More police officers on foot coming to neighbourhoods across Toronto

Torontonians will soon be seeing more police officers walking the beat in neighbourhoods across the city.

Saturday morning Interim Police Chief James Ramer and Mayor John Tory will attend an open house at North York’s 31 Division where they shared further details about the expansion of the Neighbourhood Community Officer Program (NCOP).

This initiative, which aims to strengthen community connections in an effort to prevent, reduce, and create long-term solutions for solving crime and disorder issues, was first launched in 2013.

The idea is for neighbourhood community officers, who are currently working in all 16 police divisions, to be visible, present, and accessible. Some of the ways they foster relationships with individuals and groups in the community is by holding “coffee with a cop” events. Police also visit schools, attend local events, and meet with area business owners.

"This is a program that is working," Tory said, adding ultimately the goal of NCOP is to "build relationships", "gain insight" into the needs of a community and why crime is occuring there, and most importantly "build trust."

Ramer said community-based policing also fosters accountability between membrs of the community and those from Toronto Police Service.

"We have seen our relationships improve and grow since starting our Neighbourhood Officer Program back in 2013," he said, noting enhancements make to it in 2019 furthered those goals.

"Community members told us that they felt safe and welcomed our presence and our members being part of the daily life in the community."

With this latest expansion, Toronto police’s 208 NCOP officers will now be serving 51 of Toronto’s 158 identified neighbourhoods. The 13 newly added neighbourhoods, which will see a total of 52 more officers on foot, include Rockcliffe-Smyth (12 Division), South Parkdale (14 Division), New Toronto (22 Division), Elms-Old Rexdale (23 Division), York University Heights (31 Division), Clanton Park and Englemount-Lawrence (32 Division), Dorset Park (41 Division), Eglinton East and Golfdale-Cedarbrae-Woburn (43 Division), Harbourfront-City Place (53 Division), and Danforth and Taylor-Massey (55 Division). A full list of neighbourhood community officers by division can be found on the TPS web site.