The men and women of the Niagara Regional Police Service are professionals, dedicated to preventing crimes and offences, enforcing the law and safeguarding upwards of 420, 000 citizens in our communities. Through high standards and an emphasis on training, versatility and teamwork, the Service prepares employees to meet the myriad of demands placed upon them by the community. Progressive and innovative, the Niagara Regional Police Service is dedicated to its community and its personnel.

WORKING WITH THE COMMUNITY

While the traditional focus of policing has been one of enforcement and authority, the modern role of a constable has shifted to embrace the responsibilities of community policing, public service and orientation. On a day-to-day basis, officers interact with people who have diverse backgrounds, cultures, and socio-economic circumstances. In dealing with the public, they not only need to be self-confident when enforcing the law, but also flexible and understanding of the needs of those being served.

The Niagara Regional Police Service has a long-standing tradition of working with the people it serves, maintaining partnerships with community organizations and educational institutes throughout the Region. It is heavily involved with the community, establishing relationships with individuals and groups that can provide information, counseling, and other services. The Service and its Members have worked hard to establish and promote a meaningful community-police partnership, so that the community and police can work together in the identification, prioritizing and problem solving of local policing issues. By being proactive in community relations, crime prevention and communication of initiatives, the Niagara Regional Police Service has been better able to meet the needs of the communities making up the Niagara Region.

Constables are encouraged to take part in developing and maintaining these relationships with the community. There are opportunities to participate in programs, serve as a liaison between the public and police, establish protocols, raise awareness of important issues, provide orientation and crime prevention education, and promote the Niagara Regional Police Service. Some of the opportunities available include those described below:

Police Week During Police Week, Units of the Service assist in increasing community awareness and recognition of the function and duties of the police, providing presentations, displays and staging events to strengthen ties with the community.

Niagara Region Children’s Safety Village The Niagara Region Children’s Safety Village is a where children in the Niagara Region go to get classroom instruction and hands-on experience with traffic and safety issues. The Safety Village is a miniature community that includes scaled down buildings (with replicas of actual businesses), vehicles, roads, signs, intersections, traffic signals, and even an operating railway crossing.

Community Policing Committees

Community policing committees provide an opportunity for officers to liaise with members of the community where they live and work. These committees are made up of citizens who are concerned or interested in promoting a safe environment for their families and businesses, and want to have a voice in how neighborhoods are policed.

The Community Strategic Action Plan outlines the Niagara Regional Police Service’s mandate and goals toward community/police partnerships, and is available for download from the Reports and Publications section of our Web site.
  

Partnerships, projects and protocols

To better serve the community organizations, schools, and other associations within the Region, Members of the Service are given the opportunity to assist in working with various groups. Partnerships, projects and protocols have been formed with many groups (such as the Niagara Catholic District School Board, Niagara College, Woman’s Place, and so on). The purpose of these associations helps achieve goals such as heightening crime and drug prevention awareness, and outline needs and actions to determine on how the police can better serve them.

Internal projects are also available for Members of the Service, such as those that involve the implementation of new technology or those that are designed to combat a new or increasing type of crime. By becoming involved in such projects, officers play an important function in forging the future of our Service.

 

FUNDRAISING AND VOLUNTEER EFFORTS

Members of the Niagara Regional Police Service often take the initiative to join the fundraising events or volunteer opportunities that the Service makes available to members. Each year, the Service promotes these events internally, allowing Members of the Service to help the community in a way that is different from their daily efforts. While the following information doesn’t cover all of the activities our Members have become involved with, it does show how committed they are to the communities in the Niagara Region.

JDRF (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) walk Every year, Members of the Niagara Regional Police Service and their families assist in raising money for Juvenile Diabetes research by participating in the Walk to Cure Diabetes. The route is 5 km in length along the Welland Canal, and Members have raised tens of thousands of dollars over the years for this cause.

Sirens for Life Every year, the Niagara Regional Police Service participates in a blood drive that involves a challenge between police, fire and ambulance. The challenge is done in partnership with Canadian Blood Services, and every donation helps to save lives.

Special Olympics The Niagara Regional Police Service is a proud supporter of the Special Olympics, and helped to bring the 2005 Summer Games to the Niagara Region. To help fund the event, Members of the Service and business partners throughout the Region initiated and assisted in numerous fundraisers (including online auctions, runs, and other activities) that helped make this event possible. The Niagara Regional Police Service hosted the 2005 Summer Games, which brought over 750 athletes and coaches to the Region. The Chairpersons of the event were Deputy Chief Donna Moody, and the late Staff Sergeant Larry Maracle, with many of the volunteers assisting in the event being Members of the Service.

Cops for Cancer Officers have raised thousands of dollars participating in the Cops for Cancer fundraiser by having their heads shaved for charity. In 2004, 11 officers gave up their hair for cancer research, raising almost $7000, while the previous year, 10 officers had their heads shaved and raised just under $5000. The money raised goes toward research efforts as well as funding support services within the Canadian Cancer Society.

Battle of the Badges and other Sporting Events To raise money for local charities, Members of the Niagara Regional Police Service compete in exhibition sporting events. At these games, Members of the Service compete against other emergency services or retired all-star professional athletes. Some of the celebrities at these events have included Eddie Shack and other stars of hockey and baseball. Some of the charities that have benefited from these events include the Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre, St. Catharines General Hospital, Niagara Region Children’s Safety Village, and more.

United Way The Niagara Regional Police Service is a proud supporter of the United Way. Every year, many Members of the Service give a portion of their paychecks to support the agencies funded through the United Way. Additional funds are raised throughout the year through a variety of activities, such as barbeques, bake sales, draws and other events. One of the more interesting events took place in 2006, when Constable Matt King lived in his cruiser for 72 hours to raise money during Police Week.

Camp Day By serving the public in a different way, officers have assisted in raising money for needy children in the Niagara Region to go to camp. By serving coffee and cleaning windshields in these annual fundraisers, these officers have helped children who would normally have never experienced summer camp.

Improving Resources in the Community Members of the Niagara Regional Police Service have volunteered considerable time in efforts to improve the community. One such initiative involved taking part in repainting a hostel, which aided those in need of a place to live.

Food and Toy Drives Every Christmas, Members of the Niagara Regional Police Service pick paper ornaments from Christmas trees set up in police facilities, and purchase a suitable toy for a needy child who’s name and age appear on the ornament. The toys and food that are donated by Members allow children in the Niagara Region to enjoy the holidays and have a Merry Christmas.

Fundraising BBQs Every summer, the Niagara Regional Police Service holds barbeques that raise money for local charities. The money generated from these events have helped fund a variety of different charities, including the Alzheimers Society, Special Olympics, United Way, Niagara Region Children’s Safety Village and many others.