toronto police

Ontario Plans to Spend $3 Million on Expanding Toronto's Police Surveillance Camera System

The announcement came as Toronto experiences a wave of gun violence, some of which has been blamed on gang turf wars.

The province of Ontario is planning to spend at least $3 million on doubling the number of video surveillance cameras used by police to fight gun violence and gangs in Toronto, according to the province’s leader. 


Ontario Province Premier Doug Ford announced the move on Friday alongside Toronto Mayor John Tory. The city will get $2 million this year and $500,000 in 2020 and 2021 to implement the change, which will increase the police cameras from 34 to 74, CTV News Toronto reported


The move comes in the wake of a new wave of violence in the city this summer and a new police initiative called “Project Community Space.” The department launched its 11-week “intelligence-led operational plan” on August 15 with $4.5 million in funding from municipal, federal and provincial governments. As part of the operation, more police officers are being stationed in neighborhoods where crime has risen in recent months. 


The $3 million investment is separate from the previous funding but has the same goal: to make Toronto communities safer and prevent gun violence deaths. Ford has already committed another $25 million over the course of four years to battle guns and gangs in the province. 


“My message to these violent criminals, to the people terrorizing innocent families is this: we are coming for you, we will catch you and we will bring you to justice,” Ford said during a press conference. 


Mark Saunders, the Toronto police chief, said he has heard several requests from residents for more cameras in communities where violent crime is a regular occurrence. His department and the city’s leadership hope the cameras act as a deterrent to criminals. 


“When you look at many of our cases, technology, especially the CCTV cameras, have made a tremendous impact,” Saunders said. “It is one of those tools, in conjunction with a whole bunch of other tools, that we can use to get this right.”


There have been at least four fatal shootings in Toronto in the past two weeks, according to CP24. That number has concerned residents and police, who say they are still planning more measures to address the problem. 


“I can tell you that we will be putting additional resources in specific places that we think will help deter and reduce the gun violence that’s occurring in the city,” Saunders said earlier this month.

Featured

  • Maximizing Your Security Budget This Year

    Perimeter Security Standards for Multi-Site Businesses

    When you run or own a business that has multiple locations, it is important to set clear perimeter security standards. By doing this, it allows you to assess and mitigate any potential threats or risks at each site or location efficiently and effectively. Read Now

  • Getting in Someone’s Face

    There was a time, not so long ago, when the tradeshow industry must have thought COVID-19 might wipe out face-to-face meetings. It sure seemed that way about three years ago. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • Live From ISC West 2024: Post-Show Recap

    ISC West 2024 is complete. And from start to finish, the entire conference was a huge success with almost 30,000 people in attendance. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West
  • ISC West 2024 is a Rousing Success

    The 2024 ISC West security tradeshow marked a pivotal moment in the industry, showcasing cutting-edge technology and innovative solutions to address evolving security challenges. Exhibitors left the event with a profound sense of satisfaction, as they witnessed a high level of engagement from attendees and forged valuable connections with potential clients and partners. Read Now

    • Industry Events
    • ISC West

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • ComNet CNGE6FX2TX4PoE

    The ComNet cost-efficient CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is a six-port switch that offers four Gbps TX ports that support the IEEE802.3at standard and provide up to 30 watts of PoE to PDs. It also has a dedicated FX/TX combination port as well as a single FX SFP to act as an additional port or an uplink port, giving the user additional options in managing network traffic. The CNGE6FX2TX4PoE is designed for use in unconditioned environments and typically used in perimeter surveillance. 3

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions. 3

  • Hanwha QNO-7012R

    Hanwha QNO-7012R

    The Q Series cameras are equipped with an Open Platform chipset for easy and seamless integration with third-party systems and solutions, and analog video output (CVBS) support for easy camera positioning during installation. A suite of on-board intelligent video analytics covers tampering, directional/virtual line detection, defocus detection, enter/exit, and motion detection. 3