Road Safety Services
Vision Zero |
As a response to the increase in motor vehicle collisions in Peel Region, Peel Regional Police’s Road Safety Services has aligned with the initiative Vision Zero, led by the Region of Peel, as part of their Road Safety Strategic Plan. Vision Zero focuses on the fact that no loss of life is acceptable due to a motor vehicle collision. Vision Zero is a strategy to eliminate all traffic fatalities and injuries while increasing mobility and safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers by:
Peel Regional Police uses the following initiatives to support the Vision Zero Strategy: Project ERASE: Eliminate Racing Activities on Streets Everywhere (ERASE) focuses on road safety by establishing and maintaining a high degree of police visibility with proactive education and enforcement aimed at changing poor driving behaviours such as street racing and high speed aggressive driving. Project DRIFT: The Dangerous Racing Intelligence Focused Team (DRIFT) focuses on illegal street racing in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). SRT: The Safer Roads Team (SRT) focuses on using evidence-based intelligence to identify repeat dangerous drivers in Peel Region and disrupt organized illegal street racing events. Take The Pledge Campaign: This initiative focuses on reducing speed on roads in Peel Region by having drivers pledge to slow down. |
#NotWorthTheRisk |
Focusing on community safety and well-being, Peel Regional Police participated in this year’s Canada Road Safety Campaign (#NotWorthTheRisk) by focusing on raising awareness and increasing public compliance with safe driving measures. Impaired driving, distracted driving, aggressive driving, and not wearing a seatbelt are all behaviours that put our roadways at risk. There is no excuse that justifies unsafe driving behaviour. When a person makes unsafe decisions behind the wheel, they must remember that their decisions can affect their family and their community. The consequences of unsafe driving choices are simply #NotWorthTheRisk. “Road safety is a shared responsibility. As a community, we must come together to eliminate unsafe and aggressive driving. Whether you are a driver, a pedestrian or a cyclist, it’s up to each and every one of us to be responsible and acknowledge when it’s just not worth the risk.” Deputy Chief Marc Andrews |
Priority Populations
Anti-Human Trafficking |
The anti-human trafficking services hub, nCourage, is now a reality in Peel. The integrated services hub for victims and survivors aged 12 and up is able to provide on-site health care, trauma counselling, addictions support, legal aid, education and employment services. This safe place with wraparound services and supports opened in February of 2021 on Human Trafficking Awareness Day. Peel Regional Police secured federal funding last year to help us to respond better to the needs of victim survivors. We continue to collaborate with our partners and the Peel Human Trafficking Service Providers Committee to provide trauma-informed, survivor-centered services. |
Roll-out of the Centralized Intimate Partner Violence Unit |
The Peel Regional Police Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Unit was officially launched in the spring of 2021. The IPV Unit aligns with our Community Safety and Well-Being Plan focusing on response, intervention and prevention in collaboration with community partners. Officers that are assigned to the IPV Unit have received specialized training in anti-racism, culturally appropriate and sensitive responses, sexual assault investigation, victim care and management, domestic violence and interviewing children to provide better care and support to survivors through an enhanced, trauma-informed approach. The IPV Unit is one of 15 partner agencies who operate together at the Safe Centre of Peel (SCoP). The concept of the SCoP is to provide a safe space where victims and survivors of domestic violence receive support and compassionate care in an anti-oppressive space. Clients of the SCoP are able to make a report to police, if they so choose, with the specially trained IPV Unit members in a comfortable setting without having to visit a police station. Officers wear plain clothes while working and the interview rooms are comfortably furnished. Police services are integrated with an array of other support services including crisis and high-risk case management, system navigation, housing assistance, multi-cultural services, legal support and parenting and child welfare. “Our newly launched Intimate Partner Violence Unit represents a substantial investment in a critical priority for our service and community. We will continue to push for enhancements to our service delivery through integration and collaboration with our service partners. This is the type of service innovation which will equip us to make a difference in people's lives and save lives.” Chief Nishan Duraiappah Listen to our podcast on the new IPV Unit. Learn more about our family and intimate partner violence supports. |
Situation Table Launch |
In January 2021, Peel Regional Police became part of the Peel Region Situation Table. This multi-sector partnership, with various agencies in the Region, was created to provide a focused wraparound support approach for community members in Peel Region who have been identified as having high-risk levels for social disorder or crime, as either victims or offenders. The table aims to apply the resources and services offered by the most appropriate agencies and diverse community based support services to intervene in matters of acutely elevated risk (AER). An AER situation can involve individuals or groups in circumstances that indicate an extremely high probability of harm or victimization. Or it may be a situation that if left unattended, will require a variety of emergency responses including police, fire, ambulance, mental health agencies, Children’s Aid and others. This collaborative table meets weekly, receives referrals, and usually an action plan is deployed within 48 hours of the Situation Table meeting. Peel Regional Police bring the majority of referrals forward, and then our partners take the lead based on risk factors and the needs of the individual or family. Peel Regional Police referred 79 cases to the Situation Table in 2021. |
