we can take to enhance community safety. Some of the most impactful investments we can make come in the form of youth programs that help equip our most vulnerable young people with the skills and social connections they need to thrive. We need to make proactive, impactful investments where possible to stamp out the root causes of crime and build healthy communities.
The Toronto Police Service sees the value in a proactive approach to community safety as well. Division 33 told me about a number of programs and initiatives that are in place to help our officers connect with communities to create safe neighbourhoods. Chief amongst them is the Neighbourhood Community Officer Program. This program started back in 2013 and has grown exponentially over the past 10 years. Its focus is on proactively building relationships between police and local communities. Neighbourhood Officers work with residents and community-based organizations to identify local concerns and prevent crime. For many years we had one Neighbourhood Officer who was spread very thin—Officer Dale Swift, who some of you may remember. Officer Swift has since moved on to support the Neighbourhood Officer Program at a higher level, and we now have four dedicated Neighbourhood Officers here in Don Valley North.
Our local Division 33 also offers programs and supports that you may not yet be aware of. Recently, they have begun inviting neighbourhoods into the station to meet officers and discuss any safety concerns happening at the hyper-local level. This month they were joined by neighbours in Henry Farm, including the Henry Farm Community Interest Association (HFCIA). If you have a group of neighbours interested in meeting with our local officers, you can reach out to 33 Division at 416-808-3300.
Another asset we have is a local Crime Prevention Officer, Constable Joel Roberts, whose work largely focuses on proactive responses to community safety. My office has worked with Constable Roberts to set up community safety audits at the request of local residents. During a safety audit, officers will do a thorough walk-through of a specific area—for example, a townhouse complex or a local street—and suggest safety measures that you can implement to better secure the area. Constable Roberts also does safety talks for community groups, schools, retirement communities and more. He is a great resource if you’re looking for tips and resources to make your home safer.
Finally, our Division 33 officers stressed the important role that every single one of us plays in keeping our communities safe. It is essential that you report any crime you see to the police. Officers also suggest that neighbours get together and form Neighbourhood Watch groups. The premise is simple—you and your neighbours keep an eye out for any suspicious activity in your neighbourhood and report it to the police. The more connected we are with our neighbours, the better able we are to identify local concerns and address them head on. The Division 33 team is positioned to help you access any resources needed to assist with starting up a local group.
Keeping our communities safe truly takes all of us—Toronto Police, Councillors and City staff, and you, the local residents who know the most about what your neighbourhood needs. Know that my office is always here to support you with any local safety concerns. We can connect you and your neighbours with our local police division and City programs that can help make your streets safer. I’ll also be hosting another Community Safety Town Hall this fall—keep an eye on this E-Blast for more details in the coming weeks. My number one goal as your Councillor is to keep lines of communication open to help make Don Valley North as safe as it can be. Let’s all work together to build the safe, healthy communities we want to call home.