Ontario is continuing its support of efforts to combat guns and gang-related violence in Windsor.

The McGuinty government is investing $566,666.67 over the next two years for the Windsor Police Service’s Provincial Anti-violence Intervention Strategy (PAVIS). The strategy funds specialized rapid response police teams and aims to reduce illegal gang, drugs and weapons activities in communities by focusing on intervention, prevention, enforcement and community mobilization.

The province is providing $8.9 million over the next two years to renew existing PAVIS programs in 17 Ontario communities.

QUOTES

“Violence destroys lives and communities. We’re supporting an effective and proactive strategy to crack down on guns and gangs, reduce violence and make the City of Windsor a safer place,” said Correctional Services Minister Rick Bartolucci.

“Ontario’s police leaders welcome this commitment by the Government of Ontario. These programs, together with the commitment of our police services to crime prevention, have proven effective in helping to keep our communities safe from guns and gang related crimes,” saidChief Daniel Parkinson, President, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.

“The McGuinty government has always made safer communities a top priority,” said Sandra Pupatello, MPP for Windsor West. “This new funding will support the important work being done by our government and our police services – a holistic approach that focuses on prevention, intervention, enforcement and community mobilization.”

"Once again the McGuinty government, through the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Rick Bartolucci, saw the value of funding anti-violence programs at the community level," said Windsor Police Chief, Gary Smith. "The extension of the PAVIS funding will allow the Windsor Police Service and our partners to build on the successes from last year of reducing street level drugs and related crime."

QUICK FACTS

§Seventeen police services participate in PAVIS: Brantford, Halton, Hamilton, Niagara, Amherstburg, Windsor, LaSalle, Durham, Peel, Kingston, London, Nishnawbe-Aski, Ottawa, Greater Sudbury, Thunder Bay, Waterloo and York Region.

§The Ontario government has invested almost $16.4 million dollars in PAVIS from September (TBC) 2007 to June 2011. This includes $1.2 million announced in February 2009 to expand PAVIS to the Greater Sudbury, Nishnawbe-Aski and Kingston police services from January 2009 to June 2010.

§Ontario is making unprecedented investments totaling over $83 million to help police, prosecutors, victim services, and probation and parole officers rid our streets of guns and gangs.

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For Further Information Contact:

Leigh-Ann Popek

Minister Pupatello’s office