Investigative and Community Services

In October 2021, the Police Service Board approved the creation of a POU for the Service.

In the Spring of 2023, the Service’s POU was formed.  The initial members of the unit were trained by members of the Hamilton Police Service POU during a 2-week course and have been operational since June 2023.

The POU’s mission is to facilitate peaceful demonstrations allowing citizens to exercise their right to come together and demonstrate in accordance with Section 2 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.  The creation of the unit additionally had to do with the fact that the Service recognizes the importance of being able to effectively contain, isolate, and disperse individuals creating disorder, and minimize the risk of personal injury and/or property damage.

Members of the POU are trained in various crowd management techniques and have been deployed at events where large gatherings of people are anticipated.  Members are also trained in ground search and are capable of conducting searches for evidence and/or missing and vulnerable individuals. A number of officers within the unit are also trained on the ARWEN, which is a less lethal weapons system.

In 2023, the unit deployed five times in a POU capacity for events such as the Grey Cup in the City of Hamilton, as well as New Years Eve festivities in Niagara Falls.  

To learn more about the RPAS Unit, please click here.

Established in 1988 with a single Police Service Dog (PSD), the Niagara Regional Police Canine Unit has since grown into a vital component of the Niagara Regional Police Service. Today, the unit includes seven patrol dogs, each specifically trained to support frontline policing and public safety. Among them, three dogs are cross-trained in narcotics detection, two in explosive detection, and two in firearm detection.

The unit is comprised of German Shepherds and Belgian Malinois, breeds selected for their intelligence, physical capability, and strong temperament—qualities that are essential in high-pressure situations. Each Police Service Dog is trained in a range of core functions including tracking, agility, article searches, building and open area searches, chase and apprehension, and handler protection.

Two of our PSDs are specially trained to support the Emergency Task Unit, attending all tactical operations to provide containment and support. Our handlers are on call 24/7, and each undergoes an initial intensive 15-week training program to develop a strong and effective partnership with their canine partner, along with on-going training.

Many of our dogs are imported from Belgium, Hungary, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, sourced from breeders specializing in police and military working dogs.

The Canine Unit conducts numerous public demonstrations annually, providing an opportunity to showcase the unique skills of our canine teams and to educate the public about the vital role they play in ensuring community safety.

The members of the URSU extend the function of the police investigator into the aquatic environment. The members are required to act as the “eyes” for investigators at any scene that is underwater.

Through the highly-trained members of the USRU, NRPS investigators can recover a variety of evidence including vehicles, vessels, aircraft, weapons, and deceased persons.

Members of the USRU are required to be qualified as commercial divers under standards set by the Canadian Safety Association and the Ontario Health and Safety Act – Diving Regulations. The members undergo further training in the areas of vessel inspection, harbour clearing, explosives recognition, rappelling, live boating operations, and hazardous material response.

The Marine Unit is responsible for conducting proactive marine enforcement patrols and respond to water-related search and rescue calls. With 1,500 square kilometres within the response area of the NRPS, the Marine Unit has responsibility for one of the largest waterways in Canada. The areas covered include large portions of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie and both the Upper and Lower Niagara River, which collectively border the Region on three sides. Vast networks of inland lakes, rivers, and hydro canals fall within the Marine Unit’s response area along with the St. Lawrence Seaway - Welland Canal, a critical component to commerce in both Canada and the United States.

The URSU provides water borne response to both sanctioned events such as Canal Days in Port Colborne and unsanctioned events that are typically year-end school parties. Working with community partners and units within the Service, the URSU promotes waterway safety through education and enforcement.

By conducting vessel checks both on the water and at boat launches the officers are able to assist the public with understanding all the safety equipment and its use. The URSU, with members of the Traffic Enforcement Unit, conduct RIDE checks on the waterway to increase public safety during the boating season. 

ETU is a team of specially selected and highly-trained officers who respond to major incidents to maintain officer and public safety. Members of the ETU employ a variety of specialized equipment and tactics, using the least amount of force required to resolve some of the most dangerous incidents in our communities.

