The Ontario government is investing $2,947,380 over three years through the Community Safety and Policing (CSP) Grant Program for the Peterborough Police Service.
The money will go towards strengthening the existing special victims unit by adding a major crime investigator to assist with investigations and proactive projects, provide for a situation table co-ordinator to assist the community development and engagement coordinator, and assist with the services’ data analysts and advanced training courses for officers.
“The single highest priority of government is to keep communities safe,” Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith said.
“This funding will bring significant support to victims of crime, helping them heal and bring criminals to justice.”
The special victims unit focuses on the investigation of crimes related to human trafficking, child exploitation/sexual abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence, and sexual violence and harassment.
“The funding allows the service to work on more proactive projects, provide advanced training courses, allow officers in the major crime unit to work on investigating overdose deaths, which may lead to more positive outcomes for our community and more connections to our victims services unit for victims of crime,” said Insp. John Lyons.
“The funding also aligns with the goal of the Community Safety Well-being Plan and helps the situation table in our community.”
The Peterborough Police Service is one of 90 police service boards receiving CSP Grant funding for 147 public safety initiatives.
“Community safety is a top priority, and our government has been strengthening our justice system to protect communities and hold offenders accountable,” stated solicitor general Sylvia Jones. “This investment is another way we are helping police services address local challenges and improve the well-being of the people they serve.”
The Cobourg Police Service also received CSP Grant money on Monday.
It gets $859,285 to continue its Homelessness Addictions Response Project (HARP), to launch a youth mental health engagement and response team and for the integration of equity, diversity and inclusion principles into day-to-day policing.