Strategic Plan
Durham Regional Police Service
2024
As the police service of record in Durham Region, we acknowledge that the area we serve has long been a site of meeting and exchange among the Mississaugas Peoples and is the traditional and treaty territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. We honour, recognize and respect this nation and Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of the lands and waters on which our police service operates.
Introduction
The Strategic Plan sets the priorities for the Durham Regional Police Service.
It shapes how we operate and where we direct resources. This Plan emerged from the input of thousands of Durham residents, community stakeholders, partner agencies, and members of the Service. It also took Durham Region's Community Safety and Wellbeing Plan (CSWB) into consideration. Durham's CSWB Plan identifies a number of risk factors in the community, including: criminal involvement; experiences of racism; homelessness and basic needs; mental health; substance use; and victimization. In this Plan we have included objectives and indicators that fall within the risk factor categories of Durham Region's CSWB Plan.
The Strategic Plan aims to reflect the current needs and priorities of our communities while ensuring flexibility to proactively anticipate and respond to future (or changing) conditions. It sets the foundation for our community safety plans, which direct the daily initiatives and activities members engage in. In so doing, the Strategic Plan helps direct the right resources to the right places at the right time with the overarching aim of making Durham Region the safest community for people to live, work, and play.
To assess the progress made towards our goals, the Strategic Plan provides measurable objectives for each of the three broad goals. To ensure accountability and transparency, the Chief of Police reports on these measures semi-annually to the Police Services Board and the results are published in the Annual Report.
This Strategic Plan will be an evolving document that is responsive to changing conditions. Over the life course of this Strategic Plan, new indicators and new links to additional data will be provided as DRPS moves towards further openness and transparency. It is our intention that the information and data pertaining to this Plan initiate frequent communication with you, our community members.
DRPS is dedicated to fostering a culture of equity and inclusion, both internally and in our interactions with the public. We are unwavering in our commitment to build relationships with our communities and be responsive to their diverse needs. We strive to set the standard for policing excellence in these areas. As such, equity and inclusion principles are woven into the Strategic Plan, including throughout our indicators of success.
Mission
As Leaders in Community Safety, we work proudly with all members of our community while holding ourselves accountable to improved effectiveness in everything we do. We proactively address future challenges while upholding our values.
Vision
To have the safest community for people to live, work and play.
Values
Every member of the Durham Regional Police Service is committed to providing quality service in partnership with our community. While learning from each other, we will achieve excellence through pride, respect, understanding and ethical behaviour.
Welcome from Police Services Board Chair Shaun Collier, Police Chief Peter Moreira, DRPA President Andrew Tummonds, and DRP SOA President Rob Antaya
Police Services Board
The Governing Body of the Durham Regional Police Service
The Durham Regional Police Services Board is the civilian governing body of the Police Service mandated by the Community Safety and Policing Act. Its responsibilities include ensuring that adequate and effective policing is provided across the Region, establishing objectives for policing in consultation with the Chief of Police, setting policies for the administration of the police service, and hiring and monitoring the performance of the Chief of Police.
The Board consists of seven members, three appointed by the Province of Ontario and four chosen by Regional Council.
As civilian members who represent the public interest, the Police Services Board is committed to ensuring that police services are delivered that inspire the trust of the community by being accountable, professional, fair, and by embracing diversity, equity and inclusion. The Board recognizes the complexity of community safety challenges, and is committed to collaboration and partnership in order to address them. The Board is confident that the DRPS is prepared to meet the future with the support of the citizens of Durham Region.
The Durham Regional Police Services Board is a member of both the Ontario Association of Police Services Boards and the Canadian Association of Police Governance.