“These pages highlight just some of our efforts to strategically apply resources where they have the greatest impact on Halton today and tomorrow…we continue to raise the bar in how we deliver services.” – May 25, 2021 Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) e-news update.
One vision. One mission. One team. By the numbers: 737 officers; 308 civilians; 12 cadets; $265.31 per capita cost. Most of the following highlights from sections of the report are reflective of the entire region.
Human trafficking: “Trafficking victims do not always see themselves as victims;” 13 victims were rescued and 44 at-risk individuals were referred to community partners.
Drug poisonings: 241 drug poisonings were attended by officers; 38 individuals died as a result of suspected drug poisonings; 25 lives were saved by officers using naloxone. Naloxone is a medication that can quickly reverse an opioid overdose.
Risk Mitigation Teams (RMTs) arrested hundreds of individuals who were wanted on outstanding warrants, and laid over 100 additional charges.
Project Police on Park Patrol (Project POP) launched in Oakville in summer 2020 and expanded to Burlington parks. Project POP includes 53 officers and seven municipal compliance officers, who contributed close to 450 patrol hours in parks, schools, and on trail systems. Focused on education and enforcement, 83 bylaw tickets were issued, one pellet gun was seized, there were two criminal code arrests, and four criminal code charges laid.
Project Noisemaker resulted in 1052 provincial offence notices being issued and 362 vehicles taken out of service. Also as a result of Project Noisemaker, 361 vehicle defects and 286 deficiencies were found.
In Burlington, a catalytic converter theft ring of four suspects was uncovered and a number of charges were laid. This theft ring was responsible for 52 catalytic converter thefts.
The number of hate-motivated incidents reported increased by 150% over the previous year.
Members of the HRPS responded to almost 4000 mental health-related calls. All sworn-in and civilian members of the HRPS will receive over 40 hours of crisis intervention training.
A youth advisory council was created.
HRPS responded to an average of ten intimate partner violence incidents a day. This is a shocking statistic. In terms of intimate partner violence, 868 arrests were made and 1995 incident charges were laid.
Statistics in the report include District Three (Burlington). All indicators have decreased except violent crime, which increased by 9.4%, from 637 incidents in 2019 to 697 in 2020.
Crime Stoppers of Halton paid $119,700 in reward money in 2020 for tips that help law enforcement prevent or solve a crime.
A new strategic plan was developed, covering 2020 to 2023. For more information about the strategic plan and more detailed content from the annual report, check out the new HRPS website, https://www.haltonpolice.ca/en/ with Staying Safe resources for all.
