Local police join hate-crime team

The Stratford Police Service will receive a funding boost to allow it to help fight hate crimes across the province.

Last week, MPP John Wilkinson announced the provincial government will give $200,000 to the Hate Crime and Extremism Investigative Team, allowing the team to expand from 11 to 13 police services across Ontario. Stratford will one of the services joining the team.

Locally, the funding will support intelligence gathering, front-line training of police officers and public education on hate crimes.

Police Chief Jerry McEwin said local police are committed to the investigation of hate crimes to ensure community safety.

“Such crimes strike at the heart of any community, eroding relationships between individuals and groups which represent our diverse community,” said McEwin, in a press release. “As an international destination where people come to enjoy all that our community offers, the Stratford Police Service, through partnerships with community groups, social services and law-enforcement agencies such as HCEIT seek to further our ability to understand, investigate and ultimately deter hate crimes and criminal extremism.”

The HCEIT is a network of police services that provide co-ordinated intelligence and specialized investigative support on matters involving hate propaganda, promotion of genocide, hate-motivated crimes and criminal extremism.

The expansion of the network creates a larger pool of information gathering and sharing, enabling police services to be more proactive and effective in tackling hate crime.

 “Stratford strives to be an inclusive community,” said Mayor Dan Mathieson, in the press release.

“It is imperative that all citizens in our community have the same rights and freedoms. I applaud the Government of Ontario for including our police services in this province-wide initiative.”

The Ontario Police College will also receive $50,000 to develop a hate crime awareness and educational program for police officers.