Amid a rise of violence in the tow-truck industry, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) has launched a new initiative to address recurring shooting incidents.
TPS announced the launch of Project Dodger on Monday and said a dedicated team of officers will tackle criminality associated with a "small group of bad actors" within the industry.
The initiative was created as police reported 63 incidents of gunfire in 2024 related to violence in the towing industry. A TPS spokesperson said the occurrences accounted for nearly 13 per cent of all shootings in the city last year.
In 2025, firearm discharges related to tow companies represent 70 per cent of the city's shooting incidents to date, police said on Monday.
"Project Dodger's primary goal is to improve safety for tow truck operators and the public," TPS said in a press release.
The project will see both uniformed and plainclothes officers deployed in "critical areas" across the city to deter violence and ensure compliance with industry regulations, police said. Authorities did not specify where the critical areas are located across Toronto.
In tandem with law enforcement partners across the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Project Dodger officers will enforce towing compliance, remove illegitimate operators and lay charges where necessary.
Officers engaged in Project Dodger will investigate violent incidents including firearm discharges, shootings and arson as it relates to the tow-truck industry.
The work will build on 2024's Project Beacon, which saw six people arrested and 184 charges laid related to a homicide and 13 tow truck-related firearm discharge incidents.
"We remain committed to addressing tow truck-related crimes with a service-wide approach, acknowledging that this violence stems from a small segment of the industry," said the superintendent of TPS' organized crime enforcement unit, Paul MacIntyre. "The success of Project Beacon highlighted the impact of collaboration and enforcement. Through Project Dodger, we will continue to work diligently to protect our communities and ensure safety across the city."
TPS specified most operators and tow companies comply with the provincial regulations under the Towing and Storage Safety and Enforcement Act and play "an essential role in maintaining road safety."
Last week, TPS said it was investigating three tow-truck related shootings that occurred in the GTA within 24 hours. On Jan. 9, officers responded to two towing related shooting in Scarborough, which saw three people injured. The day before, a man in his 20s was also shot and sustained serious injuries in similar circumstances in Scarborough.
It is not yet clear if the shootings are connected.
