Police’s anti-hate initiative in Burlington, Oakville, Milton, Halton Hills receives grant
Published April 28, 2022 at 10:25 am
With hate-motivated crimes a growing concern in Burlington, Oakville, Milton and Halton Hills, the Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) is getting some much-needed financial support from the province to help combat it.
Halton Police will receive $1.2 million grant through the Ministry of the Solicitor General’s Community Safety and Policing Grant.
Issued over a three-year period, the funding will help the local police department’s ability to combat hate within the region of Halton through the launch of an overarching initiative called: #NoHateInHalton – Promoting Respect, Equity and Inclusivity in Our Community.
“Hate has no place in our region,” says HRPS Service Chief Stephen J. Tanner. “In the coming years, the Halton Regional Police Service looks forward to executing on these strategic, expanded efforts to combat hate, and to increasing our proactive work alongside community partners to reduce and eventually eliminate hate within the region of Halton.”
Hate- and bias-motivated crimes have become an increasing concern for the community and HRPS, and the police say they recognize that crimes motivated by hate continue to be significantly underreported to police.
This transformative grant will be used to address several strategic priorities under the multi-year #NoHateInHalton Initiative, including:
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- Community consultations to identify i) opportunities for removing barriers to reporting hate- or bias- motivated crimes; ii) how to enhance the Service’s response to acts motivated by hate or bias; and iii) how to best support those impacted by such incidents.
- Increasing personnel assigned to our hate- and bias-motivated crime response.
- Enhanced training for all our members, both sworn and civilian, on how to best respond to acts of hate-and bias and support those impacted.
- Expansion of our annual #NoHateInHalton awareness campaign in educational facilities across the region.
- Establishment of an annual Hate Crime Symposium, hosted by the HRPS, to facilitate collaboration between community stakeholders across all pertinent sectors.
- Identification of opportunities for new partnerships and avenues for public education to enhance the region’s community safety and well-being efforts to eliminate hate.
No one should be targeted based on race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other similar factor.
If you are victimized or have information related to a hate or bias motivated crime, contact the Halton Regional Police.
Information can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or through the website at www.haltoncrimestoppers.ca.
The following is a list of valuable support services and resources in Halton Region for victims of hate or bias motivated crimes:
- Halton Regional Police Service Victim Services Unit: 905-825-4777, ext. 5239
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
- R.O.C.K. Crisis Response: 905-878-9785
- Halton Multicultural Council (HMC Connections): 905-842-2486
- Thrive Counselling: 905-637-5256 or 905-845-3811