This year’s theme, “Working Together to Protect Ontario,” highlights that community safety is a shared responsibility. It takes the collaboration of police, government, community organizations, businesses, and residents to build safer neighbourhoods across Hamilton and the province.

“Preventing crime begins with strong partnerships,” said Chief Frank Bergen of the Hamilton Police Service. “When someone in our community becomes a victim of crime, it affects us all. By working together—with residents, local organizations, and community leaders—we can find meaningful solutions that prevent crime and promote safety for everyone.”

Throughout Crime Prevention Week, the Hamilton Police Service will focus on four key priorities:

1. Crimes Against Persons – Preventing violence and harm through education, awareness, and proactive policing.

2. Crimes Against Businesses – Collaborating with the business community to address theft, fraud, and property-related crimes.

3. Reducing Victimization – Empowering residents through prevention programs, outreach, and support services.

“Crime Prevention Week is about strengthening relationships and sharing responsibility,” added Chief Bergen. “By staying connected, informed, and engaged, we can all play a role in keeping Hamilton safe.”

As part of this year’s initiatives, Hamilton Police Service is proud to take part in the Mayor’s Community Safety Summit, an event bringing together community partners, city officials, and residents to discuss local safety priorities and explore collaborative approaches to crime prevention. The Summit underscores HPS’s commitment to open dialogue, community partnership, and proactive safety strategies.

In addition, HPS will support a series of community engagement activities throughout the week, including safety workshops, youth outreach sessions, and social media campaigns designed to raise awareness about how residents can help prevent crime in their neighbourhoods.

Crime Prevention Week is supported by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and the Ministry of the Solicitor General.

For more information about local Crime Prevention Week events and safety resources, visit www.hamiltonpolice.on.ca or follow @HamiltonPolice on social media.

This year, Police Week runs from May 12 to 18, 2024, under the theme "Join Policing: Keep Ontario Safe," emphasizing policing as both a career and a public service. It's a time to celebrate the pivotal role our police officers and personnel play in community safety and the invaluable relationships and partnerships they share with Hamiltonians.

Throughout the week, Hamilton Police will highlight the diverse methods our members employ to serve our community, reinforcing our commitment to public safety and fostering stronger connections with those we serve. Police Week serves as an annual recognition and awareness-building event, aiming to strengthen partnerships between police and the community while acknowledging the vital contributions of police services.

Since 1970, Police Week has taken place in May to coincide with Peace Officers Memorial Day, which is internationally recognized on May 15.
This week’s Police Week activities include the following:

The annual Police Week in Ontario is sponsored by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General. It is part of a national effort led by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police to recognize and honour the work of police service members.

Joining in on some of our events? Follow us on our social media platforms at
X: 
@HamiltonPolice
Instagram : 
@hamiltonpoliceontario
Facebook: 
Hamilton Police Service

Interested in sharing your photos? Tag us on the above social platforms to share in the fun!

Hamilton Police has now opened registration for this fall’s Citizens’ Police College. The popular program will host classes on a variety of policing topics.

Hamilton Police was one of the first police services in Ontario to offer this type of program to its community members. Thousands of citizens have participated since Citizens’ Police College opened its doors in 1997. 

Classes start Thursday, October 12, 2023, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m., and will run every Thursday for five consecutive weeks. We will host weekly interactive presentations. Students will also be given access to educational videos highlighting several specialized units within our service such as Traffic Safety, Major Drugs, Forensics, Victim Services and Homicide.

Citizens’ Police College is designed for individuals interested in learning about policing. Enrolment is free, but class sizes for this program are limited. Registration is on a first to register basis.

The program is offered to individuals 18-years-of-age or older who reside in Hamilton or are engaged in full-time studies within our city.

In order to complete your Citizens Police College application, you will need to complete two registration forms along with electronically submitting two pieces of government approved identification.

Please send the following pictures to nrakas@hamiltonpolice.ca   .

1. Clear photo(s) of your first ID and second ID.

2. Clear photo of you holding at least one of the IDs.

Information of suitable identification can be found at the following link:
https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/acceptable-identification

* Please note that this information will only be used for identification purposes, and will not be kept on file with the Hamilton Police.

To obtain the required registration forms, please contact Nicole Rakas at nrakas@hamiltonpolice.ca  .

