In November of 2009, the Hamilton Police Services Board directed the Hamilton Police Service (HPS) to further address crime and disorder, particularly in relation to the downtown core, by developing a strategy that incorporated increased police visibility and the capacity for enforcement.
This new strategy also had to complement and enhance the Neighbourhood Safety Project (NSP). NSP is a highly successful and award-winning policing model that was adopted service-wide by HPS in 2006. This model embraces beat owership and community involvement in problem solving. The original goals of NSP were:
- Increased efficiency
- Improved effectiveness
- Increased proactive policing time
- Developing more community input
- Improved communication internally/externally
These practices were put in place to:
- Reduce crime and the fear of it
- Reduce disorder
- Increase traffic safety
- Improve service to our communities
- Provide a safer working environment for patrol officers
- Increase job satisfaction
Since 2007 the Hamilton Police Service had also been the fortunate recipients of the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services Provincial Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (PAVIS) Grant. The PAVIS Grant provided funding to combat violence within communities.
Some police services used this funding to create plain-clothes guns and gangs investigative units or to supplement these units. Similarly, the Hamilton Police used the PAVIS funding to create a more traditional investigative unit, a very effective strategy at the time, and is one we can now maintain.
With the newest round of PAVIS funding the Hamilton Police decided to look at the possibility of using these funds differently. In January of 2010 units at other Police Services that used an innovative blend of old style foot and community patrol policing backed by modern intelligence, crime analysis and community mobilization tools were examined. Research revealed that these type of units were mobile, highly visible and used intelligence-led policing to deploy a highly co-ordinated uniformed response to combat violence, effect change in neighbourhoods, and reduce the fear of crime. This type of deployment while focused on violent crime was also found to have a deterrent effect on all types of crime. Even traffic safety was affected in a positive way.
It became clear that the time had come to take ACTION.
HPS ACTION Teams consist of uniform officers deployed on foot and bicycle patrol. The deployment of each team is based on an ongoing analysis of locations, crime trends, and offenders to ensure that the ACTION Teams are in the right areas at the right times.
HPS ACTION Teams are focused on:
- Reducing violence and disorder in our neighbourhoods
- Increasing safety in the community
- Improving the quality of life for all
They key to the success of this program is a need for the community to take their own ACTION. The ACTION Teams will help resolve crime and disorder and create a void. The Hamilton Police Service will then work with communities to assist and empower members of our community to fill that void.
A safe neighbourhood needs everyone to be involved. Here is how you can help:
- Do something positive in your community.
- Build connections with your neighbours.
- Use the public spaces in your neighbourhoods.
- Tell a police officer, or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477, about the crime and disorder in your neighbourhood.
Follow this link to find a neighbourhood association near you:
City of Hamilton Neighbourhood Associations