Policing Reform Implemenation

(Illustration: Detail from the Board's July 2020 Town Hall Illustrated Summary, Page 10)

On this page:

1. The Toronto Police Services Board Policing Reforms

2. The Policing Reform Implementation Dashboard

3. Communications from the Board to Federal, Provincial and Municipal Authorities Pertaining to Policing Reform

4. Beyond the August 2020 Report

1. The Toronto Police Services Board Policing Reforms

At its meeting of August 18, 2020, the Toronto Police Services Board approved 81 recommendations for police reform that were contained in a report by Chair Jim Hart, titled “Police Reform in Toronto: Systemic Racism, Alternative Community Safety and Crisis Response Models and Building New Confidence in Public Safety.” These recommendations established a roadmap for comprehensive policing reform in Toronto, and include building new community safety response models, various initiatives to address systemic racism and concrete steps to improve trust with our communities.

These recommendations were motivated by thousands of messages that the Board received from members of the public on police reform, accountability, and community safety priorities, as well as decisions approved by the Toronto City Council in June 2020. The recommendations were developed after robust public engagement that occurred over the months of June, July and into August 2020.

Click Here to Read the Recommendations
It is recommended that the Board:
1. Direct the Executive Director to:
  1. Work with the Service, City Manager and other stakeholders to identify the categories of calls that might be addressed by a non-police response. (City Council #1; Board #4; MHAAP #26; ARAP #11)
  2. Work with the City Manager, Government of Ontario, community based mental health and addictions service providers, organization representing people with mental health and/or addictions issues and other stakeholders to develop new and enhance existing alternative models of community safety response, including mobile mental health and addictions crisis intervention. (City Council #1 and 18; Board #4, MHAAP #25; ARAP #10)
  3. Work with the Service, and others including the Auditor General, to identify non-core policing services that can be delivered by alternative service providers, as well as other opportunities for improved service delivery by the Service itself (subject to the requirement that provincial Adequacy Standards for policing continue to be met)
  4. Work with the Service, and others including the Auditor General, to identify funding or areas of funding currently allocated to policing that can potentially be re-allocated to support alternative community safety models and/or fund other City of Toronto programming and services that contribute to community safety.
  5. Work with the City of Toronto and the Service to develop community-based asset mapping to determine the most effective crisis response models that would work best for Toronto, including the services that currently exist that can support individuals in crisis. (MHAAP #5; ARAP #19)
  6. Engage the Service to detail potential reductions to the Toronto Police Service budget that would result from any proposed changes to the current community safety response model, once the details of this alternative model are developed. (City Council #1)
  7. Engage MHAAP and ARAP in the above efforts. (City Council #1; Board #4; ARAP #11; MHAAP #26 )
  8. Engage the CABR Unit and other experts to ensure that an anti-Black racism analysis is employed in the development and implementation of any alternative models to public safety response. (CABR #18.2)
  9. Provide an opportunity for broad community and public consultation in the above efforts. (City Council #1; Board #4; ARAP #11; MHAAP #26)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to work with the Executive Director and Board Staff in the above efforts, including providing access to the Service Members, data and other resources necessary to perform this work.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to report to the Board on the outcome of crisis calls made to the Service (e.g., referral to services, apprehensions, etc.) in 2019 and 2020, and going forward on an annual basis, for the city in aggregate and per police division. (MHAAP #5; ARAP #19)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to prioritize and create a plan to implement, as soon as feasible, an immediate expansion of the MCIT program in partnership with existing community-based crisis services, including peer support, to meet current demands for mental health-related service calls, recognizing the need for the Service’s partners to secure necessary funding for this expansion, with a view to providing MCIT services 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and across all Divisions. (City Council #5; Board #4; MHAAP #2 and 25; ARAP #10 and 16)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to include in that plan provisions for:
  1. implementation oversight, including routine monitoring, evaluation and benchmarks for success; (MHAAP #6; ARAP #20)
  2. follow-up for individuals after an MCIT response, which should be delivered in partnership with community-based mental health and addictions service providers including ethno-racial specific services, provide connection to ongoing supports including case management when needed, and ensure individuals who could benefit are referred to Mental Health and Justice and community-based crisis prevention programs and/or the FOCUS table; (MHAAP #7; ARAP #21)
  3. quarterly meetings at the Divisional level with community-based mental health and addictions agencies within Divisions to plan for a co-ordinated approach to crisis response and prevention, and to align their strategies with existing community-based planning tables as appropriate; (MHAAP #9; ARAP #23)
  4. a culturally responsive approach consistent with the commitment to equity and anti-racism outlined in the Service’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy; (MHAAP #10; ARAP #24)
  5. recruitment criteria for participating police and health care providers, which should include a demonstrated ability for anti-racist and anti-oppressive practice, commitment to human rights, and awareness of lived experience of mental health and/or addictions related issues; (MHAAP #10; ARAP #24)
  6. ongoing quality improvement of program operations through data collection and reporting on MCIT interventions, services provided and outcomes, which should include:
    