The course fills quickly so please register early to avoid being disappointed.  
Applicataions will no longer be accepted after Monday, September 25, 2023.

Hamilton Police joins police services across Ontario and Canada for Police Week, May 14-20, 2023.

Police Week is an annual recognition week that focuses on increasing community awareness and acknowledgement of police services, while strengthening partnerships between police and those they serve.

Since 1970, Police Week has taken place in May to coincide with Peace Officers Memorial Day, which is internationally recognized on May 15.

This is a celebration of the work our front-line police officers, 9-1-1 communicators, civilian members, and all members of our police service do to keep Hamilton citizens safe.

This year the provincial theme is “Building Bridges: Celebrating Police – Community Partnerships.” This highlights the importance of growing partnerships within our Hamilton community.

“We invite the community to attend any of our events this week to celebrate the importance of partnerships in building a strong and safe Hamilton,” said Acting Police Chief Ryan Diodati.

This week’s Police Week activities include the following:

The annual Police Week in Ontario is sponsored by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General. It is part of a national effort led by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police to recognize and honour the work of police service members.

Joining in on some of our events? Follow us on our social media platforms at

Twitter: @HamiltonPolice

Instagram : @hamiltonpoliceontario

Facebook: Hamilton Police Service

Interested in sharing your photos? Tag us using the above social platform handles to share in the fun!

Hamilton Police continue to see an increase in reports relating to text message and email related scams.

The Financial Crimes Unit would like to inform the public about a scam involving unsolicited text messages or emails from “Amazon”. The message will ask you to confirm a product you did not order, advise there is a problem with your account or offer a refund. The message will direct you to click on a link or call a phone number provided.  Victims are then asked to send money, asked for bank account information or give over control of their computers.  Victims then suffer a monetary loss.

From Amazon-
“Amazon will never send you an unsolicited message that asks you to provide sensitive personal information like your social insurance number, tax ID, bank account number, credit card information, ID questions like your mother's maiden name or your password. Amazon will never ask you to make a payment outside of our website and will never ask you for remote access to your device.”

While some departments at Amazon will make outbound calls to customers, Amazon will never ask you to disclose or verify sensitive personal information, or offer you a refund you do not expect.

The link below will provide more info about scams Amazon is trying to protect its customers from.

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G4YFYCCNUSENA23B

The Financial Crimes Unit reminds people before acting to go through the following steps.

1.       STOP…scammers work on pressure. Take a moment and collect your thoughts.

2.       LOOK.. at the situation. Does this make sense? Did I order a package from Amazon? Go to the Amazon site and confirm the information yourself.

3.       LISTEN…Listen to your inner voice telling you something does not make sense or this is too good to be true.

Hamilton Police would like to encourages anyone who may have been a victim of this scam to report these incidents to the police by using our online reporting tool at https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/report-crime/online-reporting or calling 905-546-4925.

Hamilton Police are  excited to announce the return of in person Cop Camp on March Break this year.

We will be hosting “Cop Camp” at our East End Station over March Break for children ages nine to 12. 
The station is located at 2825 King Street East. 

This year, four single day camps will be offered. 

We ask that children be dropped off daily at 8:45 a.m. to the main doors of the station and be picked-up promptly at 4:00 p.m. by a guardian. We will require the guardian to sign the child into and out of programming each day.

It is our hope that children with an interest in policing or children who would benefit from positive interaction with police officers will find the camp entertaining, rewarding and a whole lot of fun. 
Children will be engaging in physical activity, games and interactive presentations.

The cost is $20 per child, which includes a camp t-shirt, morning and afternoon snacks, and game prizes. Campers are responsible for their own lunch.

Each of the four camps are filled on a “first come, first serve basis.” At the time of registration, parents must also complete a waiver and photo release.

The registration deadline is Friday, February 24, 2023. Please register quickly to secure your child’s spot at one of the four single-day camps. 

The dates that the one-day camps will be offered are March 13, 14, 15 and 16.

For more information and to obtain the registration forms, please contact the Hamilton Police Crime Prevention Unit by emailing hparkinson@hamiltonpolice.ca.

Can't wait to see you all there.

This is occurring all over the city however the most impacted communities are Waterdown and Ancaster.

This crime trend is not isolated to the Hamilton area and is occurring in neighboring jurisdictions. As a result, our Auto Theft detectives are leading an ongoing joint investigation.

