Project Focus in 55 Division results in numerous charges, drug seizures and arrests

By ALAN SHACKLETON

Police in 55 Division recently wrapped up Project Focus which put the spotlight on street-level crime in specific areas of East Toronto, resulting in a total of 73 arrests and the seizure of a large amount of illegal drugs.

Project Focus began on Nov. 20, 2023 and concluded on July 1, 2024. During that time officers from 55 Division used reported crime data and information from the community to “focus” resources on three specific areas within the division.

Those areas were along Queen Street East between Greenwood and Broadview avenues; the Main Street and Danforth Avenue area; and the Greenwood and Danforth avenues area.

Staff Sgt. Murray Barnes of 55 Division told Beach Metro Community News in an interview earlier this month that Project Focus came about through information generated from data on where crimes were taking place that was analyzed by Sgt. Andy Johnstone and his team who identified “heat zones” of criminal activity in those areas.

“We have invested heavily in technology and much of our evidence-based decision making is made through data collection and collaboration with community stakeholders,” said Barnes.

“Crime moves around and we identify areas where” where a mix of different things are happening, he said.

“In 55 Division in certain areas we saw increasing criminal activity,” said Barnes. “We recognized that we needed a more focused approach in those areas.”

That “focus” included knowing where and when plain clothes police officers needed to be in those areas to help stop crimes such as drug dealing that were taking place.

There were certain bars and stores that the “focus” was put on due to information about what may have been taking place at or in them, explained Barnes.

“These were areas of a lot of pop-up crime,” he said.

As part of Project Focus, uniformed police also become more visible in those areas and that helped build community trust and lead to even more information about criminal activities.

“We were also being seen in the areas with more uniformed officers paying a lot of attention. Andy’s team had them going to these three spots and concentrating on them. If you’re there long enough and at the right times when crime is more prevalent, then the plain clothes officers were able to make a lot of arrests,” said Barnes.

“It builds trust. People would tell us this place or that, between midnight and 2 a.m., was a place for drugs,” being sold, he said.

With that information, plain clothes officers could put the “focus” on them and make arrests.

In total, Project Focus resulted in the seizure by police in 55 Division of more than 610 grams of fentanyl; more than 1,556 grams of cocaine; more than 5,000 grams of methamphetamine; more than 439 grams of Oxycodone; and more than 5,000 grams of psilocybin mushrooms.

Also, there were 95 liquor licence enforcement checks; and 16 liquor licence charges laid during the project.

Of the total of 73 people arrested during Project Focus, 27 of them were arrested for drug offences and 46 of them were arrested related to charges they were previously wanted on.

Barnes said police were especially pleased to get fentanyl, an extremely and powerful drug, off local streets.

“Fentanyl is what’s killing our people and we like getting it off the street,” he said.

For more information on Project Focus, please go to https://www.tps.ca/media-centre/news-releases/60194/