Downtown Brampton is getting a bigger security presence after residents raised ongoing concerns about open drug use and other illegal activity near the Nelson Street bridge.
The City of Brampton launched a one-month enhanced patrol initiative on July 8, deploying six additional security guards to city-owned properties such as parking garages, transit terminals, transit stops and other identified hotspots, according to a post on Councillor Rowena Santos's website published July 14.
What the patrols will target
The extra guards are working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, in what the update describes as a more visible and proactive security force.
The patrols are aimed at loitering, aggressive panhandling, public intoxication, drug use, trespassing, encampments and other quality-of-life issues residents have flagged in the area.
Security staff are being instructed to emphasize de-escalation, voluntary compliance and connections to community support services, the update says, with enforcement action taken when required.
Peel police backing and new cameras
Peel Regional Police will support the city's Security Services throughout the initiative through a co-ordinated approach focused on increased visibility, according to the update. Officers will monitor the area and step in directly on incidents that go beyond what security guards have authority to handle.
High-resolution cameras have also been installed inside bus shelters, allowing Security Services to watch for problems and respond to them in real time.
Broader supports also on the agenda
Santos, whose ward includes the downtown, said she is continuing to push both for fixes to the safety concerns residents have raised and for better support systems for people affected by housing insecurity.
That includes easier ways to report crime, clearer pathways for residents to pass information to police, and stronger social supports for people impacted by housing insecurity, the update states.
The councillor's office said the city remains committed to improving residents' sense of safety, with the goal of building a more proactive and responsive security network that can keep up with Brampton's growth.
The enhanced patrol initiative is scheduled to run roughly one month from its July 8 start. The update follows an earlier progress report on the same issue published about two weeks ago.