Hamilton Police are committed to combatting this crime in our city. As part of this response, officers are increasing patrols in identified target areas.

In reviewing these incidents, the suspects are taking the vehicles during overnight hours where there are few members of the public out.

The high target vehicles include: Ford F-150, Dodge Durango, Dodge Ram, Toyota Highlander, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Tacoma, Lexus RX350s/RC350, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Wrangler, Range Rover, Honda CR-V and Honda Pilots. All primarily manufactured between 2016-2022.

We ask that you review the below video for some tips on how we can work together as a community to combat this crime.

If you have any information in relation to vehicle thefts, please call the Hamilton Police non-emergency line or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit your anonymous tips online at http://www.crimestoppershamilton.com.

Why vehicles are stolen:

• To sell the vehicle or parts - Often thieves will take your car out of the Province or Country. Identification numbers may be altered or removed, ownership certificates forged, parts sold or the vehicle repainted.
• For transportation - Thieves will use your vehicle to get where they want to go and later abandon the vehicle. They may just drive it around to gain 'status' with their friends.
• To commit other crimes - Vehicles are stolen and used in other crimes such as robberies, break and enters, drug dealing.
• For vehicle cloning - Vehicles are stolen, given a fraudulent identification number and then sold to unsuspecting persons who are defrauded of their money. Fraudulent vehicles will be located and seized by the Police.

How to reduce the risk of vehicle theft:

• When parking your vehicle:
  • Turn ignition off and TAKE the keys with you
  • Park in a well-lighted, attended area if possible
  • Lock all valuables in your trunk
  • Completely close and lock doors and windows
  • Turn your wheels to the side to make it harder to tow
• When at home:
  • If you have a garage, use it and lock it
  • If you have a rear-wheel drive car, back into driveway
  • If you have a front-wheel drive car, park front end first
  • Always set the emergency brake
  • Don't leave the ownership or insurance cards in the vehicle when unattended
  • Drop business cards or address labels inside doors to assist with vehicle identification

Other important tips

• Never hide a spare key in the vehicle, thieves know where to find it
• Be aware of your surroundings while driving and drive with your doors locked
• Be aware when purchasing a vehicle. If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is!

If your vehicle is stolen...

1.    Report the theft to the police immediately.

2.    If your car or accessories are stolen, the police will need specific information to identify the car, parts and accessories.

You should record the following:

• Year and Make, Model, Colour(s)
• Licence Number
• Vehicle Identification Number
• Serial numbers of all special equipment
• Special markings - dents, scratches, other damage etc.

Invest in vehicle protection whenever possible

Ignition Kill Switch - Toggle switch spliced into ignition that disables your vehicle.

Fuel Kill Switch - Switch spliced into fuel system wiring that halts fuel supply to your vehicle.

Steering Wheel Lock - Prevents steering wheel from turning.

Gearshift Lock - Locks gearshift in place, disables shifting transmission.

Tire/Wheel Locks - Tool wraps around tire/wheel to immobilize vehicle.

Hood Locks - Prevents access to vehicle engine parts.

Steering Column Collar - Protects steering column from ignition entry.

Electronic Alarms - Alarms with kill switches are the most effective.

Vehicle Tracking Systems - A transmitter in your vehicle enables your vehicle to be tracked electronically.

The free program, which is designed for individuals interested in learning more about policing, begins on Wednesday, September 30, 2020, and runs every Wednesday for six weeks. Each class begins at 6:00 p.m. and offers interactive presentations on a variety of topics such as traffic safety, victim services, homicide and forensics. Students will also be given access to videos highlighting Hamilton Police Service specialized units.

Registration is free and is available to individuals 18 years-of-age and older, who live in Hamilton or who are engaged in fulltime studies within Hamilton.

Registration details:

Download the Citizens Police College application at www.hamiltonpolice.on.ca and submit two pieces of identification to hbalcomb@hamiltonpolice.on.ca. Please note that this information will only be used for identification purposes and will not be kept on file with the Hamilton Police Service.

Identification must fit the following criteria:

• Clear photo(s) of your first and second identification
• Clear photo of you holding one of the identifications

Information regarding suitable identification can be found at https://hamiltonpolice.on.ca/acceptable-identification.

The course fills up quickly, so please register early to avoid disappointment.