Mental Health and Well-Being
Mental Health and Addiction Strategy |
In order to help guide how our service can play a more supportive role in the mental health and addiction system in the Region of Peel, a working group convened comprised of almost 20 community partners including sworn and civilian Peel Regional Police members. The Mental Health and Addiction Strategy was the first outcome of the working group’s efforts, setting the foundation for ongoing collaboration with our community partners while improving how we respond to mental health and addiction. The strategy focuses on strategic enhancements to our human and technological resource capacity, while expanding our knowledge base with education and training. We will also enhance our evidence base through academic research, data and evaluation. It is crucial to focus on the well-being of our members who serve our community, and at the same time reduce the stigma associated with mental health and addiction. This will ensure that our members, leadership and organization as a whole commit to fostering a culture of mutual care and respect. This strategy will continue to evolve through ongoing engagement with our partners and communities. As police, we are often the first point of contact with people experiencing a mental health or addiction crisis. While our role is important, our primary goal is to connect people to the programs and services that best support their needs. Several steps were identified to achieve this by leveraging existing programs and exploring new innovative approaches. This strategy is aligned to integrate and operationalize the Provincial Community Safety and Well-Being Framework. “We will identify opportunities to work further upstream, build multi-sector partnerships, and recognize that people in crisis, our human service system and our community as a whole are better served when we work in a more coordinated, integrated and person-centred manner.” Chief Nishan Duraiappah |
Peel Addiction Assessment and Referral Centre |
Peel Regional Police has partnered with the Peel Addiction Assessment and Referral Centre (PAARC), a not-for-profit agency providing services to people who are concerned with their own or someone else’s involvement with alcohol, drugs or problem gambling. Our Road Safety Services have the ability to refer a member of our community after a breath test or a drug evaluation interaction. This partnership allows us to further support our community while working in the Community Safety and Well-Being framework as a Prevention and Risk Intervention Strategy. |
Alternative Resolution Court |
The Alternative Resolution Court (ARC) is a way to help our community members receive the support they need when a person is charged with an offence. ARC is a specialized court that can be used when there is a known or suspected mental illness. The charging officer may include the recommendation that the offender be referred to ARC, or a person may also be referred to ARC if the individual suffers from dementia, cognitive delay or acquired brain injury and needs support. In 2021, over 2,800 people were processed through the ARC, with roughly 230 having appeared while in custody. The ARC provides the most appropriate resources for each individual case, which provides the most support available to the offender. |
Community Outreach
Building Our Future Communities with ProAction Cops and Kids |
ProAction Cops and Kids is a group of individual citizens that have come together to raise funds to allow us to run positive health promoting programs for youth while building trust and mentorship in the community. ProAction believes that establishing a positive relationship between police officers and under-resourced youth will strengthen our community today and for the future. By funding programs that bring officers and youth together, it develops relationships directly within our community, engages under-resourced youth and officers in healthy skill-building programs, and supports young people to reach their full potential. The ProAction Cops and Kids Peel Chapter was established in spring 2021, beginning with boxing, lacrosse, basketball, cricket and cooking. |
Nets for Neighbourhoods |
The Peel Regional Police Divisional Mobilization Unit (DMU) presented basketball nets and held a BBQ event at the Marjorie Amos Residence as part of the Nets for Neighbourhoods Campaign. The Marjorie Amos Residence is an open detention/open custody facility for female youth who are in conflict with the law. The facility offers a home environment where the youth can explore life patterns, learn new skills, and develop positive attitudes with respect to themselves and others in their community. The Nets for Neighbourhoods Campaign is aligned with our Community Safety and Well-Being framework by providing an invaluable engagement opportunity where police and youth can interact in a casual setting. The DMU is able to forge a sustainable, on-going relationship with the Marjorie Amos Residence through campaigns like this and by proactively attending the facility to provide guidance, feedback, and mentorship from police in an accessible way. |
1.1 Crime Prevention and Response |
