Nearly $1.2-million in provincial funding is helping keep local residents safe.
As part of a $91-million province-wide investment, the Chatham-Kent Police Service Board is being given $693,243.63 for its Community Connect project, which includes youth mentorship programs, culturally responsive outreach, neighbourhood forums, and the Fast Intervention Risk Specific Team (FIRST) strategy that brings together 26 community partners to address safety concerns in real time.
The CK Police Service Board is also receiving another $496,512.00 for Operation Crimewatch, a technology-driven initiative using advanced CCTV, analytics, and AI tools to combat human trafficking, retail and vehicle theft, and other priority crimes.
“These initiatives will build stronger partnerships between police and community, improve crisis response, and harness new tools to fight crime,” said Chatham-Kent-Leamington MPP Trevor Jones in a news release. “By working together, we are making our communities safer and more resilient.”
The funding comes through the Community Safety and Policing Grant Program, providing eligible police services, police services boards, and municipalities policed by the Ontario Provincial Police with funding to deploy frontline officers where and when they are needed most.