ETU is an accredited Hostage Rescue Team and is prepared to respond to incidents involving hostage takings, armed persons, barricaded persons, and high-risk warrants.

Utilizing their specialized training, members of the ETU regularly respond to assist with persons in crisis, high-risk missing persons, and search and rescue operations. As part of their duties, ETU is also responsible for dignitary protection, witness protection, and high-risk court security details.

While deployed to major incidents, the ETU is supported by the Tactical Support Group (TSG). The TSG is a part-time, accredited containment team.  It is comprised of members from the Marine and Underwater Search and Recovery Unit, Canine Unit, Traffic Enforcement Unit, and past members of the ETU. The TSG enhances the ETU’s ability to successfully conclude high-risk operations by providing a pool of highly-trained officers to conduct basic tactical operations, such as containment of structures, high-risk canine tracks, and specialized support during high-risk warrant operations. 

EDU is trained and equipped to render safe improvised chemical, biological, radiological, and explosives devices (CBRNE), military ordnance, and provide technical support to ETU. Additionally, EDU provides investigative support to other Service units primarily in the context of post blast investigations. EDU is active in promoting awareness and education regarding explosives and bomb threat procedures among various community partners. EDU members are certified by the Canadian Police College in various disciplines, including render safe procedures, electronics, post blast investigations, radiology and x-ray, and explosive forced entries.

The Niagara Regional Police Service’s Crisis Negotiator Team has six (6) officers assigned to it from various units across the Service and is utilized on an on call basis. These members receive their training during a two (2) week Negotiator’s course conducted at the Canadian Police College in Ottawa. Additionally, the team receives refresher training every three (3) years and attends annual conferences to keep their skills up to date.

The Crisis Negotiator Team responds to incidents involving suicidal persons, barricaded/hostage situations and assist when high risk warrants are being executed. The team uses their knowledge, skills and abilities to de-escalate volatile and dangerous circumstances.

The Communications Unit is the largest Civilian unit within the Niagara Regional Police Service. The Communications Unit operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. When a citizen calls 911 or the police administrative phone numbers in Niagara, the first person they speak to is a Communicator.  The role of a Communicator is two-fold:

• They serve the public by answering emergency and non-emergency calls
• They also provide the Police Service with a centralized control of personnel and facilitate field operations through the rapid dissemination of critical information by radio and telephone.

Niagara Regional Police Service is the Primary Public Safety Answering Point (PPSAP) for the Region of Niagara. As previously mentioned, the Communications Unit is responsible for the initial answering of all 911 emergency calls.

The Communications Unit also receives and processes all non-emergency calls for service received from the public, as well as monitoring patrol units using voice and data transmissions. 

Click here to learn more about the Communications Unit.

The Niagara Regional Police Service Real Time Operations Centre (RTOC) operates 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The RTOC is staffed by two civilian analysts responsible for a multitude of cameras throughout the Region. Their role is to provide members of the Police Service near real time actionable intelligence to front line officers and investigators. 

This strategic and intelligence driven approach assists police in obtaining crucial information to optimize public safety to the residents and visitors to the Niagara Region.

Through the implementation of the RTOC, the service has been able to assist in locating missing children, those from the vulnerable sector, and people in crisis. The RTOC has also been pivotal in determining identity of suspects wanted for various types of crimes.

To learn more about the RTOC, please click here.

To better service the people of Niagara, the NRPS operates out of 6 separate district stations. 

These include: 

• 1 District - St. Catharines & Thorold
• 2 District - Niagara Falls & Niagara on the Lake
• 3 District - Welland & Pelham
• 5 District - Fort Erie
• 6 District - Port Colborne & Wainfleet
• 8 District - Grimsby, Lincoln & West Lincoln

To learn more about our district operations, please click here.

To learn more about COAST, please click here. 

The CORE Unit started as a 12-month pilot project that ensured that we, as a Service, are better positioned to facilitate youth engagement and community outreach, with a focus on problem-oriented policing through a district level CORE Unit to directly address community issues.

