Toronto police are increasing their presence throughout the city, as members of the Jewish community prepare to observe the High Holidays.With Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur approaching, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw says authorities are taking additional steps to help keep people safe as they gather to observe the holidays.At a press conference on Tuesday, Demkiw said officers will be deployed at Jewish places of worship, community gathering spaces and other locations where people are expected to gather.“We have seen an alarming increase in hate-motivated incidents targeting the Jewish community in Toronto and indeed in cities around the world,” he told reporters. “To address this, Toronto police have implanted a range of plans and strategies and deployed additional resources.”“We’ll have command posts deployed in strategic areas, including one at Bathurst and Sheppard. Task Force Guardian will also be deployed,” he explained.“As a reminder, Task Force Guardian will consist of officers with specialized tactical training and capabilities, including having access to patrol rifles,” Demkiw added.The heightened security comes months after a series of shootings targeting Toronto-area synagogues. In March, three synagogues were targeted by gunfire within the span of about a week. And in July, two locations of the Jewish-owned Kiva’s Bagel Bar were targeted in overnight vandalism and shooting incidents.Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow joined Demkiw to address what she described as an “unacceptable rise in antisemitic incidents.”“We have a more visible police presence in communities,” she added. “We have created safety grants for faith-based institutions, and we have launched widespread anti-hate public education campaigns.”Tuesday’s press conference came ahead of a mayoral debate hosted by the group, Jewish Lawyers of Canada later that evening.Mayoral candidates Brad Bradford and Chris Alexander participated, but Chow opted to skip the debate, citing her no-event stance before her campaign launch on September 9. She is expected at the Daily Bread Food Bank debate on Sept. 14.Meanwhile, the enhanced police presence will be deployed in time for Rosh Hashanah from Sept. 11 to 13 and will remain until the anniversary of the October 7th Hamas terrorist attack.