The Peterborough Police Service will use a $167,000 grant over three years from the Ontario government to develop a better understanding of and response to hate bias incidents and hate crimes in the community.
Peterborough-Kawartha MPP Dave Smith made the announcement of the grant — which comes from the proceeds of crime forfeited to the province following criminal prosecutions — at police headquarters on Water Street in downtown Peterborough on Friday afternoon (January 19).
“There is no better way to use the proceeds from crimes then using that money on prevention,” said MPP Smith in a media release. “We are seeing a rise in hate-related incidents and it is unacceptable in our community. Everyone deserves the safety and assurances that they will not be targeted because of their beliefs, race, or sexual orientation.”
The police will use the provincial grant to develop a public education campaign about the difference between a hate bias incident, to streamline reporting protocols, to provide ongoing training to officers, and to establish a comprehensive hate incident database.
“It’s important for us to know when these types of incidents happen and that all residents continue to feel safe in reporting them,” said Peterborough police chief Stuart Betts, who added such incidents are being underreported. “Community safety is always our top priority, and we want to do everything we can to ensure a safe inclusive community for all.”
The $167,000 in funding comes from the provincial government’s Proceeds of Crime Front-Line Policing grant program, which has invested over $16 million in more than 280 crime prevention initiatives across Ontario since 2018. The grant program was first established under a previous government.
