Durham Regional Police, UOIT sign on for greater collaboration and enhanced community safety initiatives

OSHAWA, ON. - With their signing today of a memorandum of understanding, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Durham Regional Police Service (DRPS) have launched a strengthened partnership that will deliver more opportunities for students, advanced research in areas critical to community safety, and enhanced collaboration through international partnerships.

In formally signing the understanding, UOIT President Dr. Ronald Bordessa and Durham Police Chief Mike Ewles united UOIT's Faculty of Criminology, Justice and Policy Studies and the police service in several undertakings that represent their mutual commitment to community safety, integrity, student success and excellence in teaching, research and policing.

"It is a significant moment for our university to be signing this understanding with the Durham Regional Police Service, which is widely regarded as one of Canada's leading law enforcement agencies," said Dr. Bordessa. "By bringing together our collective expertise and resources, this understanding will generate new research data and related information that will significantly benefit Durham Region residents as well as UOIT and DRPS."

The understanding allows for the development of academic programs related to criminal justice professions, research partnerships in community safety initiatives, educational forums to encourage dialogue and generate awareness of contemporary challenges within the criminal justice system, and criminal justice networks that enhance both academic and policing communities at local, national and international levels.

"UOIT is an outstanding institution and over the years the DRPS has had the privilege to work with it in various capacities," said Chief Ewles."Since the university's beginning, our service has been on campus and this memorandum will solidify our commitment to continue this partnership. Our future efforts will enhance the academic and developmental opportunities for our respective staffs, the students of UOIT and the community at large."

The agreement will also:

• Enhance educational opportunities for UOIT students to work with law enforcement officers while pursuing their education at the undergraduate and graduate levels;
• Commit the partners to working together on examining important issues related to policing in various forums, such as through conferences, workshops and publications;
• Facilitate the creation of new law enforcement, community policing, youth justice and diversity programs that benefit local communities and impact national and international policies; and
• Encourage work with international agencies for enhanced learning opportunities and to share best practices as they pertain to law enforcement and safety.

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Media contact
Tony Doyle
Communications and Marketing
Ontario Tech University
905.721.8668 ext. 2209
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tony.doyle@uoit.ca