The Ontario government is providing the Peterborough Police Service with more than $2.9 million over three years, with most of the funding going to support the police service’s special victims unit.
Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith made the announcement at the Peterborough police station on Monday morning (May 2).
“This funding will bring significant support to victims of crime — helping them heal and bring criminals to justice,” Smith said.
Peterborough police will use most of the $2,947,380 grant for its special victims unit, which will focus on investigating crimes related to human trafficking, child exploitation and sexual abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence, and sexual violence and harassment.
The funding will also be used for a new major crime investigator to assist with unit’s investigations and projects, a situation table coordinator to assist the police service’s community development and engagement coordinator, assist with the service’s data analysts, and provide advanced training courses for officers.
“The funding allows the service to work on more proactive projects, provides advanced training courses, allows officers in the major crime unit to work on investigating overdose deaths which may lead to more positive outcomes for for our community and more connections to our victims services unit for victims of crime,” said Inspector John Lyons of the Peterborough Police Service.
The funding is part of the province’s $267 million Community Safety and Policing Grant Program, announced last November.
A total of 90 police service boards across Ontario are receiving funding under the program for 147 public safety initiatives focusing on local and provincial priorities such as gun and gang violence, sexual violence and harassment, human trafficking, mental health and addictions, and hate-motivated crime.
Police services will be required to report twice a year on the financial activities and outcomes of their initiatives.
