The new head of Toronto Community Housing wants to find ways to deter criminals, and Gene Jones says one of those ways could be arming the corporation's special constables.

Jones says he wants the constables to be able to carry guns.

He says he wants to hear from residents and staff on any ideas of how to make community housing safer.

Councillor Paula Fletcher tells the Toronto Sun that Jones should look in to the idea a little more carefully, that there was a lot of controversy at first whether there should be special constables at all.