Durham Regional Police Service

The Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) is the police service operated by and serving the Regional Municipality of Durham, Ontario, Canada. The force serves the following local municipalities, with a combined population of 589,850^[2]:

• Pickering, Ontario
• Oshawa, Ontario
• Whitby, Ontario
• Ajax, Ontario
• Clarington, Ontario
• Scugog, Ontario
• Brock, Ontario
• Uxbridge, Ontario

The DRPS and York Regional Police are the only two police forces in the Greater Toronto Area with air support.

The DRPS was formed in 1974 through the amalgamation of a number of local police forces in the area, coincident with the establishment of the Regional Municipality of Durham.

Organization

DRPS is led by:

• Chief of Police Mike Ewles
• Deputy Chief Scott Burns (Operations)
• Deputy Chief Sherry Whiteway (Operational Support)

Durham Regional Police Headquarters is in Whitby, Ontario at the Regional Municipality of Durham Headquarters building with a budget of $124.0 million^[3]

In October 2008, the Durham Regional Police Service was named one of "Canada's Top 100 Employers" by Mediacorp Canada Inc., and was featured in Maclean's newsmagazine. Later that month, it was also named one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers, which was announced by the Toronto Star newspaper.^[4] *NOTE* No member of the Service was surveyed in relation to these honours.

Durham Regional Police is a member of O.A.L.E.P..

Police senior officers

The day-to-day and regional operations are commanded by senior officers:

• Superintendent

• Inspector / Duty Inspector

Police officers

• Detective Sergeant
• Staff Sergeant
• Detective
• Sergeant
• Detective Constable
• Senior Constable
• Constable - 1st Class
• Constable - 2nd Class
• Constable - 3rd Class
• Constable - 4th Class
• Special Court Constables

Operational support units

In 2006, Durham Regional Police had 806 sworn constables and 272 civilians.^[5]

Some of the units within the force are:

• Air Support Unit
• Auxiliary Unit (Auxiliary Constable)
• Bail and Parole Unit
• Canine Unit
• Case Management Unit
• Crime Analysis Unit
• Domestic Violence Unit
• Drug Unit
• E-Crimes Unit
• Explosive Disposal Unit
• Forensic Identification Unit
• Homicide Unit
• Hostage Negotiators
• Information Technology Unit
• Marine Unit
• Major Incident Command
• Major Fraud Unit
• Professional Standards Unit
• Public Order Unit
• Regional Alternate Response Unit
• Robbery Unit
• Records Unit
• Sexual Assault Unit
• Surveillance Unit
• Tactical Support Unit
• Technical Services
• Threat Assessment Unit
• Traffic Enforcement Unit
• Traffic Collision Unit
• Victim Services Unit

Policing divisions

The force is organized into several police offices:

• West Division. Serving Ajax/Pickering
• Central West Division. Serving Whitby and North Oshawa
• Central East Division. Serving Oshawa
• East Division. Serving Clarington
• North Division. Serving Brock, Scogog, Uxbridge

Fleet

DRPS's fleet of vehicles consists of the following:

Some vehicle bear the moto Leaders in Community Safety.

Uniform

The DRP crest is used on vehicles, headgear and uniforms, and consists of St. Edward's Crown over a round blue shield with the legend "Durham Regional Police" in white, encircling a red maple leaf overlaid with gold scales of justice. The crest is based on that of the former City of Oshawa police department, with the maple leaf and scales replacing the city's coat of arms.

Tactical Support Unit

T.S.U is responsible for handling dangerous situations not handled by regular uniformed officers. The Durham Regional Police T.S.U also has a mutual aid agreement with the York Regional Police Emergency Response Unit. In the event of a large scale event, or a call out that could take a significant amount of time, both departments provide assistance to one another.

Marine Unit

The Marine Unit is responsible for the Enforcment of Three Bodies of water in The Region, Lake Ontario, Lake Scugog, and Lake Simcoe (the area of and around Beaverton, Thorah Island and parts of the Trent-Severn Waterway). Members of the Marine Unit are specially trained for Marine enforcement and rescue duties including Ice Rescue. The unit is attached to the traffic enforcement unit.

The Durham Regional Police Marine Unit also has a mutual aid agreement with the Toronto Police, for Lake Ontario as well as Side Scan Sonar and R.O.V. and with the York Regional Police for Lake Simcoe as well as Side Scan Sonar and Diver services. In the event of a large scale event, or a call out that could take a significant amount of manpower, these Police Services provide mutual assistance to one another.

The Marine Unit consists of 4 officers. {2 full time summer, 1 part time as well as a part time Sergeant.}

Equipment

• Zodiac RHIB (2011)
• 34-foot Hike Metal Products patrol, search and rescue vessel (2004)

See also

Durham Regional Police is part of Durham Region's Emergency Services and works with:

• Durham Region EMS
• Fire Services in Durham Region

References

External links

• Durham Regional Police Service