CITY CLERK

POLICY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE

REPORT No. 2

For Consideration by

The Council of the City of Toronto

on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999

City of Toronto

REPORT No. 2

OF THE POLICY AND FINANCE COMMITTEE

(from its meeting on July 6, 1999,

submitted by Mayor Mel Lastman, Chair)

As Considered by

The Council of the City of Toronto

on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999

1

Community Action Policing (CAP) - All Wards

(City Council on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999, adopted the following recommendation:

"It is recommended that:

(1) the report dated July 6, 1999, from Mayor Mel Lastman, Chair, Safer City Task Force, be adopted;

(2) the Toronto Police Services Board be notified that no future funds will be provided to cover overtime over-runs in 1999;

(3) the remaining $1.5 million in the 'Safer City Initiatives' not be used to fund potential overexpenditures of the Toronto Police Service;

(4) if the 1999 Safer City Pilot Program is evaluated as successful, initiatives be undertaken to continue this program in 2000, within the existing budget of the Toronto Police Service, so that special one-time funding is not required, such initiatives to include, but not be limited to:

(a) utilizing the new Council-approved 175 additional police officers; and

(b) reviewing existing vacation scheduling and other scheduling issues;

(5) the Chief of Police, in conjunction with the Chief Administrative Officer and the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, be requested to report back to the Policy and Finance Committee in October 1999, on the success of these initiatives with respect to the potential Year 2000 program;

(6) the evaluation of the Community Action Policing (CAP) Initiative include the unfunded court time costs being paid to Police Officers associated with arrests made during the Community Action Policing Program;

(7) the Toronto Police Services Board be requested to increase the working partnership between themselves and the community, with respect to this and other initiatives;

(8) the Toronto Police Services Board be requested to monitor and track staff deployment and costs related to overtime/premium pay allocations and submit a report thereon to the Policy and Finance Committee by September 1999;

(9) the Toronto Police Services Board be requested to develop and implement a 'Managed Savings Program' to identify specific strategies to offset the potential overexpenditures and submit a report thereon to the Policy and Finance Committee by September 1999; and

(10) the Chief Administrative Officer, the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, the Chief of Police, or his designate, the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board and Mayor Mel Lastman, Chair, Safer City Task Force, be requested to develop:

(a) a long-term plan to increase police presence to levels to be established in partnership with the City, the community and the Toronto Police Service; and

(b) a mechanism that would require newly trained officers to reimburse the City for training costs unless they work a minimum length of time before they leave the service.")

The Policy and Finance Committee submits the following report (July 6, 1999) from Mayor Mel Lastman, Chair, Safer City Task Force, without recommendation:

Purpose:

This report presents the recommendations of the Safer City Task Force.

Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:

Funding for this initiative in 1999 is $2,000,000 which will come from the $3,500,000 new special reserve fund "Safer City Initiatives".

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1) City Council approve the Community Action Policing (CAP) project proposal by the Safer City Task Force as an eleven week initiative to be undertaken during this summer and that the Safer City Task Force report back to Toronto City Council on the findings of the Project upon completion;

(2) City Council endorse the cooperative effort of the Big Five Partners as a key element of the Community Action Policing project; including the Parks and Recreation Division, and the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department;

(3) City Council endorse the creation of a new reserve fund, "Safer City Initiatives", with total funding of $3.5 million emanating from excess one time 1998 revenues; and the costs incurred by the Toronto Police Service of $1,820,000; the Economic Development, Culture and Tourism Department of $90,000 and the Community and Neighbourhood Services Department of $90,000 with the 1999 Community Action Policing project proposal as outlined in this report be charged to this reserve fund to a maximum of $2,000,000; and,

(4) The appropriate City Officials be authorized and directed to take the necessary action to give effect to the above recommendations.

Council Reference:

Through Clause No. 1 of Report No. 8 of The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, adopted by City Council at its Special Meeting held on April 26, 27 and 28, 1999, the City Council established a Task Force to review the deployment strategy for police officers assigned to Special Events and/or demonstrations, especially in the central area of Toronto.

In addition, Council requested that the Task Force review the deployment of police officers where needed in problem areas, the issues of community safety and tourism and report on how and where funds for Target Policing could be used.

Comments:

Community Action Policing (CAP) Project Overview:

Many City Council members have stated that people do not see enough police officers in their community. That they are unable to enjoy public spaces in certain areas because of criminal activities such as drug trafficking, prostitution, youth gangs, related criminal activities and disorderly behavior. Used condoms and needles can be found lying around in the some parks where our children are meant to play. The Safer City Task Force was established by Council on April 28, 1999, to ensure a safer City for all residents and visitors.

The Task Force has concluded that there is an urgent need to supplement the City's existing safety initiatives this summer. To meet these needs the Task Force is recommending that Toronto City Council support the Community Action Policing project consisting of target policing and community safety initiatives. The Community Action Policing project builds upon the previous consultation and recommendations made in the, "Toronto. My City. A Safe City" report released in February, 1999.