This includes CORE officers dedicating a lot of their time working with those experiencing homelessness, while working closely with community partners who support the homeless population.

CORE members do not function as school resource officers to offer a uniform response to schools. Rather, they work with partners across our community, including school boards to proactively and reactively build and support those relationships to identify, strategize, and solve community problems. An example of this is demonstrated by CORE officers in Welland who engage with students when providing daily support to the Niagara Safety Village. The CORE Unit further seeks to maintain relationships with the youth of the Niagara Region by leading the Youth in Policing Initiative that sees four local high school students working with the NRPS and participating in various projects.

In total, 16 constables and 3 sergeants operate out of 1 District (St. Catharines/Thorold), 2 District (Niagara Falls/Niagara-on-the-Lake), and 3 District (Welland/ Pelham) to directly address community concerns in an evolution of our community engagement model, as we move forward with a reinvigorated and focused community engagement model, allowing us to better serve our community.

To learn more about the CORE Unit, please click here.

EDI Unit builds and fosters relationships with Indigenous and diverse groups in the Niagara Region. The unit facilitates the Chief of Police – Community Inclusion Council, formed to enhance the relationship between the police and the increasingly more diverse communities of the region we serve.

The EDI Unit facilitates the use of interpreter services, diversity guides and resources, and hosts learning events for all members; in 2023 these included: Autism Awareness, Black History in Niagara, Islam and Ramadan, Asylum Seekers, and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation. The Unit participates in the Internal Inclusion Committee, comprised of civilian and sworn members who foster equity, diversity, and inclusion in the workplace and in our interactions with the community.

In partnership with the Recruiting Unit, the EDI Unit attends strategic recruitment events, attracting individuals from underrepresented groups through focused efforts. The EDI Unit initiates and facilitates sporting events and engagement between newcomer youth and members of the service and provides newcomer orientations for international students at both Niagara College and Brock University. 

To learn more about the EDI Unit, please click here.

Auxiliary members provide a very valuable volunteer service to the Niagara Regional Police Service and their Community. Each member receives extensive training relating to the powers and duties of a police officer including Criminal Code and Provincial Offences Legislation, Use of Force, First Aid & CPR, Search & Rescue and Traffic Control.

The Niagara Regional Police Service Auxiliary Unit is a group of volunteers who are dedicated to serving their community. Members of the Auxiliary do not have police powers and must rely on the same laws of arrest given to the public.

In situations where the NRPS need more officers to control a special event, disaster or other emergency situations as deemed by the Chief of Police, Auxiliary Officers may be given the same arrest authority as police officers.

To learn more about the Auxiliary Unit and how to become a member, please click here.

The use of forensic science in policing has become a vital component of any serious investigation. The FSU applies scientific principles and modern technology to law enforcement to identify and hold those responsible to account.

The FSU provides support and crime scene expertise to all Units across the Service.  Forensic personnel record crime scenes through a variety of methods including digital photography, videography, overhead drones, and a 3D scanner – a highly technical device that uses a laser to capture millions of data points that when meshed can recreate the crime scene with extreme levels of detail and accuracy.  

Specialized software is then applied to bring greater clarity.  This technology has come to be expected and assists greatly when presenting the case to the courts.  Forensic investigators will then meticulously locate, seize, and process all relevant items of physical evidence using the results to determine how the crime was committed and determine who could and who couldn’t have done as it is equally important to exclude suspects of a crime.  FSU can do this by following proven methods and using the latest technologies available.  More often, evidence may be processed in-house within the FSU lab, or it may require further expert analysis by the Centre of Forensic Sciences in Toronto.

FSU provides specialized and expert services to the NRPS, which includes consultation and assistance to police officers with search warrants and exhibits. FSU also utilizes resources that are available through other law enforcement agencies. Members have a close working relationship with organizations like the Ontario Provincial Police, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police who provide AFIS (Automated Fingerprint Identification System), and the National DNA Data Bank (NDDB), the Centre of Forensic Sciences, and the Regional Coroner’s Office. This provides FSU with access to forensic experts, not available at the local level.

