Police Board to meet Thursday June 21, 2018

TORONTO:  The next scheduled meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board will take place on Thursday June 21, 2018 at 1:00 PM in the Auditorium, 40 College Street.  Copies of the agenda are available on the Board’s website at www.tpsb.ca, from the Board office and limited copies will be available at the meeting.

The Board meeting may be viewed via LiveStream on YouTube using this link.

Those members of the public who would like to make a deputation to the Board regarding an item on the agenda should refer to the Notice for Making a Deputation at this link.

Items of interest include:

REPORT FROM MISSING PERSONS INVESTIGATIONS REVIEW WORKING GROUP
The Board will consider a report from the Chair, as well as hear a presentation and consider a report from Ms. Breese Davies and the Missing Persons Investigations Review Working Group.  The Board, at its meeting of March 22, 2018, approved the establishment of a working group mandated to advise the Board with respect to structural and process options for an independent external review or reviews into systemic concerns related to missing persons investigations.  In his report, the Chair recommends that the Board approve the draft Terms of Reference for a Review as proposed by the Working Group, approve the proposed budget and forward a request to the City of Toronto’s Budget Committee to allocate and transfer to the Toronto Police Services Board funding for the Review in an amount not to exceed $2.5M.  The Terms of Reference, as proposed, include a review of relevant policies, practices and procedures, among other things, related to missing persons investigations, as well as extensive community consultation and engagement.

THE WAY FORWARD QUARTERLY UPDATE
The Board will consider a report from the Chief containing the first quarterly report from The Way Forward (the report coming out of the Transformational Task Force) for 2018.  It focuses on developments such as the new policing model, partnerships and service reallocation which includes changes to the lifeguard and crossing guard programs, technological improvements which includes the deployment of smartphone devices, culture change initiatives and accountability and engagement activities.  The report includes a progress update on each of the recommendations, the Scorecard, which will be posted online and accessible to all internal and external stakeholders

SERVICE REPONSE TO LOKU INQUEST RECOMMENDATIONS
The Board will consider a report from the Chief with respect to the response to the jury recommendations from the Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Mr. Andrew Loku.  The purpose of this report is to inform the Board of the Service’s review and implementation of the jury’s recommendations.  The report states that the Service has implemented, implemented in part, or implemented in an alternative form all 15 of the recommendations directed to it, as well as an additional recommendation more appropriately directed to it; it includes a chart summarizing the status of each recommendation with a comprehensive response.  The report states that the Service responds to calls for service involving emotionally disturbed persons or the mentally ill using thorough, well-established practices and procedures which are the result of the latest worldwide research, benchmarking, experience, consultation with subject matter experts, and inquest recommendations. The report notes that the Service continues to provide relevant training to all officers which emphasizes communication and de-escalation skills, consistent with the Service’s goal of zero deaths, and emphasizes the Service’s commitment to delivering police services to all our communities and our members in a sensitive, professional, fair, impartial, ethical and bias-free manner.

PUBLIC REPORTING OF SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS UNIT INVESTIGATIONS
The Board will consider a report from the Chief with respect to the public reporting of Special Investigations Unit (S.I.U.) Investigations.  In May 2016,  the Board directed that the Chief submit public reports arising out of these administrative investigations as of the June 17, 2016, Board meeting.  The report details the process going forward for the public reporting of S.I.U. matters involving the Toronto Police Service. As noted, going forward, Professional Standards Support will be presenting the confidential report first followed by the public report at the following month’s meeting. Presenting the public report the following month will allow for any concerns raised in the confidential meeting to be addressed in the public report, if appropriate.  The report also provides the number of S.I.U. cases year-to-date and provides a five-year comparison. 

SEXUAL HARRASSMENT PROVISIONS OF THE OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY POLICY
The Board will consider a report from the Chief regarding the sexual harassment provisions of the Occupational Health & Safety Policy.  This report is in response to a Board motion from its January 2018 meeting.  This report provides an update to the Board on matters relating to workplace sexual harassment policies and procedures for the Toronto Police Service. The report states that the procedure has been reviewed and found to be in compliance with current legislation and aligned with industry-standard best practices. The report also states that the Service continues to be committed through governance and education to provide all members with an expectation for zero tolerance of workplace harassment, including sexual harassment.


Contact:  Sandy Murray
       416-808-8090