News Release

Helping The OPP Prevent Crime

Attorney General Using Civil Forfeiture To Support Provincial Police

July 14, 2009

News

The Ontario Provincial Police is receiving additional support to fight organized crime, strengthen its asset forfeiture capabilities and prevent crime in communities across the province.

The OPP is receiving $781,587 in grants from the Attorney General’s Civil Remedies for Illicit Activities program. The grants are from funds forfeited under the Civil Remedies Act that allows the Attorney General to provide grants to police services to help them prevent unlawful activities and keep communities safe.

Grants include:

• Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit — $262,414 for a two-year program to train civilian members of the unit
• Provincial Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau — $246,543 for four portable infrared cameras and lenses
• Provincial Crime Prevention Section — $125,094 for laptops used to deliver crime prevention programs in each of the 90 OPP detachments across the province
• Essex County Detachment — $85,800 for programs to prevent victimization of the elderly
• Lambton Detachment — $18,000 for a program to reduce the victimization of youth
• Norfolk County Detachment — $43,736 for a system to increase the efficiency of taking statements from victims and witnesses.

Quotes

"These funds are going to OPP detachments throughout Ontario to support their efforts and fight against the spread of crime in our communities. We are taking whatever measures are necessary to keep families and communities across Ontario safe."
— Chris Bentley, Attorney General

"Our government continues to provide our police partners with the resources needed to protect Ontarians and to assist victims of crime. When we take steps to reduce crime, we minimize opportunities for victimization of our citizens and that’s something we take very seriously."
— Rick Bartolucci, Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services

"Police avail themselves of various legislative tools, such as the Civil Remedies Act, to remove the motives and mechanisms for crime. Crime should not pay, but the re-investment of property removed from the criminal economy into supporting victims of crime and into police initiatives benefits everyone."
— Commissioner Julian Fantino, Ontario Provincial Police.

Quick Facts

• Since November 2003, $11 million in property has been forfeited to the Crown under provincial civil forfeiture law. An additional $39.6 million in property is frozen pending the completion of civil forfeiture proceedings.
• Civil forfeiture proceeds have funded approximately $1.2 million in compensation to victims of unlawful activity and $3.4 million in grants to law enforcement agencies.

Learn More

Learn more about civil forfeiture in Ontario. 

Read the Civil Remedies Act.

Contacts

Erin Moroz
Minister's Office, 416-326-1785

Brendan Crawley
Communications Branch, 416-326-2210

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