Date: Wednesday, Nov 08, 2023
Unit: Corporate Communications
Case #: n/a
Today, the Toronto Police Service is launching a new option for the public to provide information to police about hate-motivated graffiti in their neighbourhoods. The web form, available on the Service’s website, provides an additional avenue for the public to alert police to hate-motivated graffiti, so officers can attend, gather evidence and arrange for the hate-motivated graffiti to be removed as quickly as possible.
As noted by Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw, there has been a noted rise in hate crime incidents since October 7, 2023. The number of reports involving hate-motivated graffiti, which falls under the offence of ‘mischief’, has seen the largest increase, and like all hate-motivated crime, victimizes entire communities.
This reporting mechanism will be monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
To address the rise in reported hate crimes, the Service has also increased the size of its specialized Hate Crime Unit from a dedicated team of six officers to a team of 20 investigators and eight District Special Constables.
“A hate-motivated crime not only victimizes individuals, but also entire communities,” said Chief Demkiw. “We urge Torontonians to please report these incidents to police so we can investigate and hold people to account who commit these crimes. For hate-motivated graffiti, this new web form provides Toronto residents with another convenient way to do that.”
In addition to the web form, and to report other types of hate-motivated crime, residents can contact 416-808-2222, or Crime Stoppers if they prefer to remain anonymous.
Chief Demkiw has committed to providing updated hate crime statistics to the public at the monthly Toronto Police Services Board meetings.
The web form to report hate-motivated graffiti can be found here: https://www.tps.ca/hate-motivated-crime/
Devika Deonarine for Corporate Communications
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