    anonymization and aggregation for public dissemination through regular reports to the Board;
    
    mandatory race-based data collection for MCIT service calls, which collection should be prioritized for implementation;
    
    gender-based data collection that should include non-binary gender options;
    
    public reporting through reports to the Board on MCIT service call outcomes, including apprehensions made under the Mental Health Act (MHA);
    
    public reporting through reports to the Board on service outcome disparities by race, gender identity or other client information;
    
    cross-referencing MCIT service call outcomes with emergency department data (through the Institute for Clinical Evaluation Sciences) to understand how MHA apprehensions result in hospital admissions; and
    
    provision for any public data reporting to be reviewed by MHAAP and ARAP prior to public release. (MHAAP #11; ARAP #25)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to present his plans for expanding the MCIT to MHAAP for review and feedback. (MHAAP #6; ARAP #20)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to fund the expansion of the MCIT program from within the current 2020 Toronto Police Service Operating Budget, including any appropriate reserves, and to continue to fund the expanded MCIT program without a request for additional funding in the 2021 budget request. (City Council #5; Board #4; MHAAP #2 and 10; ARAP #25)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to expand the existing MCIT Steering Committee to include representatives from MHAAP and ARAP, Executive Directors/CEOs of community-based mental health and addictions agencies, a representative of the CABR unit, delegates of the Board and people with lived experience. (MHAAP #8; ARAP #22)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to have the expanded MCIT Steering Committee meet on a quarterly basis, at minimum. (MHAAP #8; ARAP #22)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to work with the Board to pursue additional contribution from other levels of government to expand the MCIT program, and in particular, the funding of additional mental health nurses or other mental health providers.
1. Advocate with the municipal, provincial and federal governments for additional funding at a level consistent with or greater than the cost of the proposed MCIT expansion, specifically for community-based services to work in collaboration with police crisis services and Ontario Health Teams and, more specifically, for organizations that provide relevant resources, services and support to assist individuals responding to mental health and addictions related issues. (MHAAP #3; ARAP #17)
1. Direct the Chief of Police, in consultation with MCIT service users, front-line workers and Service Members, to explore and develop a plan to place MCIT police officers in a distinct uniform, specially designed to support de-escalation. (MHAAP #4; ARAP #18)
2. Direct the Chief of Police to work with the Chair and Executive Director to develop and implement a line-by-line approach to reviewing the police budget in order to identify opportunities for service delivery improvement and efficiencies, including the possible redirection of non-core policing functions and their associated funding to alternative non-police community safety providers and/or community safety services or programming.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to work with the Executive Director and the City Manager to identify opportunities for the development of alternative crime prevention and reduction initiatives that could ultimately reduce the demand for reactive police services across Toronto.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to immediately post a line-by-line breakdown of the 2020 Toronto Police Service Budget to the Service’s website in a machine readable, open format that would facilitate further analysis of the information. (City Council #4)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to provide an annual line-by-line breakdown of the Toronto Police Service’s budget request at the outset of every annual budget process. (Board #6; ARAP #12; MHAAP #27)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to provide a line-by-line breakdown of the Toronto Police Service's approved budget at the end of every annual budget process. (Board #6; ARAP #12; MHAAP #27)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to organize all line-by-line breakdowns by individual program area, function and service delivered, subject to the need to protect investigative techniques and operations, and in such a way as to provide maximum transparency to the public. (Board #6; ARAP #12; MHAAP #27)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to immediately provide the Board with the annual Budget Summaries and Uniform/Civilian Staffing Summaries by command, with Approved, Proposed and Actuals for the last five budgets, and to do so for all future budgets, in a machine readable open dataset format. (City Council #7)
1. Direct the Executive Director to immediately post the annual Budget Summaries and Uniform/Civilian Staffing Summaries per command, with Approved, Proposed and Actuals for the last five budgets and for all future budgets to the Board website in a machine readable open dataset format, and to make the same available to the City of Toronto to post to its open data portal. (City Council #7)
1. Allocate funding from its Special Fund to support enhancements to the public consultation process regarding the annual proposed Toronto Police Service budget, to include the involvement of community-based partners, and, in the future, to ensure that sufficient funds are allocated annually to support public consultation during the budget process. (Board #6; ARAP #12; MHAAP #27)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to explore options for the Service to pay honoraria and transportation costs to otherwise unpaid community members that contribute their time, skills and experience to police training and service improvement. (MHAAP # 14; ARAP #28)
1. Direct the Executive Director to compile the above directions and any other appropriate policy guidance into a budget transparency policy, for future consideration by the Board.
2. Direct the Chair and Executive Director to work with the Auditor General to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding, and accompanying work plan, with the effect of engaging the Auditor General to perform audits of the Toronto Police Service to improve service delivery, identify specific areas of success and specific areas for improvement within the Service, and to find potential areas for savings and redistribution of funding. (City Council #10 and 11)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to assist the Chair, Executive Director and Auditor General in developing the above Memorandum of Understanding and accompanying work plan and to make available the personnel, information and other resources necessary for that purpose. (City Council #10 and 11)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to grant Board Staff and the Auditor General access to personnel, information, records and any other resources necessary to perform any audits contemplated by the above work plan, subject always to applicable legal requirements that do not permit disclosure (e.g. investigative techniques). (City Council #10 and 11)
1. Direct the Chair to communicate to the Province the Board’s support of City Council’s request to amend the City of Toronto Act to expand the Auditor General’s jurisdiction to include auditing the Service, and reporting the results of any audits by the Auditor General to the Board. (City Council #9)
1. Direct the Executive Director to update the Board’s Audit Policy addressing audits of the Service, to include any standing directions and policy guidance for the Chief of Police to ensure the Board, its staff and any third parties contracted by the Board for the purpose of auditing the Service, are provided with the access to information and personnel necessary for a successful audit.
1. Direct the Chair and Executive Director to engage with the City Manager and discuss additional and alternative approaches to ensuring transparent auditing of police practices and policies. (City Council #31)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to present a preliminary report to the Board by November 2020, to be followed by a comprehensive report by February 2021 and thereafter on a frequency as directed by the Board, on outcomes associated with how diversity in human resources is being prioritized and achieved in the Toronto Police Service, including with respect to recruitment, hiring and promotion for both civilian and uniform positions at all ranks and classifications. (City Council #33)
1. Direct the Executive Director to publish the criteria expected in a successful candidate for Toronto’s Chief of Police to the Board's website and communicate those criteria in the recruitment process.
1. Emphasize, in the selection of the Chief of Police, the following qualifications, skills and experience:
  1. a proven track record and/or demonstrated ability to create deep and successful reform of policing, including:
    
