January 18th, 2017
BURLINGTON, ON
The Halton Regional Police report that from October 1st to December 31st 2016, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) arrested 185 people for violent behavior. The focus on the Provincial Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (PAVIS) is a multi-agency program run through the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.
This year HRPS applied principles of Community Safety and Well-Being Planning as part of PAVIS efforts. This was achieved through enforcement of violent offenders, risk intervention, crime prevention and collaboration with community partners in social development.
HRPS partnered with stakeholders to increase organizational and community capacity to prevent and address recidivism through risk-based interventions. Strategies included increasing resources during weekends and evenings, compliance checks of individuals who failed to abide by court-imposed conditions; collaboration with external partners on sentencing matters of offenders and dedicating resources to pursue arrest warrants.
As a result of the PAVIS initiative from October 1st to December 1st 2016, a total of 185 arrests were made and 243 criminal charges were laid across the Region. Emphasis was placed on proactive collaboration between the Police, Probation and Parole, the Crown Attorney’s Office and other community partners.
Deputy Chief Nishan Duraiappah takes a positive view: “Repeat offenders, high risk individuals and those bound by court orders have an opportunity to change their behaviour and lives. Unfortunately, in some instances these individuals pose a continued risk to community safety. Police enforcement in conjunction with emergency response, risk intervention, prevention and social development has made this unique initiative a success.”
PAVIS initiatives in the area of Emergency Response included officers responding to calls for service involving known violent offenders in our community. PAVIS related patrols were strategically deployed throughout the Region. Officers were able to safely engage and diffuse potentially violent situations. Numerous offenders were arrested prior to or during the commission of a criminal offence.
PAVIS initiatives in the area of Risk Intervention involved specific follow-up with recidivists who were actively breaching court imposed conditions. In many cases this resulted in arrests and charges being laid, but also the recovery of stolen property, weapons, illegal drugs and other prohibited items. Halton Police also collaborated with other police agencies to arrest recidivists who were breaching their probation outside of Halton Region.
Individuals were apprehended at Pearson International Airport as well as in other jurisdictions. Criminal Code search warrants were executed in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, with the accused being returned to Ontario. An exchange program between the Montreal Police and the HRPS was developed, which facilitated in locating 19 offenders (10 in Ontario and 9 in Montreal).
Prevention and Social Development initiatives focused heavily on the collaboration between Probation and Parole and the Crown Attorney’s Office to review new offenders in the Region and develop strategies to address recidivism from the time an offender is released into the community. Proactive checks were conducted to ensure compliance with court imposed conditions.
A Post-Conviction Sentencing Committee was formed between HRPS, Probation and the Crown to improve communication in regards to conditions placed on offenders during sentencing. A community services guide was provided to every prisoner in HRPS custody prior to their release.
A database has been created to identify wanted individuals and those on street enforceable conditions, to be made available to officers after the PAVIS funding has concluded. Officers also developed a resource guide to be distributed to parents or guardians of young persons in conflict with the law.
The Project was been made possible by a grant from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.