Peel Region is named for the father of modern policing, Sir Robert Peel (1788-1850). His philosophy can be captured in the phrase, "The police and community are one". That belief is exemplified today by PRP's community-based policing, with officers working closely with the public to solve local problems and improve the quality of life for all of the people of the region.
The very first police officers in what would become Peel Region were actually in place in 1811, when the magistrates of the former Township of Toronto appointed two settlers to the position of constable.
It was a common practice to name Ontario counties after noted Parliamentarians of the 19th Century. In 1856, the County of Peel, as we now know it, was formed from a previously larger tract of land that had been purchased from the Mississauga Indians. In 1874 the Town of Brampton was established, and eventually was chosen as the county seat of Peel due to its central location. The first Court House and jail were erected there. These buildings have been preserved and restored and now house the Peel County Museum.
Peel Regional Police was established on January 1st, 1974, upon the creation of the Regional Municipality of Peel. It incorporated the former police services of Mississauga, Port Credit, Streetsville, Brampton, and Chinguacousy.
Led by Chief Noel Catney (appointed in April 1997), Peel Regional Police is the second largest municipal police service in Ontario, with 1,423 uniform members and 529 civilian staff. Peel Regional Police polices the cities of Mississauga and Brampton (population 935,000) and serves the 26 million travelers who annually pass through Pearson International Airport.
In 1994, Peel Regional Police was accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) the first police service in Ontario to receive this distinction and only the fifth in Canada.
The next year, Peel Regional Police won the prestigious Webber Seavey Award for quality in law enforcement sponsored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Motorola. The service also captured a Certificate of Merit in 1995 in the National Quality Institute's (NQI) "Canada Awards of Excellence" program: (Government category), the first government service to be so recognized. If the CALEA accreditation confirmed Peel Regional Police was doing the right things, the the NQI award demonstrated Peel Regional Police was doing things right.
In 1997, Peel Regional Police's Crime Prevention Services was honoured by the International Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners (ISCPP) with the Unit of the Year Award. Also in that year, the Ontario Crime Commission recognized the success of the High Enforcement Action Team (Heat) unit. The special unit was setup to reduce the numbers of motor vehicle thefts.
In 1998, the American Society of Industrial Security (ASIS) recognized Peel Regional Police for its role in developing Chantel's Place, an innovative sexual assault and domestic violence suite, at Trillium Health Centre's Mississauga site.
Peel Regional Police is acknowledged as one of Canada's most progressive police services. A proactive approach to problem-solving, a dedication to professional excellence and a reputation for making the community a better place in which to live and work - these are the hallmarks of Peel Regional Police.