ICE Unit has established a local police response to crimes against children perpetrated via the Internet. In addition to a reactive response to public complaints, investigators initiate investigations of identified targets, authoring search warrants, and executed locally. This leads to the identification and arrest of offenders possessing, distributing and making child pornography, and persons who utilize the Internet to lure children into sexual activity.

The ICE Unit continues full-time membership in the Ontario Provincial Strategy to Protect Children from Sexual Abuse and Exploitation on the internet, which the NRPS joined in 2007. This initiative has led to a high level of interagency co-operation and successful joint investigations of ICE throughout the province, as well as nationally and internationally. 

The E-Crimes Unit was formed to bring together under one umbrella units that investigate crimes that occur on the internet or are aided using technology and digital devices. This investigative office is comprised of the Technological Crimes Unit, which supports criminal investigations through forensic examinations of digital devices to extract evidence of a variety of offences; the Cyber Crime Unit, which supports criminal investigations by extracting evidence from online sources and providing technical support to investigators conducting online investigations; and the Internet Child Exploitation Unit, which investigates offences committed against children on the Internet or using digital devices. 

OMU develops management strategies for high-risk federal and provincial parolees to ensure they are complying with court ordered conditions and to prevent further criminal behaviour. The OMU liaises with other police services as well as Correctional Service of Canada, the Provincial Probation and Parole Offices, the Ontario Sex Offender Registry operated by the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), and the National Sex Offender Registry. The OMU conducts checks on individuals who are on Release Orders, as well as those that are on either of the sex offender registries, with a 98.6% compliance rate. Where an individual is violating a condition of release and evidence exists, the OMU will work with the appropriate agency to bring the offender before the courts.

For further information on the sex offender registries please see the links below:

For information regarding the National Sex Offender registry please go to the Public Safety Canada website.

For information regarding the Ontario Sex Offender Registry please go to the Ministry of the Solicitor General website.

For further information on the Offender Management Unit you can contact the Unit Supervisor at (905) 688-4111 Ext. 1005121

QUICK EXIT

The Domestic Violence Unit (DVU) is a team of specially trained detectives that are centrally located within the Niagara Region. The DVU is currently made up of 12 detective constables, four detective sergeants and 1 staff sergeant. This unit works with a number of community agencies as well as the two local Crown Attorney’s offices, the Victim Witness Assistance Program, and Victim Services Niagara. The DVU was centralized into one unit in January of 2013.

Mandate:

The DVU is responsible for investigating all reports of domestic violence involving intimate partners and reviews all domestic related occurrences whether or not charges are laid. Intimate relationship is defined as any persons who are present or past dating partners, have a child in common, are past or present common law partners, are married separated or divorced, are past or present same sex partners, are presently or have previously been in a relationship that involves some form of physical intimacy. Domestic Violence can consist of any use of physical or sexual force, actual or threatened, uttering threats of death or bodily harm, criminal harassment by stalking an individual, and an accused person failing to abide by conditions of a release order put in place by the courts to protect a victim of domestic violence.

VIOLENCE IS A CRIME

It is against the law to assault another person, regardless of the relationship.

Family Violence can include:

• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Psychological abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Criminal harassment or stalking
• Threats to harm you, your children, family, pets, or property

YOU ARE NOT ALONE

Police and community resources can support you with safety planning, protection, and guidance.

YOUR SAFETY IS IMPORTANT

Shelter staff, victim services, family violence centres, and police can help you create a safety plan for yourself and your children.

CHILDREN AND SAFETY

• Teach children to call 911 and give your address
• Set up a meeting spot, escape route, and secret code words
• Involve trusted friends, family, or neighbours
• Keep a hidden safety pack (money, keys, phone, ID, essentials)

No one should stay in an unsafe situation.

