TAVIS Policing
Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS)
Policing SSCI-3050U-001
Andrew Lee
Kyle McCaughey
100429290
Program Description
Public safety and the safety of communities are one of the most important areas of focus for the police, which is why I chose to do my policing paper on the crime prevention program known as TAVIS. TAVIS stands for Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy and was created on January 5th, 2006 which included 3 new rapid response teams with 18 officers on each team. The idea was that the teams could be released instantly if any gang or gun violence was reported. A total of an additional 72 officers were formed into these teams and are strategically placed throughout Toronto in the most gun violence or gang oriented areas to prevent crimes from occurring. Throughout the summer months the teams are placed in specific locations for lengthy periods at a time to cut down on the criminal activity. The declared objective for TAVIS is “The Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy is an intensive, violence reduction and community mobilization strategy intended to reduce crime and increase safety in our neighbourhoods”.1 TAVIS addresses the problem of high levels of criminal activity for such small neighbourhoods or communities in Toronto. For instance, the neighbourhoods of Keele and Eglinton and Jane-Finch area received more TAVIS officers during the summer months due to the high levels of crime in the areas for them being such small neighbourhoods. TAVIS has 3 main parts to the program. Those parts consist of 1. Additional Toronto Police Service officers are assigned to areas experiencing an increase in violent activity, 2. Once the neighbourhood is safe, ‘maintenance-level’ enforcement continues with increased police/city/community member collaboration, and 3. ‘Normalized’ policing provided as support to an empowered community.2 A main goal for TAVIS is to become more engaged in the community and
Policing SSCI-3050U-001
Andrew Lee
Kyle McCaughey
100429290
Program Description
Public safety and the safety of communities are one of the most important areas of focus for the police, which is why I chose to do my policing paper on the crime prevention program known as TAVIS. TAVIS stands for Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy and was created on January 5th, 2006 which included 3 new rapid response teams with 18 officers on each team. The idea was that the teams could be released instantly if any gang or gun violence was reported. A total of an additional 72 officers were formed into these teams and are strategically placed throughout Toronto in the most gun violence or gang oriented areas to prevent crimes from occurring. Throughout the summer months the teams are placed in specific locations for lengthy periods at a time to cut down on the criminal activity. The declared objective for TAVIS is “The Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy is an intensive, violence reduction and community mobilization strategy intended to reduce crime and increase safety in our neighbourhoods”.1 TAVIS addresses the problem of high levels of criminal activity for such small neighbourhoods or communities in Toronto. For instance, the neighbourhoods of Keele and Eglinton and Jane-Finch area received more TAVIS officers during the summer months due to the high levels of crime in the areas for them being such small neighbourhoods. TAVIS has 3 main parts to the program. Those parts consist of 1. Additional Toronto Police Service officers are assigned to areas experiencing an increase in violent activity, 2. Once the neighbourhood is safe, ‘maintenance-level’ enforcement continues with increased police/city/community member collaboration, and 3. ‘Normalized’ policing provided as support to an empowered community.2 A main goal for TAVIS is to become more engaged in the community and
References: Nighttime police patrols spur tension in Jamestown. (2012, October 10). CBC News. Retrieved from http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/10/10/toronto-tavis-jamestown-police342.html Toronto Police Service. Retrieved November 21st, 2012 from http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/tavis/