Key Takeaways
- The event will be held Nov. 2 at 11 a.m. in the 11 Division Community Room, 2054 Davenport Rd., Toronto.
- Expected to attend are Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, Mayor Olivia Chow and Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw.
- The Toronto Police have not disclosed the initiative's budget, implementation timeline, target areas or measurable crime-reduction goals.
Toronto Police Prepare City-Wide Crime Prevention Announcement
Police's talk with the public is about to get a pivotal update as they announce a city-wide initiative to prevent crime on November 2. The announcement coincides with the start of Crime Prevention Week and gathers senior police and provincial and municipal government officials.
What Toronto Police Have Confirmed
Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw will kick off Crime Prevention Week with a statement in support of a new city-wide crime prevention initiative at 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 2, says a Toronto Police Service Media Advisory. The meet will be held in the 11 Division Community Room, 2054 Davenport Road.
Demkiw will be accompanied by Ontario Solicitor General Michael Kerzner, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, Toronto Police Service Board Chair Councillor Shelley Carroll, Toronto Police Association representative Brian Callahan and Dr. Jose Couto of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.
The event will be streamed and broadcast via YouTube, police said. The theme for Canada's Crime Prevention Week this year is Protecting Ontario Together.
What Remains Unknown
The advisory does not outline the programmes, target neighbourhoods, budget, timeframe or operational measures of the initiative. It doesn't offer any crime reduction numbers, either.
Those details matter. The city-wide label does not necessarily indicate if the plan will be based on neighbourhood partnerships, youth outreach, prevention education, targeted enforcement or any other method. As more details of the initiative become available from the police service, TwikUp will be updating this report.
Why the Announcement Matters
Prevention of crime is more than reacting to the crime. It may mean establishing community trust with police, identifying community risks, supporting at-risk populations and aiding communities in reporting concerns early on. The value of the initiative will be dependent on the clarity with which priorities are identified, and how progress will be measured.
TwikUp's Perspective
The announcement will be assessed not on the basis of its headline.The announcement is not to be judged by its headline on the day of launch. Residents will need to understand the communities that will gain and how local groups can become involved, as well as the plan's clear metrics for success.
So, it is not new powers or commitments for funding that are confirmed, it is just the announced date. Logistics and implementation will be the deciding factor between it being a useful public-safety initiative or yet another awareness campaign.