31 Division

Boundaries

31 Division covers an area of Toronto bounded by Steeles Ave. W. on the north ... Lawrence Ave. W. on the south ... just east of Keele St. on the east ... and the Humber River on the west.

31 Division Community Police Liaison Committee

Public Meetings are at 7pm on the first Monday of each month, September to June inclusive (excluding Labour Day). The meetings are at 31 Division, located at 40 Norfinch Drive.

Each meeting features a presentation on topics which affect your community.

We are dedicated to encourage mutual trust through understanding, shared knowledge and involvement which will lead to a meaningful partnership to maintain safety and security for all.

Please contact Staff Sgt. Maggiacomo at (416) 808-3159 if you have questions,

31 Div C.P.L.C. Student Bursary Award Program

The "Bursary Awards" are given out annually. A $500 cheque is presented to area high school students, selected by their schools.

Crime Prevention Officer

The Crime Prevention Office (CPO) liaisons with the Neighbourhood Watch groups and other community groups, businesses, and individuals with the intent of informing and educating these parties on ways to prevent crime.

The CPO is also available to make presentations to any community groups on Personal Safety and other Crime Prevention topics. A number of videos on these topics may be presented on request.

Safety pamphlets are available through the CPO.

Requests may also be made for the CPO to come out an do a security audit of an individual home or business premises.

As part of this information process the CPO is responsible for the "Community Alert" which incorporates the Auto Dialer, Fax & Email Programs.

Arrangements can also be made for the CPO to attend and set up a Crime Prevention display at public functions.

You may contact the Crime Prevention Officer, P.C. Phil Harris No.3991, directly at 416) 808-3133 or by email at 31divcrimeprevention@torontopolice.on.ca.

Community Alert

Community Alert is a computer operated information system being utilized within the 31 Division area of Toronto. It is maintained and upgraded with donations made by the community.  The entire system is housed and operated from within the 31 Division Police Station. Receive regular information bulletins on criminal activities in & around your community. By Phone, Fax or Email.

For example, citizens may be informed about children or elderly persons reported missing, robberies, assaults, break-ins, crime tips etc... taking place in and around your specific community.

The Telephone Auto Dialer System is primarily for residential use. It operates between 9am & 8pm. The dialer provides you with current information by sending out a 1 minute recorded message to your telephone. If your telephone is busy, the dialer will call back several times and even leave it's message on your answering machine.

The Fax Service is available for businesses & organizations . Because of this format a more detailed report is delivered on a regular basis. This service runs 24hrs. a day.

The Email Service is available to everyone that requests it. By signing up, you will receive regular emails. Each will outline ongoing activity in your area & more.

Any information provided on the Sign Up Form is completely confidential and is only used by the automated computer system to deliver authorized requests.

The program is "FREE". No contribution is required to register. If you do wish to contribute, please feel free to do so. Make cheques payable to "Community Alert Weston and North York". You can mail cheques to;
Crime Prevention Office at No.31 Division,
40 Norfinch Drive,
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
M3N 1X1.
Any donation will assist in the maintenance and continuation of this program.

For further information on this, please contact Police Constable Phil Harris at
(416) 808-3133 or email at 31divcrimprevention@torontopolice.on.ca

Our Sign Up Form for the Community Alert is available in PDF format on the 31 Division Website - http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/d31

School Guard Liaison Office r

There are over 500 School Crossing Guards in the Toronto area who are employed by the Toronto Police Service. Applicants must be 18 years or older and pass a vision acuity and medical test before being considered for employment. The job follows the school year and runs from September to the following June. Equipment, training and supervision are provided locally by the division in which the applicant resides.

Punctuality is of paramount importance to ensure the safe passage of children going to and from school at approved locations on all school days at the designated times.

Crossing Guards are covered by Worker's Compensation and membership in an association is voluntary. Along with wages starting at $10.88 an hour plus 4% vacation pay, guards are paid for holidays including: Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Boxing Day, New Years Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday and Victoria Day. A 12% Transportation allowance is included in the bi-weekly wages paid directly into the financial institution of choice.

The School Guard Coordinator for 31 Division is Police Constable Steve Charlton #5902. Steve can be reached Monday to Friday between 6:00 am to 2:00 pm. at 416-808-3134.

Community Relations Office r

The Community Relations officer is responsible for working in partnership with the local community to enhance public safety and security by using a variety of resources to identify, solve and prevent problems: thereby improving the quality of life within the community.

