TORONTO -- Toronto was well on the way to one of its lowest murder rates in years -- until the calendar turned to November.
"We had a successful summer," Police Chief Bill Blair said in a year-end interview. "We went through 53 days with no murders, and in a city of this size, this is quite unusual."
However, the number of shootings in the city jumped 11.2% since Jan. 1, to 249 from 224 and the number of victims increased by 6%, to 335 from 316.
As well, incidents of gunfire in which no one was injured jumped 21.8%, to 106 from 87.
The city's top cop defended the programs he has put in place, saying they have helped reduce gang violence in the city and in schools.
As of last night, there had been 60 murders since New Year's Day. That includes 36 shootings and 16 stabbings -- identical numbers as the same period last year.
'SURGES OF VIOLENCE'
November was by far the most deadly month of 2009. In 20 days, Toronto saw nine murders, far more than any previous month this year.
And the bloodshed has not let up. From Dec. 3-9, the city recorded five murders in seven days, four of them in 31 Division that encompasses the Jane-Finch neighbourhood.
A sixth murder was logged onto the books this past Monday.
Blair said that while drug-dealing gangs still pack pistols and try to intimidate neighbourhoods, some of the worst attacks were unpredictable cases of individuals targeting their rivals.
"We've had some surges of violence," Blair said yesterday.
Gang trouble erupted in the Keele St.-Eglinton Ave. area earlier this year. As of June 17, 11 of the city's 23 murders to that point were in or just steps from that area known as 12 Division.
Those murders, and a handful in the Jane-Finch neighbourhood, came to an abrupt halt over the summer with the deployment of 75 officers from TAVIS (Toronto Anti-Violence Intervention Strategy).
With the gunplay and killings on the decline, the officers returned to their posts by October.
The resurgence that began in November mainly involved domestic disputes and confrontations by individuals, particularly gun violence in late-night bars and stairwells where drug dealers lurk, he said.
Random shootings are "difficult to predict," he said, emphasizing the importance of TAVIS, major crime and other intelligence teams gathering and sharing information.
Citing the successful campaign started in 2004 that quashed the domination of the Galloway Boys and Malvern Crew gangs, he said his officers "do some very comprehensive investigations into street gangs and territories."
Residents let police know they were fed up with gang intimidation, Blair said.
"We'll kick down doors," Blair said. "But there are, unfortunately, individuals who will not be deterred ... and we still see gangs."
In this year's biggest operation, Project Fusion, more than 1,000 officers from various Ontario services conducted raids here, in York, Peel and Durham regions in the early hours of April Fools Day. A total of 755 criminal charges were laid against more than 120 people. Seizures included more than $2 million in drugs, $431,340 cash and 40 firearms.
A key to safer neighbourhoods is gaining young people's confidence and offering options to joining gangs, Blair said. "I know we can make a difference because cops count."
Trust in police was his biggest objective since being appointed chief on April 6, 2005, he said.
One of the most successful programs he cited was having officers assigned recently to most of the city's high schools.
Blair said there has been a 23% reduction in violence reports in schools.
Toronto added 250 officers with funds shared by the province and Ottawa, plus 38 federally financed officers who were assigned to increase safety in the TTC subway system.
But the increased police presence comes with a price.
The service is seeking $896.2 million for 2010, a 4.8% hike over last year's net operating budget -- at a time when, Blair warned, "the city is facing significant cost restraints in 2010 and 2011. We've seen some pretty significant reductions in crime, but we also have to deal with issues of financial restraints," he said.
-- With iles from Chris Doucette
IAN.ROBERTSON@SUNMEDIA.CA