PROTECTION OPTIONS

• Call 911 for immediate help
• Seek shelter in a safe place
• Apply for a Restraining Order under the Family Law Act
• Request a Peace Bond under the Criminal Code
• Ask for exclusive possession of the family home if needed

RESTRAINING ORDERS

• Court order from Family Court to stop harassment or threats
• Restricts contact and access to your home, work, or child's school
• Breaching the order is a criminal offence

PEACE BONDS

• Court order under the Criminal Code
• Requires the person to keep the peace and stay away
• Lasts up to one year

EMERGENCY CONTACTS

In an Emergency: Call 911

Victim Services Niagara: 905-682-2626 (24 hours)

COAST Niagara Crisis Support Team: 1-866-550-5205 ext 1 (24 hours)

Police Non-Emergency: 905-688-4111

Crime Stoppers (Anonymous Tips): 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

Additional information can be found on the following links:

Domestic Violence is a Crime

Domestic Violence Links and Contact Information for Other Community Agencies

Coalition to End Violence Against Women

Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Treatment Program (SADV)

Victim Services Niagara (VSN)

Safety Concerns Brochure

Members of the DVU are highly trained in the area of Domestic Violence Investigations, Interviewing, Major Case Management, ODARA – Ontario Domestic Violence Assault Risk Assessment, and Search Warrants.

The Sexual Assault Unit (SAU) is a centralized unit that services the entire Niagara Region. The SAU works closely with its community partners: the Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Treatment Program (SADV), the Niagara Regional Sexual Assault Centre (CARSA), the Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP), and Victim Services Niagara. This unit was formed in 1996 as a result of Justice Campbell’s Report and is made up of 5 detectives including a supervisor.

Mandate:

The SAU investigates crimes of a sexual nature against persons over the age of 16 years at the time the incident is reported, and which occurred in the Niagara Region. The SAU also investigates all historical allegations that are alleged to have occurred in the Niagara Region. Members of the SAU are highly trained in the area of Sexual Assault investigations, Interviewing, Major Case Management, and Search Warrants.

If you have been the victim of a sexual assault and wish to report it to the police, we would encourage you to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service at (905) 688-4111. If you are over the age of 16 years and have been the victim of a sexual assault but do not wish to involve the police, we would encourage you to contact either CARSA or SADV and speak with a counsellor there (see their contact information listed below).

Partners with the SAU:

The SAU maintains a working relationship with the following community agencies who also deal with victims of sexual assault:

Sexual Assault Domestic Violence Treatment Program (SADV)

Niagara Regional Sexual Assault Centre (CARSA)

Victim Services Niagara (VSN)

Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) - Contact by telephone

St. Catharines (905) 685-2671 or Welland (905) 735-4326

Centre de Sante Communautaire – Program Combatting Violence Against Women and Sexual Assault - Offers Francophone Services

See the following link to a guide for sexual assault survivors: 

Survivors Guide

The Child Abuse Unit (CAU) is a centralized unit that services the entire Region of Niagara. The CAU works closely with Family and Children's Services Niagara and the Child Advocacy Centre of Niagara. The CAU was formed in 1992 and currently has 6 detectives including a supervisor.

Mandate:

 The CAU is responsible for investigating all incidents of child sexual abuse or child physical abuse that occur in the Niagara Region, where the victim is under 16 years of age at the time the incident is reported. The investigators working in the CAU are specially trained in: Interviewing, Offences Against Children, Major Case Management, and Search Warrants.

If you believe that your child has been a victim of sexual or physical abuse, we encourage you to contact the Niagara Regional Police Service at (905) 688-4111 or Family and Children's Services Niagara at (905) 937-7731.

Human trafficking is a pervasive and complex crime that poses a significant threat to public safety, affecting individuals across Canada, including right here in Niagara. The Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS), alongside police services throughout Ontario and Canada, recognizes the urgent need for decisive action to combat this violation of human rights.

Human trafficking involves the recruitment, transportation, harboring, or control of individuals for the purpose of exploitation—usually through sexual exploitation or forced labor. This crime is hidden from public view and often goes unreported, which makes it incredibly difficult to fully assess its true scale. Despite this, human trafficking remains a serious concern that requires concerted efforts from law enforcement, communities, and support services to address.

