Toronto's homicide total for 2011 is 46, the lowest since the mid-1980s; and 40 fewer than just four years ago.
In a year-end interview with Toronto Community News, Toronto police Chief Bill Blair correctly pointed out that while it's positive the numbers are significantly lower, work remains to be done. "We have to remain resolute in our determination to make sure there are fewer of those family tragedies in our city," he said. The impact of violent crime is disastrous: on victims, their families and friends. It also has profound impacts on the local communities - Toronto's building blocks - that make up the city. Blair credits ongoing investments in Toronto's communities, such as the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS) in select neighbourhoods, as having helped curb violent crime in the city. This past year, the Brimley Road-Eglinton Avenue area of Scarborough and the Weston Road-Lawrence Avenue area in the former City of York were served by the localized crime prevention program. In 2010, TAVIS targeted Scarborough Village, north Etobicoke and the Jane-Finch area of North York.Community engagement and education are critical components for any crime-fighting initiative. In the case of TAVIS, the province has announced funding for the initiative would be in place for an additional two years. It's important that if an initiative is judged to have made a difference, that the momentum is sustained through stable funding and expansion of the program. It's important that if an initiative is not yielding results, that it be revised or have its funds directed elsewhere. Toronto police can benefit from growing community contact through social media.Police have made a good start on using social media as a way of mining for leads by producing YouTube videos as appeals for information from the community, for example. But we encourage further exploration. Each Toronto police division must have its own twitter account as an added tool for immediate reach of those who use the tool. Investigation in an early stage is critical. There are more eyes and ears on the street than ever before. Let's see strong use of community communication tools. Toronto is and has been a comparatively safe city. Statistics show it ranks below other Canadian cities for per capita incidents of violent crime. When our police are active, available and recognized in the neighbourhoods of the city the better the opportunity to keep Toronto's communities safe and roll back crime numbers.