Implement crime prevention initiatives, focusing on violent crime and identified community crime trends, and respond effectively to citizen calls for service. 1.1.1 Regional Community Mobilization (RCM) teams and Divisional Mobilization Units (DMU) work with frontline officers to provide outreach programs and foster positive relationships with the community. DMU officers work with individuals, families and communities to provide them with access to supports and services. The RCM team addresses complex cases involving multiple vulnerabilities. They present situations that are at an acutely elevated risk level to the Peel Situation Table in an attempt to mitigate risk. 1.1.2 In support of the Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Plan, efforts are made to identify individuals who are the subject of multiple service calls for issues that are non-criminal in nature. Statistical information and analysis are provided to initiate interventions that address underlying issues, connect people in need of help to the appropriate social supports, and reduce future calls for service. Statistical analysis is done and further refined to identify social disorder hotspots that enable early intervention and focused patrolling. 1.1.3 The Communications Centre continues to follow dispatch guidelines to dispatch officers to emergency events. The integration of the Real Time Operations Centre (RTOC) assists in managing core policing resources and ensures that citizens are serviced using modern deployment models to get more efficient response to emergency events. 1.1.4 Responded to 93,554 non-emergency calls by alternative methods including community station and divisional front desk reporting, new Collision Reporting Centres as well as online reporting with follow-up through Call Diversion Units. 1.1.5 Crime Prevention educational programs address general themes of increasing personal and business safety, frauds/scams, social media awareness and auto theft awareness. Virtual and in-person presentations are given to several thousand individuals from schools, organizations and businesses. The virtual platform provided the opportunity for participation on a variety of committees including: Business Watch (Safe City Mississauga), Peel Alliance to End Homelessness, Integrated Municipal Enforcement Team (IMET), Mississauga Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) Committee and Vision Zero (Pedestrian and Road Safety). 1.1.6 In the 2020 Residential Community Survey, 77 per cent of citizens strongly agreed/agreed that Peel Regional Police is effective at responding quickly to calls for assistance. 1.1.7 Violent crime rate (531 per 100,000) was below the provincial (898) and national (1,254) rates. Property crime rate (1,494 per 100,000) was below the provincial (2,329) and national (3,071) rates. 1.1.8 Solvency rate for violent crimes (75 per cent) was above the provincial (63 per cent) and national (60 per cent) rates. Solvency rate for property crimes (22 per cent) was above the provincial (19 per cent) and national (19 per cent) rates. |
1.2 Emergency Management Planning and Response |
Ongoing review and collaboration with policing and emergency response partners to maintain a coordinated Emergency Management Plan. 1.2.1 Conducted a review of the Peel Regional Police Emergency Management Plan. Developed the first Mass Casualty Unit in Canada, comprised of both uniform and civilian members. The School Police Emergency Action Response Program includes 474 schools. 1.2.2 Emergency Management participated in training exercises in partnership with various community partners to assist with intra-agency communication and emergency preparedness. The Tactical Unit (TAC) conducted two Aircraft Interdiction Courses with stakeholders including the Halton TAC Unit, the Department of National Defense and the RCMP. 1.2.3 Emergency Management signed a memorandum of understanding with the Ontario Volunteer Emergency Response Team (OVERT) to assist Peel Regional Police’s response options to missing vulnerable person searches. |
1.3 Intimate Partner and Family Violence |
Support awareness, education and response to intimate partner and family violence. 1.3.1 The Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Unit improved the response and investigation of intimate partner disputes. The IPV Unit is reflective of our diverse community with racialized and female officers who all are specially trained in IPV investigations. The IPV Unit also partners and works out of the Safe Centre of Peel (SCoP). 1.3.2 Participated in the Region of Peel’s Family and Intimate Partner Violence (FIPV) awareness campaign to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. The hashtag #BreakTheSilence was developed for use during the campaign. The IPV Unit developed short video clips in relation to educating the community on the signal for help, which is a single-handed gesture that can be used over a video call or in person by an individual to alert others that they feel threatened and need help. The signal was created as a tool to combat the rise in domestic violence cases around the world linked to self-isolation measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
1.4 Mental Health and Addictions |
Review response to mental health calls and identify partners to provide mental health support to community members. 1.4.1 Established the Peel Regional Police Mental Health and Addiction Strategy to guide our service as we play a supportive and collaborative role in the mental health and addiction systems in Peel and set a foundation for ongoing collaboration with our community partners. 20 community partners and a wide range of internal members are dedicated to ensuring that people struggling receive the right response, at the right time and by the most appropriate service provider. 1.4.2 All frontline officers receive Mental Health Awareness education as part of their cohort training at three months. 60 Divisional Mobilization Unit (DMU) and Mobile Crisis Rapid Response Team (MCRRT) officers were provided with specialized mental health training. 1.4.3 MCRRT is a police led program run in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association. It provides frontline response to mental health calls to better support people in the community with mental health challenges. Eight full-time officers were trained and dedicated to this program to operate out of four Divisions, seven days a week. Response teams consist of an officer and a Crisis Support Worker. MCRRT teams responded to 5,404 call for service. |
1.5 Priority Populations |
