Police Board to hold Virtual Meeting on Thursday April 22, 2021

TORONTO:  The next scheduled meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board will take place on April 22, 2021 at 9AM.   
 
Given the current COVID-19 pandemic, and to protect the health and well-being of all involved while adhering to provincial and Toronto Public Health orders and guidance, 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/zQJ-0lzM8xE.
 
The agenda is available on the Board’s website at: https://tpsb.ca/meetings/meetings-current-and-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 Wednesday April 21, 2021. 
                                                               
Items of Interest at this virtual Board meeting include:
 
MOBILE CRISIS INTERVENTION TEAM (MCIT) EXPANSION UPDATE
 
The Board will hear a presentation from Deputy Chief Peter Yuen detailing the Mobile Crisis Intervention Team (MCIT) expansion plan, and will consider a report from Chief Ramer on this plan, which includes the new 911 Crisis Call Diversion Pilot.  The MCIT expansion plan directly aligns with the 81 police reform recommendations made by the Board in relation to mental health crisis response. The expansion will increase both the number of MCIT teams – comprised of a mental health nurse and a police officer – deployed, and the hours of coverage each day.  The report also discusses enhanced training for MCIT members, including additional modules on culture, equity, inclusion and human rights, and a greater focus on collecting and analyzing relevant data.  In addition, the report provides more details on the Service’s work to to co-locate a crisis worker, with specialized training in mental health crisis response, in the 911 Communications call center to divert calls that can be managed by the crisis worker away from a police response.  This program aims to quickly connect inbound callers experiencing non-emergent mental health-related issues directly to community-based mental health professionals and support.
 
As the report notes, the Service has reallocated and reprioritized existing resources in order to accommodate policing-related costs associated with the expansion of the MCIT program and the cost of the Pilot within its approved 0% increase 2021 operating budget.

TORONTO POLICE SERVICE 2020 ANNUAL HATE CRIME STATISTICAL REPORT
 
The Board will consider a report from Chief Ramer regarding the 2020 annual Hate Crime Unit (HCU) Statistical Report. 
 
In 2020, there was an unprecedented increase in the total number of hate crimes reported to the Service.  The report notes that, in comparison to 2019, the number of reported occurrences increased from 139 to 210, representing a difference of approximately 51%; in response, the Service expanded the HCU by two positions in 2020 to increase its investigative capacity and strengthen the relationship between the Service and marginalized communities.  In 2020, the global coronavirus health crisis and high-profile events in the United States are believed to be key contributing factors to the increase in hate crime reporting.  As noted in the report, mischief to property, assault, and criminal harassment were the three most frequently reported criminal offences motivated by hate in 2020. 
 
RESPONSE TO INQUEST JURY RECOMMENDATIONS INTO THE DEATH OF RUI-FELIPE NABICO
 
The Board will consider a report from Chief Ramer outlining the Service’s response to the recommendations made by the jury in the Coroner’s Inquest into the death of Mr. Rui-Felipe Nabico. Of the 23 recommendations, 13 were directed to the Service, and dealt with a variety of topics and issues, including the implementation of the use of Body-Worn Cameras by front-line officers, a number of training enhancements, particularly in relation to persons in crisis, and the expansion of the Mobile Crisis Intervention Team program. The report notes the progress that the Service has made towards implementing many of the jury’s recommendations.
 
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.