ENFORCEMENT AND JUSTICE
STRENGTHENING COMMUNITY SAFETY THROUGH PARTNERSHIP
WECOSS Action Plan Guiding Recommendation [EIGHT]:
Redefine the role for enforcement agencies and other first responders to build “public safety-public health” partnerships for a safer and healthier community.
Goal: To strengthen community safety by taking a coordinated approach with neighborhood groups, police, municipal and peer leaders and other community stakeholders, to address substance-related crime and associated issues.
Summary of Activities: Four existing formalized police-community partnerships are using a crime prevention approach, Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) to understand how the built environment influences community safety. Crime statistics for each of the neighbourhoods are collected and used to identify areas for CPTED audits to be conducted. Recommendations resulting from the audits have been implemented and primarily included modifications to alley lighting, and traffic calming measures, as well as bush trimming to reduce issues related to visibility. A CPTED audit information brochure is currently under development to support this work. This brochure be available electronically so it can be translated into other languages to allow residents equal access to this information.
The four police-community partnerships have been successful in developing community rapport and actively participate in community festivals and events where the presence of police officers would be appropriate. Officers continue to be actively involved with regular patrols in the neighbourhoods as well as becoming actively involved in community events.
Measurable Outputs:
- 20 Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design audits done to date
- 201 Recommendations, 27 implemented
- 19 Special Events occurred within the formalized partnerships
Next Steps:
- Pre and post CPTED audit statistics will be examined to assess the effectiveness of implemented environmental changes.
- Officers to remain at the neighbourhood level and continue to engage with the Safety Committees and BIA’s.
ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES AS COMMUNITY RESOURCES (including promoting Diversion programming)
WECOSS Action Plan Guiding Recommendation [EIGHT]:
Redefine the role for enforcement agencies and other first responders to build “public safety-public health” partnerships for a safer and healthier community.
Goal: To raise the profile of local enforcement agencies as a “community resource” by increasing public awareness of the community outreach role of law enforcement.
Summary of Activities: In addition to the ongoing promotion of The Good Samaritan Drug Overdose Act new materials have been developed to promote local diversion programming options (e.g., drug treatment court). To support this work The Windsor-Essex Treatment Services: Alcohol and Drug Treatment Options pamphlet has been developed as well as an updated Drug Treatment Court brochure. All local enforcement agencies have provided their frontline staff with these resource materials to provide to those at risk or who have been charged with offences. In addition, new recruits and local frontline officers were provided information on the importance of using non stigmatizing language to help break down negative stereotypes associated with substance use disorders.
Next Steps:
- Forging new connections in each community to continue the work of community safety audits.
- Investigate intersection of this project with the development of the Community Safety and Well-Being Plan that has been mandated by the province.