Community Safety Hub Opened in Lawrence Heights

A Community Safety Hub has been opened in Lawrence Heights to provide residents with a space to connect with their Neighbourhood Communty Officers and collaborate on crime prevention.

“It will provide a permanent, visible police presence to help deter violence,” Chief Myron Demkiw said at an opening ceremony on March 18. “Across the city, and especially in areas where we have seen incidents of gun violence, police presence matters.”

Demkiw said the Neighbourhood Community Officer Program has expanded to four new neighbourhoods and portions of the TTC subway line in an effort to maintain a police presence across the city.

The Lawrence Heights Community Safety Hub is another opportunity to keep Neighbourhood Community Officers in the area they serve as much as possible by giving them a physical space to work outside of the police station.

“This truly makes a difference,” said Demkiw. “I have worked in this division and know the Lawrence Heights community well. People deserve to live in a safe neighbourhood, and I am committed to continuing this work alongside our partners. Together, we will do everything we can to ensure our communities are—and feel—safe.”

The new hub is located in a Toronto Community Housing building at 10 Old Meadow Lane.

Constable Geoff Kerr described the hub’s opening as a landmark moment for the community.

“The Toronto Police Service has a commitment to excellence and is always striving to improve,” he said. “We are constantly looking for ways to get better and adapt. That commitment to change has brought us to where we are today.”

Mayor Olivia Chow said the hub represents more than just a physical space.

“It is a partnership, bringing police, residents, community groups and city services together to build a stronger, safer and more caring community,” she said.

With prominent signage, the hub will serve as a constant reminder of a permanent police presence in Lawrence Heights.