McGuinty Government Cracks Down On Crime In Durham 

     PICKERING, ON, July 9 /CNW/ - Durham Region residents are safer today as

a result of the McGuinty government's investments to target guns, gangs and

organized crime, Community Safety and Correctional Services Minister Monte

Kwinter and Pickering-Ajax-Uxbridge MPP Wayne Arthurs said today.

     "Ontarians deserve to feel safe within their own communities," said

Arthurs. "I am very pleased that our government is taking direct action to

make Durham Region a safer place for all of its residents."

     The $510,000 in new investment for the Durham Regional Police Service is

part of a $12-million anti-crime package announced on June 6 by Premier

McGuinty. This investment is in addition to $5 million for the Guns and Gangs

strategy in Toronto, which was previously announced. The Durham Regional

Police Service will use the funding to establish a joint forces operation with

the Peel Regional Police Service by deploying 18 full-time officers dedicated

to a rapid response team.

     "Guns, gangs and illegal drugs have no place in our communities," Kwinter

said. "We will continue to work with our policing partners to rid Ontario of

drug labs and grow operations and to protect our citizens."

     "We are very pleased with this announcement and applaud the Province's

investment in Durham Region," said Durham Regional Police Service Chief Mike

Ewles. "These funds will enhance our ongoing efforts to combat gangs and guns

in Durham Region and will allow us to aggressively target problem areas."

     "The City of Pickering appreciates that the Province acknowledges the

need to support our local police services to ensure the safety of our

communities," said Mayor Dave Ryan. "By working together, Pickering will

remain one of the best places in Canada to live, work and play."

     The McGuinty government's new anti-crime package includes:

     -  A Crystal Methamphetamine Elimination Project

     -  Increasing the capacity of the Office of the Fire Marshal to

        investigate fires and explosions from methamphetamine labs and

        marijuana grow operations

     -  Creating a Provincial Task Force on Marijuana Grow Operations

     -  Enhancing the capacity of the Ontario Provincial Police and municipal

        police services to identify, locate and seize the illegal gains from

        criminal organizations, and seek their forfeiture through the courts.

     These initiatives build upon the government's 2006, $51-million Guns and

Gangs strategy. Other measures undertaken by the McGuinty government to ensure

safer communities include:

     -  1,000 new officers for Ontario police services

     -  The Youth Opportunities Strategy to help young people faced with

        challenges achieve success

     -  A new operations centre for the Guns and Gangs Task Force - the first

        of its kind in North America.

     "Tackling gun crimes is a complex challenge - and criminal gangs are

always adapting and evolving," said Kwinter. "Our strategy is working but we

need to keep up the pressure by being tough on gun crime, targeting gangs and

providing young people with positive alternatives to gang culture."

     Disponible en français

                            www.mcscs.jus.gov.on.ca

     Backgrounder

     -------------------------------------------------------------------------

                MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT TAKES AIM AT GUNS AND GANGS,

                       ORGANIZED CRIME AND ILLEGAL DRUGS

     On June 6, Premier McGuinty announced the government's new anti-crime

package, which included expanding Ontario's highly successful guns and gangs

project to combat violence and build safer communities for Ontario citizens.

     Over two years, the McGuinty government has invested $68 million to crack

down on guns, gangs, illegal drugs and other criminal activities. Building on

the success of last year's $51-million provincewide investment, this year the

government is investing over $17 million to help Ontario communities target

crime and violence.

     The initiatives announced by Premier McGuinty on June 6 will:

     -  Target Crystal Methamphetamine Labs ($2.0 Million)

        Illicit methamphetamine (crystal meth) labs pose health and safety

        risks to Ontario citizens. Since June 2006, six super labs have been

        dismantled in Ontario (Durham, Peel, Sault Ste. Marie area, Stokes Bay

        and Haliburton). A new team of specially trained officers will

        supplement the Ontario Provincial Police Drug Enforcement Section by

        providing expertise in dismantling crystal meth labs and targeting the

        criminal organizations that operate them. The Office of the Fire

        Marshal is also being given additional resources to meet the

        increasing demands for fire and explosion investigations and for the

        training and education of police and fire services that is needed

        because of the spread of crystal meth labs.

     -  Implement an Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy in Targeted

        Communities ($11.3 Million)

        The government will invest $11.3 million in 2007 to continue Toronto's

        Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy and to support police services in

        Golden Horseshoe communities (Brantford, Halton, Hamilton, Niagara),

        Essex County (Amherstburg, LaSalle, Windsor), Durham, Kenora, London,

        Ottawa, Peel, Thunder Bay, Waterloo and York Region. These communities

        are developing local anti-crime initiatives based on the Toronto

        model.

     -  Create a Task Force on Marijuana Grow Operations ($800,000 in Annual

        Funding)

        The community safety hazards of marijuana grow operations call for

        dedicated resources. The new advisory group will develop methods to

        reduce the risks to public safety from marijuana grow operations.

        Through additional resources, the Office of the Fire Marshal will

        provide increased training to help reduce the risks to health and

        safety for police and fire services arising from marijuana grow

        operations.

     -  Expand the Ontario Provincial Police Asset Forfeiture Unit ($1.0

        Million)

        This will enhance the capacity of the Ontario Provincial Police

        working with municipal police to identify, locate and seize the

        illegal gains from criminal organizations, and seek their forfeiture

        through the courts.

     -  Improve Intelligence Gathering ($900,000)

        A new Intelligence Unit will help identify gang members and reduce the

        potential for criminal activity in Ontario.

     -  Provide Additional Support for Crown Attorneys ($1.4 Million)

        This support will improve response to gun crimes, with Crowns working

        with police from day one of an investigation on matters including

        seizures, wiretaps, search warrants and other investigative

        requirements.

     Contact:

     Stuart McGetrick

     Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services

     416-325-9686