Work collaboratively with Community Safety and Well-Being partners to identify and improve outcomes for priority populations. 1.5.1 Hired a Community Safety and Well-Being (CSWB) Manager to lead the development of Peel Regional Police’s CSWB Strategy with an oversight Council representing multiple areas of the organization. The CSWB Strategy will be published in 2022. A new Divisional Mobilization Unit (DMU) was launched to proactively engage and support priority populations to access human services in Peel. This includes collaborating with and/or referring to organizations such as the Canadian Mental Health Association Peel Dufferin, SEVA Food Bank, Peel Addiction Assessment and Referral Centre, Peel Outreach Services, Supportive Housing in the Province and Regeneration Brampton. 1.5.2 The CSWB Strategy will include actions to continue to strengthen how we identify priority populations and make connections to appropriate supports. A focus on priority populations has started and work has begun on a Youth Strategy. 1.5.3 A survey was conducted as part of the Human Rights Project to give all community members a voice for providing feedback. While adhering to COVID-19 guidelines, the Elder Abuse Unit conducted 11 presentations with 535 participants and 387 community consultations, and the Equity and Inclusion Bureau participated in 27 community events. 1.5.4 Clearance rate for Criminal Code violations for youth (55 per cent) was above provincial rate (47 per cent) and the national rate (45 per cent). 1.5.5 Crime rate for Criminal Code violations for youth, excluding traffic violations (524 per 100,000) was below the provincial rate (759) and the national rate (992). 1.5.6 Initiated 83 Problem Oriented Policing projects to help target community issues. Project Frost focused on vehicle warm-up thefts, resulting in 116 vehicles found running and unlocked, and 144 people spoken to after targeted patrols. 1.5.7 Chief Resource Council now includes representation from a wider and more extensive range of community representatives from the Region of Peel. Council members represent a critical resource to the Chief and the service; they offer input, recommendations for collaboration and inform the Chief on the impacts of the service received. 1.5.8 The Peel Situation Table was launched in January 2021, incorporating service providers from Brampton, Mississauga and Caledon. This multi-agency, multi-sectorial collaboration focuses on identifying situations that are at an acutely elevated level of risk and providing prioritized access to supports in an attempt to mitigate this risk. Peel Situation Table dealt with 79 cases this year. 1.5.9 Created platforms for virtual youth programs and educational videos on Peel Regional Police’s YouTube channel highlighting Peel Children’s Safety Village messages for personal, pedestrian and bicycle safety. Created community and corporate partnerships to offer in person leadership programs so police may mentor youth from priority populations. |
1.6 Road Safety |
Improve road safety through education, enforcement and proactive strategies and focus on the Community Safety and Well-Being Vision Zero goal. 1.6.1 Implemented various targeted road safety initiatives and educational campaigns including Project Noisemaker, Operation Impact, Project Lakeshore and Child Passenger Safety Week. Project ERASE (Eliminate Racing Activities on Streets Everywhere) investigated 965 vehicles and laid 978 charges. 1.6.2 Road Watch and Strategic Enforcement officers collaborated with Brampton and Mississauga transportation services and City Councilors to address road safety concerns through town hall meetings and Road Safety Committees. Received 2,317 reports from the community through the Road Watch online reporting system, which helps identify dangerous and aggressive drivers. High traffic complaint areas are closely monitored to reduce aggressive driving behaviours such as speeding, improper use of lanes, disobey signs and heavy trucks on prohibited roadways. 1.6.3 The traffic fatality rate was two per 100,000. 31 fatal collisions resulted in 34 deaths, 11 of which were pedestrians and two cyclists. The personal injury accident rate was 71 per 100,000. 1,065 personal injuries were reported, a rate decrease of 10 per cent from 2020 (1,189). 1.6.4 Analysis of collision data, calls for service, driving-related charges and traffic complaint areas continue to guide proactive enforcement. Strategic Enforcement uses collision density analysis and high traffic complaint areas, and hotspot analysis of impaired driving calls for service, to help determine areas for the Impaired Driving Enforcement Unit. Location density analysis of impaired driving calls for service and frequented drinking establishments are used for Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere (RIDE) enforcement. Calls for service on street racing used to determine areas of focus for ERASE teams. Qualitative long-range analysis of driving offences generates lists of outstanding and prolific driving offenders for the Safer Roads Team. |
1.7 Victim Assistance and Community Support |
Collaborate with community partners to identify and provide support to community members and implement the Community Safety and Well-Being framework. 1.7.1 Peel Regional Police continued to improve ways of identifying repeat victims to ensure they are provided with support resources. Our Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) Unit partnered with the Safe Centre of Peel (SCoP), where survivors and their families have access to wraparound care services from 15 partner agencies in one location. 1.7.2 Continued participation on the Peel Human Trafficking Service Providers Committee to address the issue of human trafficking. Committee members coordinate supports for victim/survivors through the anti-Human trafficking integrated services hub (nCourage). Our Regional Community Mobilization team’s continued partnership with Victim Services of Peel ensures that individuals who are victimized by crime, or in crisis, are informed of and/or referred to services and support. |
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