The Ontario government is investing $5.45 million over three years to provide Six Nations Police, Brantford Police Services and Brant OPP with significant new resources to secure the communities.
For Six Nations, this means a desperately needed $1.5 million dollar capacity boost directed at investigating guns and gangs on the territory.
The funding comes at a critical point in time when the Six Nations community is being overrun with a steep increase in gun violence, murder and violent crimes. Six Nations Chief of Police Darren Montour says that rise is connected to the illegal drug trade flourishing on the territory, causing community residents to feel threatened and unsafe.
The funding was announced on April 19 and is part of Ontario’s $267 million investment in the Community Safety and Policing (CSP) Grant Program for initiatives that help combat crime locally.
Brantford Police Service, Six Nations Police and Brant OPP are three of 90 police service boards receiving funding through the CSP Grant Program for 147 public safety initiatives focusing on local and provincial priorities such as gun and gang violence, sexual violence and harassment, human trafficking, mental health and addictions and hate-motivated crime.
“The Six Nations Police Service extends its sincere thanks and gratitude to the Solicitor General of Ontario for its allocation of funding for the Six Nations Guns & Gangs Initiative,” said Six Nations Police Service Chief Darren Montour. “This funding will aide to assist us in combating the drug problem that plagues Six Nations of the Grand River and surrounding communities. A special thank you goes out to Brantford-Brant MPP, Will Bouma. He has advocated on behalf of the Six Nations of the Grand River and today we stand here with funding dedicated specifically to help combat the violent crimes our communities face.”
“I am pleased to announce this new funding that will benefit the entire region,” said Brantford-Brant MPP Will Bouma. “Dollar for dollar, this money will be very effective because the programs that it will fund originated from the grassroots police services who know the reality on the ground locally.”
The programs and respective police service are:
– Six Nations Police: $1,499,280.00 for Six Nations Police Service Gun and Gang Initiative.
– Brantford Police: $1,500,000.00 for Brantford Police Service – High Enforcement & Action Team.
– Brantford Police: $1,460,761.20 for Community Safety & Policing (CSP) Grant: Mobile Crisis Response Team (MCRT).
– Brantford Police: $700,685.65 for COAST: Crisis Outreach and Supportive Team.
– Brant OPP Police: $295,096.95 for Project Serve and Detect: A Joint Collaboration with Brant Safe Streets.
“Community safety is a top priority, and our government has been strengthening our justice system to protect communities and hold offenders accountable,” said Solicitor General Sylvia Jones. “This investment is another way we are helping police services address local challenges and improve the well-being of the people they serve. Whether to combat the opioid crisis, share intelligence, or prevent violent crime, this funding will make a difference in all corners of Ontario.”
Under the Local Priorities Funding Stream, each eligible police services board had a predetermined allocation that they could apply for.
The CSP Grant Program helps police services address priority issues identified in their communities such as expanding mental health supports, preventing crime in schools and combatting cybercrime. It also addresses province-wide priorities such as; gun and gang violence; sexual violence and harassment; human trafficking; mental health and addictions; and hate-motivated crime
Police services will be required to report twice a year on the financial activities and outcomes of their initiatives.