    a proven ability to ensure that non-violent de-escalation strategies and techniques are properly employed by police officers, particularly in relation to engagement with people from racialized communities and people with mental health issues;
    
    demonstrated experience and success in policing modernization initiatives, with an emphasis on building and sustaining strong, collaborative relationships with racialized and marginalized communities, and the willingness to consider other models for first responder calls for non-violent incidents.
    
    a demonstrated track record of building and maintaining community safety, as well as the ability to lead through innovation and collaboration. The Chief will, together with an engaged Command Team, be a visible advocate of effective, equitable policing with the public. The Chief will work to ensure the Service is seen as an international leader in providing modern, trusted, community-focused policing;
    
    the ability to motivate members to be innovative, collaborative and inclusive. The Chief will support both the ‘front line’ and uniform and civilian support staff and will ensure the Service is a sought-after and positive place of employment with talented individuals who reflect the city’s diversity at all levels of the organization and who are passionate ambassadors of community engagement and public safety;
    
    the understanding of how to prioritize, develop and nurture partnerships with a broad spectrum of social service providers, law enforcement agencies, health sector organizations (with a focus on mental health and addictions services), community organizations and leaders, and government, in addition to having demonstrated experience and success in collaborating with these stakeholders. The Chief will leverage these partnerships to collaborate in the development of innovative programs rooted in community policing;
    
