EDITORIAL: Time to get serious about violent crime

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We agree with Mayor John Tory and Police Chief Mark Saunders that Toronto is one of the world’s safest cities.

But with 48 homicides so far this year, Toronto is on a record pace that could see it record more than 100 murders in 2018, compared to the previous high of 86 in 1991.

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Gun violence is also significantly up, with five more shootings per month this year compared to 2017.

Last weekend alone, there were four fatal shootings and a fatal stabbing, including Jenas Nyarko, 31, an innocent victim of a drive-by shooting while on her way home from a funeral, in what police say may have been a case of one gang invading another’s turf and randomly shooting at people.

Earlier this month, two children, young girls age 5 and 9, were shot in a playground in another outburst of senseless, random gun violence.

Clearly, it’s time for action.

Ontario’s defeated Liberal government recklessly dismantled the Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy (TAVIS) and made street checks all but impossible for police to carry out.

Premier Doug Ford and the new Progressive Conservative government must correct these blunders, restoring the ability of the police to gather intelligence, while protecting the rights of citizens to be free from police harassment.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau needs to get Canada’s borders with the U.S. under control.

Right now, getting into Canada is as easy as showing up at an unmanned border crossing and demanding refugee status, making Canada easy prey to criminals, on top of the perpetual problem of gun smuggling from the U.S. which needs to be effectively addressed.

Ottawa and Queen’s Park must end our “catch and release” criminal justice system, which at present is a revolving door, putting violent criminals back on our streets as fast as the police arrest  them.

Finally, Police Association president Mike McCormack says the force has 800 fewer officers than in 2011.

While the police union always says there aren’t enough police, it’s also vital police have the necessary resources to combat crime, and that those aren’t being depleted by city hall pandering to anti-police groups.

The bottom line is that all three levels of government have work to do to combat violent street crime in Toronto.