Toronto Police Chief William Blair and President Jennifer Evans of Peel Regional Police said in an interview the police are powerless online.
Blair said crime that happens online does not happen in environments the police can patrol. The police need the public’s help so that they can be given a chance to step in.
“We need them to be willing to come forward to report to city authorities,” Blair said. “Not only to protect them, but to protect every other citizen who could be a victim of the crime on the Internet.”
The President of the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, Jennifer Evans, also suggested that people have to be so vigilant in not giving out personal identification to anyone online.
“Often people get emails and respond to emails and they provide information that they should never provide. “ Evans said in an interview.
Blair said that individuals need to be well informed on how to keep themselves safe in an Internet environment. The police recognize that it’s critical to prevent crime, which is why they have gathered their partners from across the province and the country to promote community safety at this event.
“The fewer number of victims, the safer our communities are,” Chief Blair said. “That’s how we should measure our success.”
Chief William Blair and President Jennifer Evans, at far left of front row, listen to speeches on crime prevention conducted by community partners.