    having a deep understanding of the myriad and complex challenges facing policing organizations internally and externally, including strengthening member wellness and engagement, and increasing public trust and legitimacy across communities, particularly those that are vulnerable, marginalized, and disaffected;
    
    having the ability to effectively manage a significant annual budget that places innovation, alternative service delivery, data and technology at the centre of a strategy to leverage the most out of public dollars, and find ways to do the TPS’s work so as to set a new standard in policing;
    
    being a recognized and proven senior leader in the policing community who is known for embracing challenge, developing creative solutions and a clear ability to lead cultural change with the support of an engaged Command Team. The Chief will have a demonstrated track record of bridging divides, earning respect through a commitment to excellence and accountability, and empowering people to be their best; and
    
    providing the leadership and inspire the confidence necessary to make Toronto the model for the future of urban policing.
  2. understand and value:
    
    the importance of diversity in the City and in the Toronto Police Service itself;
    
    acceptance of all people and a recognition that Toronto is home to the most culturally diverse population in the world, which gives our City its strength in times of crisis;
    
    the strategies and actions required to ensure that, in the policing context, Toronto remains a place of inclusion, diversity and respect for all; and
    
    human rights as a core competency and an on-going commitment for themselves and the Toronto Police Service as a whole. (City Council #14)
1. Direct the Executive Director to engage the City Manager, the CABR Unit and the Indigenous Affairs Office of the City of Toronto to provide their advice on the development and implementation of a rigorous community consultation process for the selection of the next Chief of Police. (City Council #16)
1. Ensure that human rights competency and achievements are included as a component of the Chief of Police’s annual performance review.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to immediately post the Toronto Police Service's Use of Force Procedure on its public website, in a form that will ensure the efficacy of investigative techniques or operations is not endangered and that will not compromise the safety of any person by divulging police practice. (City Council #6)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to post on the Service’s public website, as soon as feasible and on an on-going basis, up-to-date copies of those procedures of public interest that govern the interaction of police with the public, in a form that will not endanger the efficacy of investigative techniques and operations.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to share regularly updated datasets from the Toronto Police Service's open data portal with the City of Toronto for display and distribution on the City's open data portal, subject to the need to protect personal privacy and to comply with any privacy legislation. (City Council #16)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to convert the Toronto Police Services Board's annual reports and any files currently provided on the Toronto Police Service's open data portal in PDF format into appropriate digital format for use and distribution on the City's open data portal. (City Council #16)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to post all open data collected pursuant to the Race-Based Data Collection Policy to the Toronto Police Service open data portal and to share that data with the City of Toronto for display and distribution on its open data portal, subject to the need to comply with applicable privacy and other legislation. (City Council #30)
1. Direct the Chief of Police and the Executive Director to work with the City Manager to consolidate and expedite continuous data sharing in order to better inform city-wide approaches to violence prevention and community safety, including with respect to the City’s Community Safety and Well-Being Planning efforts. (City Council #30)
1. Direct the Executive Director to develop a policy governing information transparency and data sharing for the Toronto Police Service, which will include the above directions and any other provisions that will contribute to information transparency and data sharing that will improve accountability and service delivery.
1. Direct the Executive Director to identify potential research, policy and academic centres with whom the Board can partner for research and policy development aimed at improving policing in Toronto.
1. Direct the Chair to write in support of City Council’s requests for changes to the Police Services Act and other applicable legislation or regulations that would expand the instances in which suspension without pay and revocation of a police officer’s appointment as a police officer are available and to support amendments that would, at a minimum, implement the relevant elements of the Police Services Act, 2018 that addressed suspension without pay and the relevant elements of the Policing Oversight Act, 2018 that created the ability to revoke a police officer’s appointment as a police officer in Ontario. (City Council #20; CABR #17.2)
1. Direct the Chair and Executive Director to explore and report on the Board's ability to a enact policy directing that all instances of alleged racial profiling and bias be investigated under the Police Services Act, and to make recommendations on how the Board can ensure that all alleged instances of racial profiling and bias are investigated and addressed. (City Council #29; CABR #17.2)
1. Direct the Chief to report by November 2020 on the means by which:
  1. the Toronto Police Service identifies police officers who are repeated subjects of conduct complaints or negative findings by the courts, or those who disproportionately use force, even where no specific instance amounts to allegations of misconduct;
  2. those identified officers are monitored for compliance with Toronto Police Service policy and procedure and receive additional training where necessary;
  3. the Toronto Police Service determines what other interventions are appropriate or required for officers that are identified as part of the Service’s efforts as per a. and b., above.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to develop and implement a formal annual performance review process for uniformed Service Members, in consultation with any relevant experts, that will assist in identifying the strengths and areas for improvement of each police officer, and which will include an individualized annual performance plan that identifies the education, training and experiences to be completed in the coming year in order to build on their identified strengths and address their identified areas for improvement.
1. Explore, in consultation with the Chief of Police, mechanisms to make both disciplinary proceedings under the Police Services Act, as well as the decisions reached in these proceedings, more transparent and accessible to the public, given the provisions of the current Act, and in light of the future coming into force of the new Police Services Act, 2019.
1. Direct the Chair and the Executive Director to advocate for and recommend that the Government of Ontario (Ministry of the Solicitor General):
  1. conduct a review of the current Use of Force Model with input from all relevant stakeholders, including police services boards, community organizations and persons with lived experience;
  2. ensure any new model focused on de-escalation and minimizes use of force, especially with people in crisis; and
  3. rename the Use of Force Model the De-Escalation Model. (MHAAP #15; ARAP #29)
1. Direct the Executive Director, in consultation with the Chief of Police, to review the Board’s Use of Force Policy, consult with internal and external experts, and propose to the Board by November 2020, amendments to the Policy that will align it with best practices to reduce death and injuries from the use of force by Service Members and with the Ontario Provincial Use of Force Model.
1. Direct the Executive Director, in consultation with the Chief of Police, to review the Board’s Uniform Promotions and Appointments Policy, and propose to the Board by November 2020, amendments to the Policy that will improve the transparency of promotions with regards to candidates’ disciplinary history.
1. Direct the Executive Director to review and consolidate the Board’s Policies on human rights, and develop a revised comprehensive Human Rights Policy that will also include direction on racial profiling, for consideration by the Board.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to:
  1. immediately make permanent the current anti-Black racism training component of the annual re-training (civilians) and In-Service Training Program (uniform); and
  2. consult with experts in the appropriate fields and engage the CABR Unit to:
    