The Impact of Human Trafficking in Canada

Human trafficking is an offence under both the Criminal Code of Canada and the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act. However, the extent of the problem remains difficult to measure due to its covert nature and the barriers faced by victims, including fear of coming forward and the manipulation tactics used by traffickers. Survivors of human trafficking include people of all races and genders, though women represent the majority in Canada. 

Those most at risk of becoming victims include:

• Indigenous women and girls
• Migrant and newly arrived persons to Canada
• 2SLGBTQQIAI+
• Individuals living with disabilities
• Children in the child welfare system
• At-risk youth
• Socially or economically disadvantaged individuals
• Migrant workers, who are particularly vulnerable due to factors such as language barriers, isolation, limited access to services, and lack of information about their rights.

The Niagara Regional Police Service’s Commitment

The Niagara Regional Police Service is fully committed to tackling human trafficking within our community. Our dedicated officers work tirelessly to identify and assist survivors while holding offenders accountable for their actions. We recognize the need for a community-based and trauma led approaches and collaborate with a range of local, provincial, and federal partners to raise awareness, provide support, and engage in proactive prevention strategies.

As part of our efforts to combat human trafficking, we aim to:

• Support survivors through outreach and resources that help them regain safety and independence
• Raise public awareness about the signs and risks of human trafficking
• Improve training for law enforcement and community partners to better identify and respond to human trafficking situations
• Work closely with advocacy organizations to ensure survivors receive comprehensive support services

What You Can Do: Recognize the Signs, Take Action

Awareness is key in the fight against human trafficking. Understanding the warning signs can help you recognize when someone may be at risk and empower you to take action. If you suspect human trafficking is occurring or if you believe someone is in immediate danger, please contact the Niagara Regional Police Service or your local law enforcement agency.

During the 1980s and early 1990s, the complexity of investigations into major crimes led to a change in the way these serious crimes were investigated. The murders of Kristen French and Leslie Mahaffey clearly showed the need for a more professional approach. As a result, The Homicide Unit (originally named the Major Crime Unit) was established in 1993.

The unit employs a provincially mandated investigative methodology called the Ontario Major Case Management System that emphasizes a standardized investigative response to major cases that can be utilized within a single jurisdiction or combined with other police services in a multi-jurisdictional operation, governed by a unified leadership team. 

In addition to being responsible for all homicide investigations, the Homicide Unit also manages missing persons investigations with suspicious circumstances, all police involved shootings, including incidents involving the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) where injuries or death has occurred, investigations involving the Niagara Parks Police where the SIU mandate has been invoked, death investigations involving a child under five years old, and any other investigation at the direction of the Chief of Police. 

The Homicide Unit is currently investigating these unsolved crimes.

We are asking for any help the public may be able to offer in solving these crimes.

To view our cold cases, please click here.

The Polygraph Unit is part of Investigative Support Services. The unit is staffed by one Detective Constable who is certified by the Canadian Police College as a Polygraph Examiner.

The polygraph instrument, commonly called a “lie detector”, measures a person’s physiological responses to a set of questions to determine whether the person is telling the truth or not.

The instrument itself consists of several attachments that are placed on a person’s body to measure a specific physiological response. These impulses are transferred to a laptop computer where they are recorded. The examiner will then analyze the results and provide an opinion of truthful or deceptive.

Participating in a polygraph examination is voluntary. The most common concern people have when asked to take a polygraph is that they are nervous. It is normal for an innocent person to be nervous. Nervousness does not prevent the polygraph examiner from distinguishing between truth and deception.

The Central Fraud Unit investigates financial crimes that involve vulnerable victims, large sums of money, multi-agency frauds, serial fraud occurrences, and frauds involving complex paper trails. These include identity theft, Power of Attorney theft/fraud, payment card fraud, fraudulent cheques, counterfeit currency, employee fraud, investment fraud and Internet fraud.

