Toronto will add 200 officers to night shift to curb shootings
Toronto plans to add 200 frontline officers to the night shift over the summer in an effort to reduce gun violence, the city’s police chief said Thursday while the mayor promised new funds for community programs to help at-risk youth.
The announcements from Police Chief Mark Saunders and Mayor John Tory come as the city grapples with a string of recent shootings, including several in busy areas.
Saunders said the additional officers who will be on the job between 7 p.m. and 3 a.m. will be sent to areas that need them, and noted that neighbourhoods will not be saturated with police.
“It’s about being focused and strategic in our deployment,” he said. “This is not about turning communities upside down. That will never be the intention.”