Peel Regional Police | Halton Regional Police Service | Durham Regional Police | Toronto Police Service |
Niagara Regional Police Service

Peel Regional Police

The Peel Regional Police (PRP) provides policing services for Peel Region in Ontario, Canada. As of 2005, it is the second largest municipal police service in Ontario (trailing Toronto Police Service), and third largest in Canada. The service serves around 1,000,000 citizens, and is made up of approximately 1,650 uniformed members, with close to 600 support staff.

History

Peel Regional Police was established in tandem with the creation of the Regional Municipality of Peel. It incorporated the former police departments of Mississauga, Port Credit, Streetsville, Brampton, and Chinguacousy.

Mission statement

"Peel Regional Police, in partnership with the community, will strive to create a safe environment in which to live, work, and visit."

Command Structure

The current chief of Peel Regional Police is Mike Metcalf, appointed in 2006, who succeeded Noel Catney (1997–2006).

Operations

Police divisions in Peel Region:

• 11 Division - 3030 Erin Mills Parkway (Mississauga)
• 12 Division - 4600 Dixie Road (Mississauga)
• Airport Division - 2951 Convair Drive (Pearson International Airport)
• Derry Road Facility - 180 Derry Road East (Mississauga)
• 21 Division - 185 Central Park Drive (Brampton)
• 22 Division & Police Headquarters - 7750 Hurontario Street (Brampton)

Peel Regional Police is responsible for patrolling Toronto Pearson International Airport, a role formerly held by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

The service also maintains tactical teams or as they are referred to in the department's organizational structure T.R.U (tactical and rescue unit) for both the Region and Pearson International Airport.

Fleet

Peel Regional Police Patrol Car

Peel Regional Police has a fleet of 264 vehicles including:

• Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptors
• Dodge Charger (LX)
• Chevrolet Impala
• Marine 1 - 33 foot, twin diesel powered, twin propeller, aluminum-hulled motor vessel
• Marine 2 - 26 foot rigid hull inflatable vessel powered by twin 150 horsepower outboard motors

Town of Caledon Policing

The northern boundary of Peel Regional Police's responsible area is the Town of Caledon's and City of Brampton's townline.

Policing on 400-series highways (like King's Highways 407 ETR, 403, 410) are in the jurisdiction of the Ontario Provincial Police. Peel Police patrol the Peel section of Highway 409 (Ontario) leading to the airport west of Highway 427 (Ontario) (east section is patrolled by the Ontario Provincial Police).

Awards

• (1995) Won the Webber Seavey Award for quality in law enforcement sponsored by the International Association of Chiefs of Police and Motorola.

• (1995) Awarded the Certificate of Merit by the National Quality Institute's (NQI) "Canada Awards of Excellence" program.

• (1994) Accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA), the first police service in Ontario to receive this distinction and only the fifth in Canada.

Controversies

Misconduct Allegations

Peel Regional Police have been sued numerous times for police brutality and misconduct. As well as having some of their officers face serious criminal and Police Services Act of Ontario charges.

• (2006) $9.5 million lawsuit filed by a black police officer, Const. Duane Simon, an 18-year veteran of the Toronto Police Service, alleging false imprisonment, abuse of public office, injurious falsehoods, negligent investigation and breach of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

• (2006) $3.6 million lawsuit alleging seven off-duty officers attacked seven students from Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School, and that the police are covering up the identities of the officers involved in order to thwart possible criminal prosecutions.

• (2006) $14.6 million lawsuit filed by former Toronto Argonaut football player Orlando Bowen, who says he was assaulted and falsely arrested by a group of negligent and racist officers at a Mississauga night club.

• (2006) Const. Sheldon Cook, 38, was arrested by RCMP officers at his residence, where it's alleged 15 kilograms of cocaine were found hidden in a storage area of his home. Cook is also named in a lawsuit by Orlando Bowen.

• (2005) Const. Roger Yeo, 36, of Mississauga, is alleged to have watched and followed several young girls. Yeo was suspended with pay and was charged under the Police Services Act for discreditable conduct, but has not been criminally charged.

Over the last 20 years, it has been alleged that Peel Regional Police has been sued for more than 200 million dollars over police misconduct abuses. The actual total payment of out-of-court settlements remains in question.

Public Complaints

The Peel Regional Police Public Complaints Investigation Bureau (PCIB) investigates all complaints made by the public in regards to the actions and services provided by PRP officers. PCIB is a branch of the Professional Standards Bureau.

In 2005, 158 public complaints filed

• 2 resulted in informal discipline
• 1 resulted in charges under the Police Services Act of Ontario
• none resulted in charges under the Criminal Code of Canada
• 155 resulted as withdrawn by the complainants, resolved informally, or ruled invalid as they exceeded the time limit or the complainant was not directly affected

In 2004, 180 public complaints filed

• 3 resulted in informal discipline
• none resulted in charges under the Police Services Act of Ontario
• none resulted in charges under the Criminal Code of Canada
• 177 resulted as withdrawn by the complainants, resolved informally, or ruled invalid as they exceeded the time limit or the complainant was not directly affected

Shooting Death of Michael Lawson

Accusations of police abuses involving racism have plagued this police department since the late-80s. When a black teenager from Jamacia, 17-year old Michael Wade Lawson, was shot to death by two Peel Regional Police Constables on December 8th, 1988.

Anthony Melaragni #1192 and Darren Longpre #1139 were both charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault; both were later acquitted by an all-white jury.

The officers originally claimed that the stolen vehicle driven by Lawson was approaching the officers head-on in a threatening manner. The officers later recanted their original statements as several witnesses to the shooting testified that Lawson never directed the vehicle towards the officers.

An autopsy conducted by the Ontario Coroner's Office showed that the teenager was struck by a hollow point bullet to the back of the head. This type of bullet was considered illegal at the time, as ‘hollow point bullets’ were not authorized for use by police officers in Ontario.

In June of 2002, Peel Regional Police promoted both Melaragni and Longpre to the rank of Detective.

As of 2006, Det. Melaragni is the head of PRPs street gang squad, based within the Intelligence Unit.

Currently Under Investigation

In August 2006, two men, Orlando Canizalez and Richard Cimpoesu claimed that they were roughed up by off-duty police after refusing to give up their videotape of officers partying behind a strip mall.

Peel Regional Police are investigating up to 20 officers who were alleged to be in attendance. 14 officers were alleged to have acted in the assault.

A former police officer stated he had previously been to the actual drinking location mentioned and that beer is often taken from underage drinkers (with the minors being released with a warning). The seized alcohol is later consumed by officers at outside after-hours parties at numerous locations throughout Peel Region.

Other emergencies services in Peel Region and beyond:

• Peel Region EMS
• Mississauga Fire

The Peel Regional Police is also commonly known as:

• Mississauga Police
• Brampton Police
• Caledon Police