Toronto Police

Targeted investigations like Project Matrix are an important part of keeping our communities safe. I want to thank the members of 55 Division and everyone involved for their dedication and hard work over the past several months. Every time we take illegal firearms and drugs off our streets, we help prevent gun violence and reduce harm in our communities. The results of this investigation, including 44 arrests and 187 charges laid, send a clear message: if you are involved in illegal firearms or drug trafficking, we will identify you, arrest you, and hold you accountable.

Thank you to these brave officers for their great work in responding quickly, making arrests, and laying charges. In this case, those arrested included a 14-year-old. In other cases, we have seen adults recruit and exploit young people to commit crimes. While we continue to enforce the law and do all we can to apprehend offenders and bring them before the courts, these are all examples of why we need to keep advocating for programs and reforms that address youth involvement in serious crime. This is not just a policing issue. We all have a responsibility to help deter criminality, hold offenders accountable, and ensure young people do not go down the path of crime.

On behalf of the Toronto Police Service, our thoughts are with the Canadian Armed Forces and everyone impacted by yesterday's incident at CFB Wainwright in Alberta. We are grateful to the first responders whose professionalism and dedication helped those affected. @TorontoPolice will always stand with our Canadian Armed Forces members and be there to support them whenever we can.

Great work by our members getting firearms off our streets across the city. This remains a whole of Service effort.

Congratulations, Dave, on your new role. Thank you for your leadership, counsel and the many contributions you have made to @TorontoPolice. Wishing you every success in this next chapter.

As families and friends gather this Thanksgiving weekend, I want to thank our @TorontoPolice members who will be working throughout the long weekend to keep our city safe. Thank you for your dedication and commitment to serving our great city. Wishing everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving.

The Special Investigations Unit has concluded its independent investigation into the officer-involved shooting that occurred during the execution of a search warrant on June 11 and has cleared our officers. While this decision brings their investigation to a close, it does not diminish the profound loss our Service continues to feel. On that day, we lost Constable Marc Pinizzotto, a dedicated member of our Emergency Task Force, a respected colleague, and a friend. Marc gave his life in service to others, and his sacrifice will never be forgotten. The members of our Emergency Task Force are among the most highly trained and skilled officers in the country, and they routinely face dangerous and dynamic situations with professionalism, courage, and exceptional expertise. In the months since losing their colleague and friend, they have demonstrated tremendous resilience while continuing to serve the people of Toronto with dedication. I want to thank members of the public for your support during this difficult time and for continuing to keep Marc's family, friends, and loved ones in your thoughts. Your ongoing support has meant a great deal to our Service and to all those who knew and loved Marc.

Last week, I had the pleasure of reconnecting with a remarkable group of young people at @TorontoPolice Headquarters. When I first became Chief, they asked what I intended to do to improve member wellness. They reminded me that wellness is not only important for our members and our Service, but also for the communities we serve, who want to know that our people are able to bring the best version of themselves to their work every day. That conversation helped shape the Chief’s Wellbeing Program, which is now presented to every new recruit joining the Service, encouraging them to commit to prioritizing their health and wellbeing throughout their careers. Now young adults, I had the opportunity to thank them for their leadership and to present each of them with a Certificate of Youth Leadership.

We have maintained an increased presence at strategic locations throughout the Jewish High Holy Days and will continue to do so today, and make it a continuing priority. Over the past weeks and days, I have met with community members and faith leaders who shared their concerns and fears. Our officers are conducting visits and engagement at places of worship, schools, and community centres. We will continue to stand together against antisemitism to keep people safe.

I have attended far too many police funerals over the past few months. I have also made far too many visits to hospitals to see members recovering from injuries suffered in the line of duty. These experiences stay with you. They are a reminder that behind every headline is a person, a family, a colleague, and a community affected by violence. Last week in Ottawa, I participated in a Roundtable on Officer Safety alongside police service and association leaders from across Canada. Police services across the country are concerned about assaults, threats, and violence directed at officers. Many of us signed the letter below because we need to have an open conversation about this. I want to thank the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police @CACP_ACCP, the Canadian Police Association, and Premier Ford @fordnation for helping bring attention to this issue and for advocating for the safety of our officers. An attack on a police officer is an attack on all of us as a society. It is an attack on the rule of law, on our values, and on our way of life. It is also an attack on what makes our cities vibrant and thriving. This is an issue across our country. Public safety is the foundation on which strong communities and economic prosperity are built. A society that does not take meaningful action to prevent violence against its police officers cannot claim to be at its best. Keeping officers safe is not solely a policing issue. It is a responsibility shared by all of us: police services, legislators, educators, parents, healthcare partners, the justice system, and community leaders. The @TorontoPolice Service will continue working with all of our partners to address this issue. We support the efforts to send a clear message that violence against those who serve and protect our communities, or against anyone, is unacceptable.

This past weekend, it was an honour to join Detective Constable Jeffrey Northrup’s family, friends and colleagues to remember him, celebrate his legacy, and help raise money for a good cause. We will never forget his sacrifice.

Please see my statement on the arrest of a senior officer

This was the first time we at @TorontoPolice hosted the International Missing Persons and Unidentified Remains Conference here in Toronto. On average, our Service responds to nearly 10,000 missing persons calls each year and currently has a 99.75% solve rate. This conference is providing a valuable opportunity to learn from one another and strengthen the partnerships that are essential to this work. Thank you to all the speakers, experts, and participants.

Today, with the @TorontoPolice Command Team, I met with our Jewish Community Consultative Committee, the Toronto Police Service Board, and the Board's Jewish Advisory Table to discuss the hate-motivated shooting incident in Belleville. Together, we discussed concerns within the community and reaffirmed our shared commitment to safety, trust, and ongoing dialogue. We understand the fear and uncertainty that incidents like these create within the Jewish community. We will continue to maintain an increased presence around places of worship, schools, and community centres to ensure that community members are safe and feel safe. Thank you to the committee and advisory members for the candid conversation and continued partnership. We remain committed to collaborating with community leaders, policing partners, and all levels of government to help identify and address threats motivated by hate and violent extremism.

We wrapped up the final weekend of summer with the city as busy as ever. I had the opportunity to visit our officers and @Toronto_Fire partners stationed across the city at events and celebrations, while also connecting with community members at gatherings such as the First Responders Appreciation BBQ and the Toronto Ukrainian Festival. Thank you to everyone who helped make it a safe and successful end to the season.