Pubdate: Thu, 01 Mar 2007
Source: Standard, The (St. Catharines, CN ON)
Copyright: 2007 The Standard
Contact:  http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/676
Author: Grant LaFleche

TORONTO CRIMINALS MOVING TO NIAGARA

Southern Ontario Police Chiefs Seeing Results of Successful Fight 
Against Gangs and Guns in Toronto: It's On Their Doorstep

Niagara Regional Police Chief Wendy Southall is pleased that Toronto 
police have been successful in fighting guns and gangs in their city.

It's the aftermath of that success she isn't so thrilled about.

Southall says criminals finding it too hot in Toronto have moved on 
to other municipalities in the GTA and Golden Horseshoe, including 
the Niagara region.

"Toronto had the funding to do both reactive and proactive programs," 
Southall said Wednesday. "Unfortunately that has pushed some of that 
criminal activity our way."

Southall said over the last year, the NRP has seen an increase in 
crimes committed by people with ties to Toronto-area gangs. Murders 
committed in Niagara in 2006, including some in St. Catharines, have 
similar ties to people connected with gang activity that was once 
exclusive to Toronto.

The result has not just been more work for NRP officers, but a more 
complex caseload.

"So what is happening now is that the chiefs from the big 12 police 
departments around the GTA and the Golden Horseshoe are telling the 
province that we need more funding so that we can launch our own 
proactive programs with respect to this and deal with it," Southall said.

In January 2006, the provincial government committed $51 million to 
expand the Guns and Gangs Task Force, most of it going to Toronto.

Terry McLaren, Peterbourgh police chief and president of the Ontario 
Association of Chiefs, says the increased enforcement is like putting 
pressure on a bubble - as the pressure increases the bubble spreads out.

He says the result is more drugs, guns and gang activity in his city 
and places like Windsor, London and Ottawa.

"We all, as police across this province, commend Toronto for the 
initiative they've taken to help control the guns and gangs," said McLaren.

"But every police chief you talk to in this province will tell you 
that has created problems for the rest of the communities."

Southall said she recently joined the chiefs of the Hamilton, Halton 
and Brantford police departments at a meeting with Community Safety 
and Correctional Services Minister Monte Kwinter to discuss the issue 
and request more funding.

She said Kwinter was receptive to their requests. Business plans have 
been sent to his office and Southall expects to receive an answer 
before the end of March.

Southall says if the NRP can get more funding, the service can 
dedicate more resources toward the guns and gangs problems, including 
conducting more checks for weapons coming across the U.S.-Canada border.
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