Some of the activities of the Community Resource officer include:

• maintaining an inventory of the organizations and agencies, including contact persons, within those communities.
• establishment of ongoing communication with those organizations or agencies.
• assistance of community members experiencing problems by means of referrals, intervention and investigation.
• maintaining liaison with social service agencies, cultural centres and community representatives.
• provision of information to the public via lectures, pamphlets, displays etc.
• liaison with local media outlets and charitable organizations.

School Liaison Officers

The 2 school Liaison Officers are available to visit your school and conduct seminars on the "Elmer program" for Junior Kindergarten & Senior kindergarten. Emphasis is on Traffic Safety & Safe Places to Play.

The School Liaison Officers conduct seminars on the "Bert & Gert" program (Stay Alert, Stay Safe) for Grade 2. Emphasis is on Talking to Strangers & Places Not To Play.

For Grade 5's, seminars are conducted on "Assault & Harassment" with a video called "Bullies".

Grade 6's "Drugs & The Law" 

Grade 8's "Youth Violence & Gangs"

Other Programs:

Bicycle Safety: Grades 3, 4 & 5

Bicycle Rodeo's: Junior Kindergarten & Grade 5

Safety Patroller Program: Training & distribution of equipment.

Internet Safety Grade 4's

Officer "Laura" or Officer "Nick" our school liaison Officers may be contacted at 416-808-3132.

Primary Response

As partners in Community Policing, the purpose of Divisional Primary Response Officers is to respond to situations threatening the safety and security of the community or Police by:

• providing timely response to situations where the potential for danger and or injury is present or imminent and crimes in progress;
• short term problem solving through at scene enforcement, education and referral;
• referral to the Community Response Unit and other internal or external groups, of specific situations requiring longer term problem solving strategies;
• targeted patrol and enforcement

Central Alternate Response Unit

The purpose of the C.A.R.U. is to provide an effective and efficient alternative method of response to non-emergency calls for service.

This does not preclude the responsibility of mobile Alternate Response Unit (A.R.U.) officers from responding to emergency situations. Calls for service that fall within this category include events:

• that do not require immediate police presence,
• where there is no potential for imminent danger or escalating violence,
• where the victim does not require immediate/primary support,
• that are not domestic-related or involve the emotionally disturbed,
• where there is unlikely to be an immediate arrest,
• that do not require a lengthy investigation,
• that can be scheduled for response at a later time,
• which may be referred to alternate internal or external service providers.

The C.A.R.U is located on the 12th floor of Toronto Police Headquarters located at 40 College St. When calls for service are received for one of the above mentioned incident types, callers will be redirected to the C.A.R.U.

From there the caller will be able to report the specific incident directly to a Police Officer or at their convenience be called back to complete the report.

If in fact it is found that a Police Officer should attend in person, the incident will be forwarded to the local Divisional Mobile Alternate Response Officer. 

Community Response Unit

Also known as "Community Patrol", is responsible for working in partnership with the local community to enhance public safety and security by using a variety of resource to identify, solve, and prevent problems; thereby improving the quality of life within the community. This does not eliminate the officer's responsibility of responding to emergency situations.

Members of the 31 Division Community Response Office can be reached at (416) 808-3119. 

Traffic Services

The Traffic Office within 31 Division is dedicated to providing road safety for all users of our highways.

The office works in conjunction with Traffic Services initiatives as well as local traffic needs.

Our Traffic Officers respond directly to the needs of the local police division and its citizens. They enforce local By-Laws as well as Provincial and Criminal Code statutes.

They use both marked and unmarked police vehicles and motorcycles in their enforcement and investigative duties.

The office can be contacted by telephone at (416) 808-3124

Youth Services

The Youth Services main directive is to investigate Physical and Sexual Assault of children under the age of 16 years & to investigate Missing Persons where the missing person is under 16 years of age, or the child, youth has been removed from the home by one of the parents. This usually involves parent/child custody cases.

Members of this office also investigate Historical Sexual Assaults, no matter how many years have passed since the alleged incident took place, as long as the victim was under the age of 16 years when the incident occurred.

Youth Services officers also attend at lower and middle schools, usually up to grades 7/8, and assist the school staff and youths with problems that they may have.

The office can be contacted by telephone at (416) 808-3105, or by Fax at (416) 808-3102.

Street Crime

The 31 Division Street Crime Unit was established in July 1996 in order to specifically deal with youth issues and youth violence. A partnership has been developed with school administrators and students.

