ReThink Policing

Working Together for Community Safety

TORONTO, IT’S TIME: REINVEST IN COMMUNITIES – NOT POLICING

Over policing of people facing barriers happens far too often in Toronto. The need for change and alternatives to traditional policing is evident. It's time to ReThink Policing.

Together we will:

• Find solutions to protect overpoliced and stigmatized people
• Engage your community and make our neighbourhoods safe
• Ask City Councillors to reallocate resources to broaden community-based supports and send the right people to respond in a crisis

Background
In January 2021, the Toronto Neighbourhood Centres and community partners released their Reimagining Community Safety – a Step Forward for Toronto report. It shined a light on the over-policing of Black, racialized and Indigenous people as well as youth, those experiencing homelessness, people facing gender-based violence and the LGBTQ2S+ community. The recommendations propose concrete, proven alternatives that keep communities safer, at a far lower cost (as pointed out by the Canadian Civil Liberties Association). This shift mirrors the feeling shared by many who envision a new way of protecting those who are vulnerable. Being homeless or dealing with mental health challenges is not a crime.

Campaign Highlights
On July 28, 2021, ReThink Policing hosted a bold, insightful discussion with community leaders including Nicki Casseres, Coordinator of Training and Education, Gerstein Crisis Centre, Nadine Casemore, The 519 Coordinator, Anti-Violence Initiatives,  Monica Samuel, Founder & Executive Director of Black Women in Motion and Lemme Shafi, Post Graduate Student and Youth Program Volunteer. Check out a video and transcript of the event, and a Spoken Word piece called "What's New", by Jonathan Arefaine.

On July 18, 2022, The Neighbourhood Group Community Services was honoured to team up with Peacebuilders Canada to present the op-ed City hall needs to make real progress on community safety and policing in Toronto by Bill Sinclair and Marlon Merraro in The Toronto Star. 

How you can help

• Read the Reimagining Community Safety – a Step Forward for Toronto report.
• Watch these videos:
  • Andre's story
  • Brittany's story
  • Steven's story
• Spread the word!
• Contact your City Councilor!

And if you want to organize, facilitate and support community discussions around safety, alternatives to policing and civic engagement, contact Toronto Neighbourhood Centres. 

ReThink Policing Toolkit

• Find your Councillor
• Sample Letter to Your Councillor
• Sample Social Media Posts
• Rethinking Community Safety – a Step Forward for Toronto
• Background and Facts
• PowerPoint Presentation 
• Organizing Around an Issue
• Rethink Policing Logos

More Reports and Background

• Rethinking Community Safety | A Step Forward For Toronto, Toronto Neighbourhood Centres et al, 2021
• Systemic Racism in Policing in Canada, Report of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security, House of Commons, 2021
• Racial Disparity in Arrests and Charges, Ontario Human Rights Commission, 2020
• A Disparate Impact: Second interim report on the inquiry into racial profiling and racial discrimination of Black persons by the Toronto Police Service, Ontario Human Rights Commission, 2020

Partners



For more information, contact:
Serena Nudel
Director of Community Programs
The Neighbourhood Group Community Services
416.676.9793 or serena.nudel@tngcs.org