Toronto police to add 26 officers to high-crime areas

Ontario is providing an additional $5 million to Toronto police, which the force says it will use to increase its presence in two high crime areas — the northwest and the eastern part of the downtown.

The announcement of the funding, made Tuesday morning by Ontario Solicitor General Rick Bartolucci, is for a continuation of the funding the province has provided for the Toronto anti-violence intervention strategy, or TAVIS. 

Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said part of the $5 million will be used to add 26 police officers to the two parts of the city, which he said research shows are the city's high-crime areas:  Jane-Finch and Moss Park/Regent Park.

The additional officers will support existing officers, said Blair. "They [existing officers] need extra help, and they're going to get it." 

The extra officers will form two new TAVIS teams, bringing the total number of teams to six and the total number of TAVIS officers to 98.

Bartolucci said the formation of the TAVIS teams has been an overwhelming success. He pointed to statistics that show up until now the special police units have been responsible for more than 10,000 arrests and the seizure of more than 400 firearms.