The officers provide lectures to grades 8 & 9 students of the two school boards which are served - Toronto District School Board and the Metro Separate School Board. During these lectures the following areas are addressed:

• The causes of youth violence
• The importance of youth to report violence
• The role of the police and the court relating to youth violence
• The laws relating to weapons, trespassing and youth gangs

Although the lectures are important and effective, the unit also reacts to calls for service relating to youth violence in or near schools. Investigations are conducted and perpetrators of violence arrested.

Through both education and enforcement, the unit answers the needs of the community. If you or someone you know is a young person and you/they are the victim of extortion, robbery, weapons offences, threats of bodily harm or death, assaults, criminal harassment, or any other serious crimes relating to school or youth gangs, PLEASE CALL US AT ( 416) 808-3123 and HELP US HELP YOU.

Night Listings

What are "Night Listings" and Why are they so very important?

"Night Listings" are confidential contact records kept by 31 Division. In the event of an emergency, the information kept in those records enable Police to contact a responsible representative of your business.

The information also enables Police to determine what action to take or what special emergency equipment might be needed while attending your place of business in the event of an accident or emergency.

Without up-to-date information, the safety of your business and Police could be jeopardized.

Investigative Office

This Office is responsible for investigating and processing Criminal occurrences. The office operates 24 hours a day. Investigators in this office attend all major crime scenes including Sexual Assaults, Aggravated Assaults and Suspicious /Sudden Deaths.

Investigators in the Detective Office are also responsible for investigating missing persons where the missing person is over 16 years of age.

Members of the unit also liaise with groups concerned about Domestic Violence and Hate Crime. The Investigative Office can be reached by calling (416) 808-3104

Warrants Office

The Warrant Office in 31 Division is responsible for the following functions.

1. Maintaining and administering Unit warrant files (Criminal and Civil).

2. Locating and arresting persons wanted on Warrants held by 31 Division.

3. Acting as a common informant for 31 Division.

4. Acting as a liaison between 31 Division and the Courts as well as the Reporting Centre.

5. The processing of unserved summons inquiries.

6. The administration of files for accused persons who have failed to appear for fingerprints or photographs.

7. CPIC pre-purge.

 The office is staffed by two Detective Constables who may be reached at (416) 808-3173 or 3179.

Uniform Civilian Complaints Office

The Uniform Civilian Complaints Coordinator investigates ongoing Public Complaints against officers at 31 Division that have already been submitted to the Toronto Police Service.

Once a complaint has been registered and verified, this office will investigate and coordinate a resolution. The office does not initiate or receive new complaints but rather makes it convenient for local residents to process and resolve issues.

Fraud Office

The office works hand in hand with the community and is available as a resource and source of information.

Frauds are reported by many different individuals and agencies. Some examples of frauds investigated include employee frauds, customer personations, fraudulent cheque activities, credit card schemes, bank related frauds, automated teller frauds, insurance frauds, welfare frauds and counterfeit money investigations. 

The Fraud Office and can be contacted at (416) 808-3107 .

Fraud related offences are on the increase and the entire public is a victim either directly or indirectly. We all pay in the form of higher taxes, bank service charges, insurance premiums and retail costs to name but a few. Never give out your personal or credit information to unknown persons or companies and beware of those who would try to cheat you. Report any suspicious activity to the police. 

Remember, you don't get anything for free and anything that sounds too good to be true, probably isn't true.

Gun Play No Way

'GUN PLAY NO WAY' is a toy gun exchange that will be occurring at various locations across the City of Toronto on Saturday May 29 th , 2004

The 31 Division location will be announced closer to the date.

Children ages 4 - 14 years can turn in any toy gun and get another toy in return.

For further details contact

PC Phil Harris
31 Division
Crime Prevention Officer
416-808-3133

Neighbours Night Out

Held Annually on the 3 rd Tuesday night in June.

Neighbours holding block parties, get together in their local park, tea and cookies in a seniors' home, lemonade in an apartment lobby are all ways that people can celebrate Neighbours Night Out.

It has been proven that when neighbours know each other and their routines, and care about their community it is a safer and better place to live. Apathy can be the biggest problem for Neighbourhood Watch and other community groups. Having a fun evening with the people on your street or in your building can help by sharing information and concerns. In 2000 over 110 block parties with over 11,000 participants were reported across Toronto.

By coming out, we can show that this new Toronto is still made up of strong neighbourhoods who want to make this the safest city in the world.

Planning needs to start now, but keeping it simple will make it more fun.