    explore opportunities to expand this component;
    
    audit and review all courses with an anti-racism lens to identify how existing police training can be changed to address systemic racism or bias in training and to identify how anti-racism training can be incorporated into all courses taught at the College; and
    
    report to the Board by December 2021 with the findings of these consultations. (Board #2; CABR #16.4 and 16.5)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to:
  1. create a permanent stand-alone training course that contributes to professional practice in policing with a view to supporting an organizational culture committed to the delivery of fair and unbiased police services to Toronto’s diverse communities and populations. This training curriculum must include, among other components: anti-racism; anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism; bias and implicit bias avoidance; interactions with racialized communities, LGBTQS2+ communities and marginalized communities; an understanding of intersectionality; the importance of lived experience in developing understanding and compassionate service delivery; and principles of human rights accommodation and disabilities, including mental health and addictions issues and ethics in policing;
  2. ensure this training is developed and updated based on best practice and through the active engagement of the CABR Unit, ARAP, subject matter experts in anti-racist curriculum design and community representatives with expertise in systemic racism and anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism, community representatives with experience in addressing discrimination and prejudice against people with mental health and addictions issues and with a focus on utilizing adult-oriented training methods that are proven to lead to high achievement and demonstrated applied practice by those who experience the curriculum;
  3. make this training mandatory for all new Members of the Service, both civilian and uniform;
  4. make a refresher version of this training mandatory for all current Members of the Service, both civilian and uniform, every 2 years; and
  5. present the training curriculum before the Board for information by February 2021. (Board #2; CABR #16.4 and 16.5; MHAAP #23; ARAP #8)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to prepare a plan for integrating the provision of annual in-service and other training and education of Service Members by members of peer run organizations, including organizations representing people with lived experience of mental health and addiction issues, through collaborations with racialized, indigenous, LGBTQ2S+, immigrant and refugee community members skilled in training. (MHAAP #13; ARAP #27)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to review all current and future training, including judgment and other scenario based training, and ensure that it:
  1. prioritizes and emphasizes de-escalation; (MHAAP #14)
  2. is informed by members of the communities most often affected by police use of force; (MHAAP #14; ARAP #28)
  3. is relevant to the root causes and consequences of structural violence, systemic and internalized racism, negative stereotyping, intersectionalities, and use of force on people with mental health and/or addictions issues; and (MHAAP #13; ARAP #27)
  4. is trauma informed. (MHAAP #13; ARAP #27)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to report of the feasibility of all uniformed Service Members receiving MCIT training or other mental health crisis response training, such as mental health first aid or emotional CPR. (ARAP #10; MHAAP 25)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to engage experts in the relevant fields to create and implement a framework to constantly evaluate the efficacy of its mental health and anti-racism training and the competence of training participants, including how it is applied in the field, and serve to identify areas for improvement to training, with reports on the Service’s findings and responsive actions provided to the Board semi-annually. (Board #2; CABR #16.4 and 16.5; MHAAP #23; ARAP #8)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to review the current training curriculum for new uniform recruits and special constables, and explore the inclusion of Service funded training co-developed and led by members of the community, outside the Toronto Police College, specific to police-community interactions and relations with marginalized communities, youth, and vulnerable populations and report to the Board by December 2020 with an assessment of options. (Board #2; CABR #16.4 and 16.5; MHAAP #23; ARAP #8)
1. Direct the Executive Director to coordinate ongoing training sessions for Board Members on anti-Black racism and human rights as it relates to police governance in Ontario.
