Ontario Protecting Communities by Enhancing Policing in Peterborough
October 17, 2025
$981,888 for Peterborough Police Service will help fight crime and keep people safe
PETERBOROUGH — The Peterborough Police Service (PPS) is receiving $981,888 as part of the Ontario government’s more than $91 million investment to help protect families and communities across the province. The funding is being delivered through the Community Safety and Policing Grant Program and will be used to enhance local crime-fighting capabilities across two major initiatives: retail theft and human trafficking.
1. Major Expansion of Community F.I.R.S.T. to Combat Theft
Funding has been secured to strengthen the PPS’s successful Community F.I.R.S.T. (Focused Investigation Response and Support Team), which targets retail and provincial theft. The F.I.R.S.T. Unit has already delivered exceptional results, including 466 arrests and the recovery of over $119,000 in stolen property for local businesses since launching in January 2024.
The new funding will allow PPS to continue to have four officers operating in the Community FIRST Unit, and upgrade technology to enhance intelligence-led, data-driven responses. This expansion will allow the PPS to more effectively target repeat offenders and address crime hotspots, significantly improving public safety.
2. Investing $500,000 to Fight Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence
A dedicated $500,000 has been awarded to strengthen the PPS’s efforts against the provincial priorities of sexual violence, harassment, and human trafficking. This funding will be used to enhance survivor-informed strategies across three key pillars:
- Training & Personnel: Ensuring all frontline officers receive continuous, trauma-informed training, supported by dedicated specialized roles like the Human Trafficking Investigator and Domestic Violence Coordinator.
- Technological Tools: Expanding the Community Safety CCTV Network and installing high-resolution Automatic License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology. These tools are crucial for tracking suspect vehicles and disrupting exploitation through transportation networks.
- Community Engagement: Improving public education and outreach, with the technology expansion guided by a transparent, community-led CCTV Steering Committee.
This investment directly supports the PPS’s strategic goal of strengthening community partnerships and providing both proactive enforcement and compassionate, effective support for victims of complex and often hidden crimes.
“Every resident deserves to feel safe in their community,” said Dave Smith, Member of Provincial Parliament for Peterborough-Kawartha. “This substantial funding will equip our police service with the resources to not only crack down on organized retail crime and put repeat offenders behind bars through the successful Community F.I.R.S.T. team, but also to deliver specialized, trauma-informed support for victims of the horrific crimes of human trafficking and sexual violence. Our government is committed to ensuring our police have the tools they need to protect our families and make our streets safer.”
“I would like to extend my sincere thanks to the provincial government for recognizing the importance of this funding for our community,” Chief Stuart Betts of the Peterborough Police Service Because of this investment, the Peterborough Police Service will be able to continue to tackle issues that impact residents and visitors and help us achieve our strategic goals of enhancing community safety, modernizing the service through technology, and supporting our people.
Through the Community F.I.R.S.T initiative we have been addressing retail theft and property crimes; this funding will allow us to continue with this success with people and new technologies that will help make the reporting process easier for residents. This funding will help us as we continue to train and educate our officers in trauma-informed practices around human trafficking and sexual violence.
Finally, this funding will allow us to enhance our CCTV program to install cameras at key intersections that lead in and out of our community. As I have stated many times, many of the most severe crimes that have occurred in this community over the past two years have been perpetrated by people who have travelled here; having cameras equipped with automatic license plate readers at strategic locations will assist in a multitude of investigations. These are issues that are important to our community, and with this support we will continue to be able to make strides in solving crimes and ensuring the safety of all residents in our community.” Chief Betts added.
The Peterborough Police Service project is one of 127 projects being funded across the province for 2025-26. Of the 127 projects, 88 projects will address local priorities and 39 projects will address provincial priorities, including gun and gang related violence, sexual violence and harassment, human trafficking, mental health and addictions, hate-motivated crime, housing and homelessness, and commercial/retail theft.
“Our government is delivering on our promise to protect Ontario and keep communities safe,” said Solicitor General Michael Kerzner. “Through this funding, we are helping to build safer communities by ensuring Ontario’s police services have the resources they need to address local issues and improve the well-being of the people they serve.”
The Community Safety and Policing Grant Program supports policing initiatives that focus on local or provincial priorities and provides eligible police services/boards and municipalities policed by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) with funding to deploy front-line officers where and when they are needed most.
QUICK FACTS
- The total provincial investment through this announcement is more than $91 million.
- The PPS is receiving $981,888 in total funding.
- The PPS’s Community F.I.R.S.T. Unit has made 466 arrests and recovered over $119,000 in stolen property since January 2024.
- $500,000 is specifically dedicated to fighting human trafficking and sexual violence.
- The Community Safety and Policing Grant Program funds projects focusing on issues like gun and gang violence, human trafficking, and mental health.
MEDIA CONTACT
Dave Smith Action Centre
705-742-3777
David.smith@pc.ola.org