The Niagara Regional Police Service’s Intelligence Services Unit provides support and information on organized criminal activity to the front line policing units of the Service. It also provides the Service’s Executive Team with recommendations for deployment initiatives to address current organized crime trends.

Intelligence is the product of information that has been collected, evaluated, analyzed and then disseminated to appropriate units for action, which may be tactical (immediate) or strategic (long term plan) in nature.

Members of Intelligence Services partner with numerous other law enforcement agencies to effectively monitor and respond to organized criminal activity in the Niagara Region. Intelligence Services has 10 units that collectively provide this support including the following.

Criminal Intelligence Unit

The Criminal Intelligence Unit is comprised exclusively with members of the Niagara Regional Police Service who are responsible for developing and collecting information regarding organized criminal activity in the Niagara Region. These members liaise with other Criminal Intelligence Units with other law enforcement agencies to ensure that this process is timely and effective.

Joint Forces Operation (JFO) Initiatives

BIKER ENFORCEMENT UNIT - BEU  The Biker Enforcement Unit is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation comprised of 17 law enforcement agencies including the Niagara Regional Police Service.  The BEU is committed to investigating and disrupting the organized criminal activities of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs through shared policing expertise throughout the Province of Ontario.

COMBINED FORCES SPECIAL ENFORCEMENT UNIT – GOLDEN HORSESHOE
C.F.S.E.U. – G.H.

The C.F.S.E.U. – G.H. is an R.C.M.P. led enforcement team comprised of investigators from six law enforcement agencies including the Niagara Regional Police Service.

The primary mandate of the unit is to expose, investigate, prosecute, dismantle and disrupt organized criminal enterprises. The secondary mandate of the unit is to share intelligence with agencies and to assist and cooperate with other organized crime enforcement units at national and international levels. 

PROVINCIAL AUTO THEFT UNIT - PATT PATT is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation that combines the resources of various law enforcement, government and non-government agencies including the Niagara Regional Police Service.  The Unit’s mandate is to investigate enterprise vehicle and equipment theft. This type of theft is a multi-million dollar industry that impacts on everyone through increased insurance premiums, because many of the stolen vehicles are not recovered due to their being shipped overseas or being dismantled and sold off in parts.

PROVINCIAL ANTI-TERRORISM SECTION - PATS PATS is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation that has active participation from all the major police services in Ontario including the Niagara Regional Police Service.  The section was established in the aftermath of September 11th, 2001, in the recognition of the fact that additional resources were needed to combat the threat of terrorism in Ontario.  Investigators within PATS proactively investigate criminal extremism throughout the province.

PROVINCIAL ASSET FORFEITURE UNIT - PAFU 

PAFU is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation comprised of 47 investigators from 15 law enforcement agencies including the Niagara Regional Police who joined the Unit in 2008. 

The primary mandate of AFU is to identify, investigate and seize the proceeds of crime and/or offence related property as defined within both the Criminal Code of Canada and the Controlled Drugs and Substance Act. Asset forfeiture is a powerful tool allowing police services to restrain and forfeit the illicit gains of criminal activity.

PROVINCIAL WEAPONS ENFORCEMENT UNIT - PWEU  PWEU is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation comprised of 14 law enforcement agencies including the Niagara Regional Police Service.  The mandate of the Unit is to identify persons involved in the illegal movement of firearms and to take enforcement action. This includes the offences of smuggling, trafficking and possession of “crime guns”. Many “crime guns” found or used in the commission of offences have their origins in the United States and PWEU has established a strong working relationship with their American counterparts.

INTEGRATED PROCEEDS OF CRIME - IPOC\

IPOC is a RCMP led Joint Forces Operation consisting of members from the RCMP and the Niagara Regional Police Service.

The Unit is mandated to investigate money laundering and currency smuggling activities and gather evidence to support the identification of these monies as proceeds of crime with the intention to seize and restrain these items for eventual forfeiture to the Crown. 

REPEAT OFFENDER PAROLE ENFORCEMENT - ROPE 

ROPE is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation, which plays an important role in apprehending parole violators/fugitives who are unlawfully at large from correctional institutions and half-way houses. The unit also assists police services in locating and apprehending dangerous and transient offenders. 

The Niagara Regional Police Service joined ROPE in 2009 to enhance its ability to respond to situations where high-risk individuals choose to make Niagara Region their home or where it becomes aware of fugitive frequenting the Region. ROPE has a very impressive apprehension rate that will contribute to a safer community. 

DEPLOYED FIELD CASINO INTELLIGENCE

This Unit is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation partnered with the Niagara Regional Police Service. It was established to pro-actively conduct investigations related to organized crime syndicates that are involved in large scale money laundering and loan sharking offences at casinos. 

The Niagara Regional Police Service has been a partner in this unit since the first casino was built in Niagara Falls and they actively share intelligence with similar units across Ontario.