Toronto police to expand neighbourhood officer program

Thestar.com
Sept. 13, 2019
Wendy Gillis

Toronto police are further investing in their neighbourhood officer program, expanding a pilot project the force says is aimed at improving public trust and building relationships between cops and communities.

Starting Monday, 127 neighbourhood community officers will walk the beat in 35 neighbourhoods across the city, all with the central mandate to focus on building partnerships and “working towards long-term solutions to public safety and disorder issues,” the Toronto police said in a statement Thursday announcing “enhancements” to the program.

All officers will be assigned to their communities for four years, will get “community-centric training” specific to their role and will be identified as neighbourhood officers with both distinctive labelling on their uniforms and their vehicles.

“We are all very proud of this program, and the real differences that it has made right across the city,” said Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders at a press conference Thursday.

Deputy chief Peter Yuen, who has lead the neighbourhood officer program, said the additional training will focus on dispute resolution and working with vulnerable groups, including the homeless and those with mental health challenges.

Yuen said the expansion of the program to place officers in communities for a minimum of four years was made in consultation with the public and officers. Police need time to create meaningful and lasting relationships with community, he said.

“We often talk about police officers being transient -- they just don’t stay in the neighbourhood long enough to build trust, and trust is very important,” he said.

The neighbourhood officer program is being studied by researchers at Humber College’s Faculty of Community and Social Services, and a report outlining findings is expected next year. So far, the results show members of the community feel safer in their communities and are more willing to talk to officers who they’ve gotten to know through regular contact, said Doug Thomson, a professor at Humber’s Criminal Justice Degree Program.

The prospect of officers being present in communities can be a divisive topic, with some expressing concern the increased policing can amount to surveillance. Asked if he was concerned he hadn’t tapped into segments of neighbourhoods where residents have problems with the police presence, Thomson said he was.

“Research is always a constant process of ‘we need more information,” Thomson said, adding that his team has emphasized to community groups they have surveyed that their feedback on the program is completely anonymous and their work is independent from police.

But community feedback on the program so far has been as high as 80 or 90 per cent support, Thomson said.

“Some people are very supportive that police are there -- some people aren’t going to be supportive no matter what,” said Const. Ed Parks, who has been a neighbourhood officer for four years, and was a social worker before he became a cop.

“But police are there to assist, we’re not there to take over and we want to have a positive effect.”

Sureya Ibrahim, co-ordinator for the Regent Park Learning Centre, said historically there has been a tense relationship between residents and the police, but she sees the local officers “trying hard to rebuild trust.”

They are present for community events, they tutor kids, they bring snacks, she said.

“That is where you can change the perception of the neighbourhood officers. It takes time, but right now they are amazing.”