1. Make ARAP permanent and require ARAP to:
  1. review its terms of reference in consultation with the Board at least every 3 years or when otherwise required; (Board #1; CABR #17.4; ARAP #1; MHAAP #16)
  2. review its membership at least every 3 years or when otherwise required; (Board #1; CABR #17.4;ARAP #1; MHAAP #16)
  3. meet on a quarterly basis, at a minimum; (Board #1; CABR #17.4;ARAP #1; MHAAP #16)
  4. meet with MHAAP annually; (Board #1; CABR #17.4;ARAP #5; MHAAP #20) and
  5. share its minutes with MHAAP and convene a joint meeting when there are issues of mutual interest and significance. (Board #1; CABR #17.4; ARAP #5; MHAAP #20)
1. Confirm ARAP's mandate to advise and support the Board in relation to policing and racism, anti-Black racism and anti-Indigenous racism, including:
  1. Identifying current issues relating to racism, anti-Black racism, anti-Indigenous racism and policing, including developing and/or recommending policies, strategies and action plans for approval by the Board;
  2. Monitoring the implementation of the Toronto City Council’s Action Plan to Confront Anti-Black Racism;
  3. Monitoring the implementation of the Board’s Race-Based Data Collection, Analysis, and Public Reporting Policy, including reviewing the data analysis and any interventions developed by the Service to address racial disparities for feedback and recommendations for enhancement;
  4. Monitoring the implementation of the recommendations from the Andrew Loku Inquest through the monitoring framework previously developed by ARAP;
  5. Reviewing Service reports on Conducted Energy Weapon (CEW) use and making recommendations for enhancement;
  6. Monitoring the implementation of inquest recommendations as appropriate;
  7. Reviewing the development and implementation of all Service training and offering recommendations for enhancement, including training on anti-racism;
  8. Monitoring the implementation of the recommendations in the present report and providing advice to the Board on necessary enhancements and improvements; and
  9. Participating in the community consultation process on the Toronto Police Service’s annual budget. (ARAP #3; MHAAP #18)
1. Appoint Ainsworth Morgan as ARAP's next Board Co-Chair for a 3 year term and direct the Chair and Executive Director to explore the appointment of Anthony Morgan, the Manager of the CABR Unit, or another agreed delegate of the CABR Unit, as community Co-Chair for a 3 year term. (ARAP #4; MHAAP #19)
1. Make MHAAP permanent and require MHAAP to:
  1. review its terms of reference in consultation with the Board at least every 3 years or when otherwise required; (Board #3; ARAP #1; MHAAP #16)
  2. review its membership at least every 3 years or when otherwise required; (Board #3; ARAP #1; MHAAP #16)
  3. meet on a quarterly basis, at a minimum; (Board #3; ARAP #1; MHAAP #16)
  4. meet with ARAP annually; and (Board #3; ARAP #5; MHAAP #20)
  5. share its minutes with ARAP and convene a joint meeting when there are issues of mutual interest and significance. (Board #3; ARAP #5; MHAAP #20).
1. Request MHAAP to monitor and advise the Board on the implementation of the recommendations in the present report, inasmuch as they are included within MHAAP’s mandate.
1. Direct the Executive Director to develop plans for an annual policy forum or other process that will provide a regular opportunity for the Board and its advisory panels to consult the public, community organizations and other stakeholders both at length and in depth in order to review the efficacy of existing Board policies, identify existing and emerging issues in policing, and develop effective policy interventions to address those issues. (CABR #17.4)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to develop, in consultation with the CABR Unit and other experts in the field, an anti-racism lens to be applied in auditing existing Toronto Police Service procedures and the development of future procedures. (CABR #16.3)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to implement new communications strategies, with input from ARAP and on the basis of community consultation, especially with members of Toronto’s Black and Indigenous communities, about the steps taken to eliminate carding as a policing practice and regulate street checks in Toronto (CABR #16.1)
1. Direct the Executive Director to, in consultation with the Chief of Police and other stakeholders, develop a new policy for the provision of apologies, expressions of regret and recognitions of loss, mindful of legal and other considerations.
