It is on a very rare and important occasion that the Board, the Service and the Association issue a joint statement.
The National Day in Support of the Gun Registry is one of those occasions.
As I have said previously maintaining the long-gun registry is critical to the safety of our officers and our communities.
Why, I ask, would anyone be interested in disabling such an effective preventative and investigative tool?
The Canadian Association of Police Board's National Day in Support of the Gun Registry, a first of its kind, serves to reinforce the important message that the long-gun registry must be maintained.
Police Boards across the country have a mandate to ensure prevention and enforcement. The long-gun registry is critical for both. That is why we are actively working to maintain it.
For Toronto specifically, it is particularly important as we work daily to help reduce crime in our community.
Here is the statement:
National Day In Support of the Long-Gun Registry
Joint statement from the Toronto Police Services Board, the Toronto Police Service and the Toronto Police Association
The Toronto Police Services Board, the Toronto Police Service and the Toronto Police Association join today to emphasize their support for the long-gun registry, an indispensable tool for the safety of police officers and communities across Canada.
A national firearms registry is a vitally important tool that helps police prevent and investigate crimes, trace firearms and promote individual accountability.
Toronto Police Services Board Chair Alok Mukherjee said, "Across Canada, police boards, police officers and police leaders are working to prevent violent incidents related to firearms. A key tool in this prevention strategy is the federal long-gun registry which provides police with the critical information required to help them do their jobs. Without it, the safety of the officers and the community is put at risk.”
Toronto Police Service Chief William Blair said, “Police all across Canada, in large cities and small towns, from chiefs to frontline officers, understand how the long-gun registry protects police officers and makes communities safer. It is very encouraging to see that, as we explain to Canadians the real value of the registry, more and more people understand its importance to all Canadians.”
Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack said, "Every day, police officers across the country are exposed to potentially violent situations related to firearms. We owe it to our officers and our communities to ensure that every tool at our disposal is being used to prevent violent incidents. The federal long-gun registry is one of these and that is why it is critical that it is maintained.”
The release of the RCMP’s evaluation of the Firearms Program has provided up-to-date, accurate, comprehensive information, allowing Canadians to judge for themselves, on an informed basis.
It says, “Firearms registration is a critical component of the entire firearms program. The program, as a whole, is an important tool for law enforcement. Overall, the Canadian Firearms Program is cost-effective in reducing firearms-related crime and promoting public safety through universal licensing of firearms owners and registration of firearms in Canada.”