The Task Force is requesting funding of $1.8 million for 1999 to implement high visibility target policing projects, utilizing teams of officers on foot, bicycle and in patrol vehicles where appropriate. The officers participating in this project would be called back from days off and paid overtime for their duties consistent with contractual agreements.

The quality of life for communities living with prostitution, drugs, youth gangs and disorderly conduct is significantly diminished. Statistics on these issues relate to the number of arrests and charges laid against offenders. These statistics do not illustrate the depth of the problem that a community faces. Specific incidents of prostitution, youth gangs and drug trafficking often go unreported. Many members of the community feel victimized by this type of behaviour daily.

Community Action Policing:

The purpose of high visibility target policing is to provide immediate relief to a neighbourhood or community. The Toronto Police Service experience has been that a target policing approach using a highly visible concentration of officers in an area is an effective way to reduce fear, crime, and improve the quality of life quickly.

To ensure the effectiveness of this approach there is a need for co-ordination with other City Departments and community partners. The Task Force is requesting that $180,000 be allocated as part of the Community Action Policing program to the City Parks and Recreation Division and the Community Services Department to provide increased staffing resources and to strengthen existing community safety projects. This component of the project will focus on physical and social safety audits for the impacted neighbourhoods.

Successful strategies require everyone's participation. The Community Action Policing initiative will rely on the advice and co-operation of the Big Five Partners - the Community - Government - Elected Officials - the Media - the Police. Police Unit Commanders will ensure that the local Community Police Liaison Committees and the other Big Five Partners are consulted and involved throughout the implementation of the Community Action Police program.

Community Action Policing Project Details:

Police Services:

Recently the Toronto Police Service has implemented a Strategic Crime Management Process to identify crime, public safety and disorder problems at an early stage, prioritize them and coordinated the deployment of resources to attack these problems. This process relies on community based policing initiatives and a strong reliance on the Big Five Partnerships to implement key strategies.

Many current strategies address community identified targets and include a component of high visibility policing. The central strategy is to promote a preventative approach aimed at reducing crime. The challenge is to ensure an increased visible police presence in multiple target areas across the city, while continuing to address the other daily demands for police resources. This becomes more difficult during the summer months when police resources are in higher demand to meet the requirements of summer events, parades and demonstrations.

The Community Action Policing project will provide the financial resources to the Toronto Police Service to sustain an increase of police presence in the targeted areas while continuing to address the daily demands for police resources. The Field Command Deputy Chiefs will set priorities for communities from within their command.

Benefits that can be achieved through the Community Action Policing project include but are not limited to:

(a) meeting the needs identified by the community, supported through analysis;

(b) potential to seek lasting solutions with Big Five Partners to maintain an area;

(c) community partnerships and trust is maintained and strengthened;

(d) media attention will assist to communicate the message throughout the community;

(e) potential to co-ordinate the efforts with the courts;

(f) flexibility to respond if and when the targeted activity moves;

(g) flexibility for the Toronto Police Service to deploy resources at times when demand is highest;

(h) flexibility for the Toronto Police Service to deploy highly skilled officers for the project;

(i) flexibility to set shift times are required to address the problem;

(j) flexibility to focus on the targeted activity unencumbered by other policing demands (i.e. calls); and

(k) guaranteed commitment of resources through the life cycle of the initiative.

The Community Action Policing project will continue for eleven weeks beginning in mid-July. The strategy at each location will be tailored to meet the demands of the targeted illegal activity. Specific strategies for each target site will be tailored to meet the specific challenges facing the community. If the targeted illegal activity moves to another part of the City, CAP will follow it. Most of the efforts are expected to focus on drug trafficking, prostitution, youth gang activity, disorderly conduct and related criminal activity.

Each strategy will employ a team of uniform officers deployed into the target area to provide a high visibility patrol on foot, bicycle and vehicles where appropriate. They strictly enforce all applicable laws and engage community members in "stop and chat conversations". These activities will be supported by safety initiatives to be undertaken by the Parks and Recreation Division and the Community Services Department. These activities will be to provide immediate relief to the community and to gather valuable information and insight towards understanding the problems and identifying potential solutions. This information will help in the development of strategies with the Big Five Partners.

In addition, a significant number of uniform officers on foot, bicycle and motorcycles will be available to be deployed into strategic locations. These high mobility teams will be available to address problems in our parks and on our streets as they arise.

Activities within the strategy would include but not be limited to:

(a) high concentration of officers within the target area committed to strict enforcement of all applicable laws, focused on the drug trade, prostitution, youth gangs and disorderly behaviour;

(b) officers to perform their duties on foot, bike and or motorcycle to enhance police visibility;

(c) all illegal activities will be treated from a strict enforcement perspective;

(d) development of a strategic plan in partnership with community and police; and

(e) hours of duty determined by crime analysis and community input so officers can react quickly when problems occur.

The resources required to be deployed for each community will be the equivalent of eight police personnel on call-back for a minimum of six hours for four nights per week over an eleven week period.