1. Direct the Executive Director to explore, in consultation with relevant stakeholders, ARAP, community organizations and representatives of Toronto’s Black and Indigenous communities, the development of a Board-sponsored voluntary restorative alternative dispute resolution process aimed at both resolving complaints and claims against police, and achieving reconciliation between police and both complainants and their respective communities.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to develop and execute a multi-faceted "know your rights" campaign before the end of 2020, on the basis of consultation and collaboration with various stakeholders, including representatives from the Board-funded Collective Impact initiative, representatives of Toronto’s Black and Indigenous communities, youth groups, and community-based organizations that serve vulnerable and marginalized populations. (CABR #18.1)
1. Direct the Executive Director and the Chief of Police to work with the Government of Ontario, City of Toronto, community-based mental health and addictions providers, and people with lived experience of mental health and addictions issues, to develop a low-cost, public, social media campaign to increase awareness about the different types of crisis response services in Toronto, including police-based models and non-police models, the role of police under the Mental Health Act, the use of Form 1 and Form 2 under the Mental Health Act, individuals’ rights related to the Mental Health Act and success stories should be showcased as part of this campaign. (MHAAP #12; ARAP #26)
1. Direct the Executive Director to develop, in consultation with the City Manager, an on-line tool to assist the public in tracking and monitoring the progress of the implementation of the recommendations in this report, which will be available on the Board’s website by October 2020.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to report to the Board by November 2020 on the status of implementation of the Board's Race-Based Data Collection Policy, and where the Policy deviates from or fails to implement the recommendations of the Ontario Human Rights Commission in its written deputation to the Board, to identify the reason for that deviation or failure to implement. (City Council #24; ARAP #6; MHAAP #21)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to report to the Board by November 2020 on the status of implementation of the recommendations made in the PACER Report and, where recommendations remain unimplemented in part or in full, to present a timetable for their implementation or the rationale for not implementing particular recommendations and suitable alternatives. (ARAP #7; MHAAP #22)
1. Direct the Chief to report by November 2020 on the status of implementation of the recommendations made in the Independent Review of Police Encounters with People in Crisis and, where the Service has deviated from or failed to implement a recommendation, to identify in detail the reason for that deviation or failure to implement. (City Council #25)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to report by November 2020 on the status of the implementation of the recommendations made by the Auditor General in all previous reports and, where the Service has deviated from or failed to implement a recommendation, to identify in detail the reason for that deviation or failure to implement.
1. Direct the Chief of Police to report by November 2020 on the status of the implementation of the recommendations made by the Inquest into the Death of Andrew Loku and, where the Service has deviated from or failed to implement an inquest recommendation, to identify in detail the reason for that deviation or failure to implement. (City Council #27)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to report by November 2020 on the status of the implementation of the Service’s Mental Health and Addictions Strategy and further direct that the strategy be fully implemented by September 30, 2021. (MHAAP #1; ARAP #15)
1. Direct the Chief of Police to report by November 2020 on the status of recommendations made in Action Plan: The Way Forward, including what has been implemented, what remains to be implemented, and what additional recommendations for modernization can lead to more effective and efficient police service delivery. This ‘refresh’ of Action Plan: The Way Forward should occur on the basis of stakeholder and community consultation that recognizes community safety is a shared societal responsibility. (Board #2; ARAP #14; MHAAP #29)
1. Direct the Chief of Police that the reports required in above sections 73–79 should include an assessment of each recommendation, including:
  1. Concerns;
  2. Status;
  3. Impact (weighting);
  4. Ease of Implementation (weighting of resource capabilities/ budgetary implications, etc);
  5. Timelines; and
  6. Service Lead (Deputy Chief)
1. Direct the Executive Director to develop, in consultation with the Auditor General, a work plan for the auditing of the implementation of the approved recommendations made in this report.

