PEEL POLICE ENGAGES SOUTH ASIANS

Peel Regional Police has released a new framework as part of its South Asian community engagement (SACE) initiative – marking a ground-breaking step to better serve South Asian communities in Peel Region.

Approximately 40 per cent of residents in Brampton and Mississauga self-identify as South Asian.

“The SACE initiative stemmed from our commitment to being the most progressive, inclusive, and innovative police service, and that includes being culturally responsive to the diverse community we serve; and rooted in our Community Safety and Well-Being plan,” said Chief Nishan Duraiappah. “This initiative is about listening to our community and taking action to better support our community.”

Peel Regional Police engaged in work on the SACE initiative in 2023, which involved an extensive community engagement process of over 60 consultations with representation from 120 community-based groups and organizations, independent community survey work, focus groups and open town hall community sessions.

It hosted a SACE summit with over 200 stakeholders, including community members, elected officials, and members from Canada’s largest police agencies.

During the summit, PRP introduced the framework, recommendations and next steps moving forward to better support the Peel Region residents.

The new framework introduces a Cross-Functional Support Team (CFST) and a Community Ambassador Program to enhance services through strengthened response, build robust internal capacity building, and increased community engagement.

This initiative will also be a blueprint for Peel Regional Police in building the knowledge, skills and capacity necessary to develop and sustain culturally responsive practices for all  communities.