PROJECT SAFE 2023

PROJECT SAFE (SHOOTING AND FIREARMS ENFORCEMENT)
Hundreds of charges laid, multiple firearms seized

LONDON, ON (July 27, 2023) – Between April and July of 2023, members of the London Police Service Guns and Gangs Section, with the assistance of members of various other areas within the service, engaged in a project to address gun and gun violence in the city. Named “Project SAFE” (Shooting and Firearms Enforcement), officers engaged in proactive and reactive enforcement within the city, as well as with external agencies outside of London.

Since the commencement of 2023, there have been a total of 20 shootings in the city of London.

"Guns in the hands of criminals pose great harm to our communities”, says Detective Inspector Chris Churney of the London Police Service.  “Every firearm discharge has the potential to kill or seriously injure and dramatically impact the lives of countless people.  Project SAFE combined the resources of many areas within the London Police Service as well as intense collaboration with law enforcement partners throughout Ontario and the United States.  It's main areas of focus were holding known firearms offenders accountable, investigating, and seizing illegally possessed firearms, and dismantling a criminal organization that profited from smuggling handguns from the United States into Canada.  Although proud of the hard work from our teams and the results of Project SAFE, the work continues to keep Londoners safe from gun violence."

In total, 24 search warrants were executed in London. Additionally, one (1) search warrant was executed in Sudbury and one (1) search warrant was executed in Hamilton.

The following items were seized:

• Over $8.5 million dollars worth of drugs, including fentanyl, crack cocaine, cocaine, psilocybin, MDMA, methamphetamine, hydromorphone and oxycontin.
• A total of 26 guns, including 22 handguns and four (4) long-guns.

A total of 70 individuals were charged with a combined 550 charges in relation to the investigations.

In some investigations, our members worked collaboratively with members from the Ontario Provincial Police, Greater Sudbury Police Service, Hamilton Police Service, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms (ATF), Correctional Service of Canada, and the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center of Canada (FINTRAC).

We would also like to thank the London and Middlesex Ministry of the Attorney General and Public Prosecution Service of Canada for their assistance in these investigations. 

For media inquiries, contact: 

A/Sgt. Sandasha Bough
Media Relations Officer
C. 519-854-8576
Email. Media Officer