CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION BUREAU

Detective Sergeant D. Sabadics #5784

For the 2015 YTD, 53 Division focused its resources within identified crime hot spots.  By providing proactive policing in those areas that have experienced chronically high victimization rates, property crime has seen a significant reduction in victimization levels in the categories of Break and Enter, Theft Over $5,000.00, and Theft from Auto over for the same period in 2014. Conversely, there has been a general upward trend in violent crime that includes the major crime categories of Sexual Assault, Assault and Robbery as well as an upsurge in Auto Thefts when compared to the same period last year throughout our policing boundaries. It is noted that police resource deployment was impacted across the city this summer during the PanAm and ParapanAm Games.  Overall, all cited violent and property crime categories fell within or below the 5 year averages for major crime occurrences.

During this time period, 53 Division participated in the following 3 Service-wide initiatives:

• Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS) which supplemented uniform presence in our violent crime hot spots; and
• Project Spring Clean that focuses proactive policing efforts on reducing Break and Enter, Robbery and Auto Theft victimization levels.
• Neighbourhood Resource Officer Initiative that focuses on improving neighbourhood safety by reducing violent and property crime in identified high victimization neighbourhoods.

As noted, these initiatives have contributed to decreasing property crime levels in 53 Division this year.

Having the most affluent neighbourhoods to police not only in Toronto, but also within Canada continues to be a challenge and currently efforts are still underway to address an escalating rate in 53 Division and across Toronto relating to the theft  of Acura and Lexus SUV makes and models from residential neighbourhoods during overnight hours.

Crime management strategies in 53 Division will continue to focus frontline policing efforts in areas that are experiencing a disproportionate amount of major crime in the form of robberies, break and enter, motor vehicle thefts and violent crimes.  Weekly crime management meetings continue to supplement this effort by adjusting deployments to follow historical and current crime trends to ensure that optimal resources are in place at the right place at the right day of the week and at the right times during those peak crime days.  These constant reviews ensure around the clock saturated policing in identified crime hotspots to best prevent criminal victimization.

Equally important to improving your safety and security is the need for community members to reduce the opportunities for crime by reporting suspicious persons and vehicles to the police and undertaking efforts that would target harden your property from the criminal element.

53 Division will assist you in improving your situational awareness of crime and vulnerabilities and you are strongly encouraged to call our Crime Prevention Officers at 416-808-5337 or 416-808-5306 for their assistance in that regard.