By Marilyn Hodge
On April 12, 43 Division held the Community Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) meeting off-site at the Scarborough Village Community Centre on Kingston Road. The CPLC meetings are usually held at the 43 Division station in the afternoon, but this time it was held in the evening. This meeting was well advertised within the CCRA community and beyond, and approximately 100 residents attended. Community members and students could ask questions of the officers who were there.
The guest speaker was Detective Scott Purches of Intelligence Services (Counter Terrorism) who talked about community safety and other topics related to housing and youth mental health. Another topic was stopping the escalation of incidents before they start. Achieving this objective will ultimately protect the safety of the public by preventing acts of violence and extremism.
Good advice was offered by PC Paul Rowe and PC Julie Campbell of the Community Safety Team. Distraction thefts are happening so try not to let people get too close to you. Please pay attention and if you see something suspicious, report it to police. A break and enter usually happens when you are out, but if someone knocks on your door when you’re home, don’t ignore it. Answer it by shouting something like: “I am busy” or “I don’t have time.” If you require police advice/assistance or have questions, call the non-emergency number, 416-808-2222, if no person is in immediate danger.
What thieves look for
In its Personal Safety pamphlet, the Toronto Police Service lists some of the things thieves look for when choosing their victims: Easy pickings: Items left unattended in grocery carts, dressing rooms or desks, and wallets protruding from pockets only take seconds to grab. Crowds: The noise and confusion of crowds help conceal crime. Be especially vigilant anywhere that is busy or crowded. Distraction: Thieves will sometimes cause a distraction (i.e. bumping into you) or target you because you appear preoccupied (i.e. talking on your cellphone). You can read more about protecting yourself at torontopolice.on.ca/crimeprevention/