Police Board to hold Virtual Meeting on January 29, 2021

TORONTO:  The next scheduled meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board will take place on January 29, 2021 at 11:45AM (*please note change in time).   
 
Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, and to protect the health and wellbeing of all involved while adhering to provincial emergency orders, this Board Meeting will proceed as a virtual meeting.  Members of the public and media are welcome and encouraged to attend the meeting through our livestream at https://youtu.be/MRxKOzY_Im8

The agenda is available on the Board’s website at: https://tpsb.ca/meetings/meetings-past.
 
Members of the public who wish to make a deputation may register using the regular process, at https://www.tpsb.ca/meetings/making-a-deputation.  The request must be received no later than 12:00pm on Thursday, January 28, 2021. 
 
                                                                                                                              
Items of Interest at this virtual Board meeting include:
 
 
PRESENTATION OF A NEW “KNOW YOUR RIGHTS” CAMPAIGN
 
The Board will receive a presentation on a new “Know Your Rights Campaign,” including the launch of a new public education video.   The presentation will be provided by Deputy Chief Myron Demkiw, along with Superintendent Stacy Clarke, Inspector Kelly Skinner, Audrey Campbell and Knia Singh (co-chair and community member, respectively, of the Police and Community Engagement Review 2.0, or PACER 2.0).  The creation of this campaign was led by PACER 2.0, and fulfills one of the group’s previous recommendations to the Service.
 
NEW MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING WITH CITY’S AUDITOR GENERAL FOR INDEPENDENT PERFORMANCE AUDITS
 
The Board will consider a new Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Toronto’s Auditor General which, if approved, will establish a five-year term during which the Auditor General will carry out performance audits examining whether the Toronto Police Service’s programs or services are achieving objectives effectively, economically, and efficiently.  This initiative is part of the Board’s comprehensive police reform workplan approved in August 2020, including actions that focus on independent auditing and accountability.   As the report recommending the MOU notes, for the first time the Auditor General will be invited to develop an annual risk-based work plan independently, as opposed to auditing specific areas identified by the Board. 
 
HEALTHY WORKPLACE INITIATIVES – ANNUAL REPORT
 
The Board will consider a report from Chief James Ramer containing the 2020 Annual Report on Healthy Workplace Initiatives.  As the report notes, as part of an ongoing recognition of the unique and high-stress work environment in which Service Members work, and the increased exposure of members to potentially traumatic events, the Service continues to offer a well-rounded, holistic approach to wellness.  The report details relevant initiatives in a variety of areas, including training, the Service’s COVID-19 response, a disability management audit recently completed, the MindFit Pin incentive program, the work of the Psychological Services Unit, Employee and Family Assistance, and Critical Incident/Peer Support, Chaplaincy services, community wellness partnerships, among many others.  It also details the future investment in wellness that the Service is taking, including the development of the Service’s new Well-Being Strategy aimed at building and maintaining optimal strength and enabling sustainable high performance of Members, while fostering an ever-growing culture of high-performance health, safety and well-being for the Service.
 
 
As with all meetings, a recording of this meeting will be posted and archived to the Toronto Police Service YouTube account at https://www.youtube.com/TorontoPolice for members of the public to access later at their convenience.