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Sarnia Police Service’s Community Crime Unit
Awarded the 2024 OACP Award of Excellence in
Community Safety, Wellness, and Crime Prevention
For Immediate Release: June 11, 2024
(London, ON) – The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) is pleased to announce that Sarnia Police Service’s (SPS) Community Crime Unit (CCU) has been awarded the 2024 OACP Award of Excellence in Community Safety, Wellness, and Crime Prevention.
This award is presented in recognition of the accomplishments of an officer and their community partners working together to improve community safety and well-being.
The Community Crime Unit (CCU) is part of a visionary program where local college students partner with real officers to solve real crimes.
The City of Sarnia is in the top 25% of Crime Severity Index (CSI) across Canada, and in 2022, SPS conducted an extensive public survey where residents were asked if they had been a victim or witness to a crime that was not reported. A total of 52% answered “yes”, and when asked why they did not report, the top responses were “police are too busy,” “police would take too long,” and “nothing would happen.” The SPS needed to find a better way to address high volume, less serious crimes, in a financially responsible and efficient way.
In response, the SPS, in collaboration with Lambton College, launched a new and innovative partnership called the Community Crime Unit. This new unit, under the supervision of an experienced police officer, serves and supports victims of lower-priority crimes. Students in the Criminal Justice program gain incredible real-life field experience investigating, gathering evidence, taking statements, and assembling cases for officers to review and action. This has reduced the many burdens on front-line officers, freeing valuable resources for emergencies and violent crime response.
During its first term, starting in October 2023, the CCU investigated more than 240 incidents, taken 838 reports, and been responsible for 129 criminal charges laid in cases that would likely have remained unaddressed. The SPS developed novel, in-house investigative software to access case information, identify suspects, manage cases, track evidence, and conduct analytics. The impressive and cost-effective work being completed by the CCU is evident, with results speaking for themselves.
With the success of the current CCU, SPS plans to further expand this program. With such an exceptional student experience, the CCU is anticipated to be another recruitment vector for future generations of police officers.
This annual award is made possible by the generous support from
Accident Support Services International Ltd.
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#OACP2024
#HarnessingPolicingExcellence
For more information, contact:
Dr. José Luís (Joe) Couto
Director of Government Relations & Communications
T. (416) 926-0424 ext. 22
C. (416) 919-9798
E. media@oacp.ca
X. @OACPOfficial
@OACPCertificate
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