2. The Policing Reform Implementation Dashboard

Accountability for reform is a cornerstone of the Board’s and Service’s approach to the work ahead. As the work of reform continues, the people of Toronto should be able to track progress in a transparent and accessible manner. To this end, an interactive dashboard has been developed and will be updated regularly. The dashboard describes the Board’s and Service’s work plan for the implementation of each of these critical initiatives, tracks our progress, and provides links to relevant public reports, as soon as they are available. This dashboard serves as the primary and most efficient method to report to the public on developments in the implementation of these reforms.

Members of the public are invited to contact the Board with any comments or suggestions with regard to the dashboard.

These significant reforms are being carried out, in part, in collaboration with the City of Toronto. To review steps taken by the City to support and enhance community safety, fight systemic racism, and improve mental health crisis response in Toronto, please refer to the City’s webpage on Policing Reform.

Learn more about the implementation dashboard

Launch the Dashboard

See also our one year update announcement and video from August 18, 2021, for more details on recent achievements.

3. Communications from the Board to Federal, Provincial and Municipal Authorities Pertaining to Policing Reform

As approved by the Board at its August 2020 meeting, the Chair has sent a number of letters on behalf of the Board to federal, provincial and municipal governments to advocate for necessary changes in order to ensure public safety and improve police accountability:

4. Beyond the August 2020 Report

The Board and the Service continue to identify needs and opportunities for change and improvement. We continue to engage with stakeholders, communities and potential partners to develop new ways to provide policing services in Toronto that are responsive to the needs of Torontonians. Below are just some of the steps we have already taken to improve the Service:

Body-Worn Camera Governance and Implementation

At its November meeting, the Board approved its Body-Worn Cameras Policy. This is the first Policy of its kind in Canada, and aims to provide guidance for an optimally balanced, evidence-based governance structure for BWCs that ensures the recording of incidents where recordings would be of value, while minimizing any unintended consequences related to privacy. The approach taken by the proposed BWC Policy was developed based on a review of both internal and external evidence, and through a broad and in-depth consultation with stakeholders and members of the public.

The Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC), who was a key stakeholder throughout the development process, has commended the approach taken by the Board and the Toronto Police Service in developing the Policy and the Service's Procedure on Body-Worn Camera Use, noting in her letter of January 15, 2021, that "Based on the constructive engagement my office has had working with the Board and the Service throughout this consultation period, and the iterative dialogue from which we have gained practical insights into the operational use of BWCs, I have decided to draw from this positive experience to develop general BWC guidance for police services across Ontario. This provincial guidance will draw heavily on the advice we provided to the Toronto’s BWC governance framework, as well as what we learned from the perspective of the Service, the Board, and other key stakeholders who also contributed meaningfully to this process, including the Ontario Human Rights Commission." The Board and the Service are committed to continue engaging with the IPC as deployment continues and more data because available on the effectiveness of body-worn cameras.

Strip Search Reform

As a result of motions raised on November 21st, 2019 and issues identified in the Office of the Independent Police Review Director's (OIPRD) report “Breaking the Golden Rule” on strip searches, the Service undertook a review, and established changes to its procedures to reduce the number of strip searches carried out, and ensure all strip searches are justified and necessary. Changes included updating the names and definitions of searches in the Service's procedures; establishing a staged approach to searching; developing a new Booking and Search template, which will enable the Service to capture and report on more data; ensuring that individuals shall be afforded the right to speak to counsel prior to a strip search; and further updates to the Service Governance framework of strip searches.

In a January 19, 2021 letter to the Ministry of the Solicitor General, the OIPRD highlighted the Toronto Police Service's new procedures on strip searches, and recommended that "police services review their current strip search procedures and compare them to the new procedures recently developed by the Toronto Police Service in response to our recommendations."

Service's Response to Mental Health

To learn more about the Service's approach to mental health and addictions issues and person in crisis situations, please visit the Service's dedicated Mental Health page.