To learn more about fraud, and how to protect yourself, please visit our Fraud Awareness Page. 

The Intelligence Unit is responsible for the monitoring and investigating of organized crime groups and extremism groups for the purpose of prosecuting, dismantling, or disrupting their criminal activities. The unit works cooperatively with law enforcement agencies across Ontario and New York State and facilitates the sharing of information on criminal matters locally, nationally, and internationally. This unit also administers the Witness Protection Program.

The unit’s responsibilities include the monitoring of protests within the Niagara Region. The NRPS Hate Crime Coordinator is assigned to the Unit and monitors hate crime incidents within the Niagara Region and who is also part of the Provincial Hate Crime Team.

The Intelligence Unit is also responsible for the technical aspect of investigational operations, including the use of interception of communications under Part VI of the Criminal Code. 

Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST)

The Niagara Regional Police Service is a partner with the Border Enforcement Team, which is head by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

The Border Enforcement Security Task Force has been involved in numerous cross border investigations. The seizure of illegal firearms, illegal drugs, and money are the result of great working relationships and partnerships. The Niagara Regional Police Service is in its fourth year term with Border Enforcement Security Task Force (BEST).

Biker Enforcement Unit (BEU)

The Biker Enforcement Unit is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation comprised of 17 law enforcement agencies including the Niagara Regional Police Service.

The BEU is committed to investigating and disrupting the organized criminal activities of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs through shared policing expertise throughout the Province of Ontario.

Provincial Anti-Terrorism Section (PATS)

PATS is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation that has active participation from all the major police services in Ontario including the Niagara Regional Police Service.

PATS was established, in the aftermath of September 11th, 2001, in recognition of the fact that additional resources were needed to combat the threat of terrorism in Ontario. These investigators, within PATS, investigate criminal extremism throughout the province.

Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit (PWEU)

PWEU is an O.P.P. led Joint Forces Operation made up of 14 law enforcement agencies including the Niagara Regional Police Service.

The mandate of the Unit is to identify persons involved in the illegal movement of firearms and to take enforcement action. This includes the offences of smuggling, trafficking and possession of “crime guns”. Many “crime guns” found or used in the commission of offences have their origins in the United States and PWEU has established a strong working relationship with their American counterparts.

Integrated Proceeds of Crime (IPOC)

IPOC is a RCMP led Joint Forces Operation consisting of members from the RCMP and the Niagara Regional Police Service.

The Unit is mandated to investigate money laundering and currency smuggling activities and gather evidence to support the identification of these monies as proceeds of crime with the intention to seize and restrain these items for eventual forfeiture to the Crown.

Provincial Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (PAVIS)

The Niagara Regional Police Service has been part of a multi-agency program known as the “Provincial Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy” with the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

The goal of the Niagara Regional Police Service is to take a more aggressive approach towards dealing with issues that arise with guns and gangs. Efforts to achieve that goal will centre on programs to educate the community, particularly school-aged youth concerning street gang activity, forming partnerships and developing investigative contacts with Community Organization Groups, Schools and School Boards, the Canadian Border Security Agency, Border Enforcement Security Taskforce, the Crown Attorneys’ Office and the Probation Office.

The Niagara - PAVIS Team focuses on reducing illegal gang, drug and weapons activities in the Niagara Region by stressing intervention, prevention, enforcement and community participation.

The objective of the OEEU is to investigate the circumstances surrounding opioid-related deaths, drug overdoses, and opioid trafficking. Where possible, the OEEU hold those persons who traffic illegal substances that cause harm and death accountable for their actions, and support the families impacted by the opioid epidemic. OEEU provides support to investigators and critical education to first responders regarding the recognition, safe handling, and enforcement related to opioids. Additionally, OEEU raises public awareness and provides education regarding the dangers of opioid misuse through community partnerships including Niagara Region Public Health, Community Addiction Services of Niagara, the Overdose Prevention and Education Network of Niagara, and Niagara Health Program Advisory Committee. 

Provide covert technical and investigative support for the service. They oversee confidential informant and undercover officer deployment.