HatsOnDufferin & Shelburne Police partner up to keep community warm

HatsOnDufferin is a non-profit organization whose goal is to ensure that every child, person, and family within our community has a hat to keep warm this winter. What began as a social gathering of individuals with a passion for the craft of crocheting quickly evolved into a socially responsible community minded initiative. It is their belief that an increased awareness of poverty issues will help spur and support other community minded poverty reduction initiatives. The winters in Dufferin may be cold but the hearts, hands, and generosity of our residents will always be warmer.

HatsOnDufferin has donated hand crocheted and knitted hats to every school in Dufferin County and are now reaching out to other community partners to help ensure everyone can stay warm this winter. 

Over 500 generous volunteers from the local communities created thousands of winter hats for this worthy initiative.

On Friday December 7th 2018, Constable Carey Widbur of the Shelburne Police Service accepted 50 handmade hats from Chief Hat Maker Stephany St. Louis.  

“Shelburne Police officers will keep an eye out for anyone in our community needing a hat to stay warm – from young children to seniors, and everyone in between”, remarked Sgt. Paul Neumann.  “If anyone knows of a person who needs a hat to help battle the Dufferin County winter, call the Shelburne Police Service at 519-925-3312, or drop by the station; and we will get one of these beautifully crafted hats to them.  Thank you Stephany St. Louis and all the hat making volunteers for being part of what makes this community great!”

OPP crack illegal firearm & drug ring

Several Ontario residents face numerous charges following a multi-jurisdiction investigation into trafficking of illegal firearms and illegal drugs in the Greater Toronto and Golden Horseshoe areas of Ontario.

Noting a rise in domestically-sourced guns, Project RENNER began in April 2018 as a high-level Organized Crime Enforcement Bureau (OCEB) investigation targeting an organized crime group that had been producing restricted and untraceable firearms by using unregulated parts. This group manufactured these illegal guns for mass distribution to multiple criminal cells in Ontario.

At a news conference today, OPP Deputy Commissioner Rick BARNUM and representatives from the project's partner agencies unveiled details of the investigation and evidence seized during the eight-month probe. Project RENNER was conducted by the OPP-led Provincial Weapons Enforcement Unit (PWEU) in partnership with the Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS), Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS), Hamilton Police Service (HPS), Niagara Regional Police Service (NRPS), Peel Regional Police Service (PRPS) and the OPP Provincial Asset Forfeiture Unit. Members of the Toronto Police Service, Barrie Police Service, London Police Service, and the RCMP took part in the takedown. The investigation was also supported by The Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC). More than 400 individual police personnel were involved in executing 39 search warrants late last week at locations across the Greater Toronto Area.

During the course of the investigation, the project team combined to seize 14 handguns, six long guns -- including a machine gun and an assault rifle -- numerous prohibited weapons and devices -- including four silencers, grenades, a conducted energy weapon (stun gun) and body armour -- 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, 30 grams of methamphetamine, 13 grams of heroin, 66 fentanyl tablets and $85,000 in Canadian currency. In addition, four vehicles and a residential property were seized as offence-related property. As part of a parallel investigation, police seized three kilograms of cocaine and one kilogram of fentanyl.