Parks and Recreation Division:

A key component of the Community Action Policing initiative is to ensure that our city parks and public green spaces continue to be safe places available to all members of the community. It is essential that our parks continue to be places for children and people to play and enjoy themselves free from dangerous items like used needles. The Parks and Recreation strategy will focus on supporting the police through an intensified park cleaning program and on specific park safety audits. The safety audits will examine park improvements such as new lighting, appropriate use of boundary fencing, pruning and removal of certain vegetation which causes blind spots and poor visibility, and the development of local "park watch groups" to encourage community stewardship. Targeted safety audits will be conducted through co-ordination between the community, police, design and operation staff.

Community and Neighbourhood Services Department:

The other key component of the Community Action Policing program is to maximize the role and participation of the local community: social service agencies, community members, resident associations, businesses, faith groups and others. Discussions will be held with stakeholders and social safety audits will be initiated in areas targeted for police action.

Individuals and families who are homeless and use the City's drop-ins and shelters are often the victims of street crimes. The Department will undertake special outreach to the homeless to engage them in community safety discussions and will continue to assist them in accessing shelter and housing as alternatives to street life.

Municipal Standards and Licensing Division:

In planning the Community Action Policing initiative, the Task Force concluded that there is a need for more active enforcement of liquor related offences. The Task Force will seek the support of the

Alcohol and Gaming Commission to have their enforcement staff work in partnership with City staff to undertake joint investigation activities to better address liquor related issues. The Task Force will also be requesting that the Province increase its enforcement staffing to better respond to the needs of the City, and be more proactive in the revocation of the Liquor Licenses of those establishments that continually ignore the requirements of the Liquor License Act.

Community Action Policing Project Evaluation:

All work conducted under the Community Action Policing Project will have clearly defined goals and methods of measurement so that a thorough evaluation of the project can be undertaken. Linking the various initiatives with the Strategic Crime Management Process in the Division will ensure that there is a strong emphasis on developing long term solutions for the target areas and improving the quality of life of the community.

Before launching the Community Action Policing project the Toronto Police Service will identify and assign a Senior Officer to lead the project and ensure that the evaluation steps listed above dovetail into each strategy. As part of these steps a community safety inventory will be prepared.

Some of the more common indicators of community safety will include but are not limited to:

- Level of fear of crime or feelings of safety among residents;

- Number of residents involved in community development activities;

- Number of residents using streets and public spaces;

- Feedback from community leaders

- Level of awareness of the crime prevention target policing project;

- Degree of cleanliness and maintenance of physical environment;

- Extent of vandalism and graffiti;

- Crime rates; and,

- Number of calls for police service.

During the course of the Community Action Policing project the Safer City Task Force will provide continuing advice to the project leader and other project participants. The Task Force will also be responsible for reporting back to Toronto City Council on the results and evaluation of the project.

Community Action Policing Budget Summary:

Police Service:

Central Field Command Team $936,000

Supplemental High Mobility Team $110,000

Parks Mobile Patrol $ 75,000

Area Field Command Team $699,000

Total Police Costs: $1,820,000

Parks and Recreation Division:

Park clean-up crews $20,000

Park Safety Audits and Improvements $70,000

Total Parks and Recreation Costs: $90,000

Community and Neighbourhood Services Department:

Community Outreach and Public Education $35,000

Mediation, Action Plan and Social Safety Audits $45,000

Homeless and Isolated People Outreach $10,000

Total Community Neighbourhood Services Cost: $90,000

Total Costs for 1999 $2,000,000

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Community Action Policing Funding:

The 1998 Operating Budget includes $5 million in new provincial revenues from the downloading of Parts I and III of the Provincial Offences Act. The Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer has advised that the Province has remitted an initial $8.5 million in respect of 1998, and that $3.5 million is available as one time revenues in 1999. The Chief Financial Officer further advises that such one-time revenues should not be considered as part of the regular 1999 operating budget and as such should properly be set aside in a reserve fund. As such, it is proposed, with the concurrence of the Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer, that the $3.5 million be transferred to a new special reserve fund - "Safer City Initiatives" - and be used in part in 1999 to fund the initiatives described in this report. It is proposed that the expenditures incurred by the Toronto Police Services ($1,820,000), Parks and Recreation Division ($90,000), and Community Services Department ($90,000) be directly charged to this new reserve fund so as to have no impact on their regular approved budget.

Conclusion:

Community policing is alive and well in the City of Toronto. The Toronto Police Service remains committed to working with community partners at all levels right across the City. The positive outcomes and innovative solutions resulting from those partnerships are too numerous to mention here in this report. The cornerstone of this target policing initiative will be community partnerships at all levels. It is planned that this co-ordination will lead to City-wide strategies that will prove valuable in the future.

Contact Name:

Anthony Rossi 395-0408

Special Assistant-Council Liaison

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The following persons appeared before the Policy and Finance Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

- Councillor Norman Gardner, Chair, Toronto Police Services Board; and

- Deputy Police Chief Michael Boyd.

Respectfully submitted,

MEL LASTMAN

Chair

Toronto, July 6, 1999

(Report No. 2 of The Policy and Finance Committee was adopted, as amended, by City Council on July 6, 7 and 8, 1999.)