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TORONTO: The next scheduled meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board will take place on Tuesday September 13, 2022 at 9AM.
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 Monday September 12, 2022.
Hybrid meeting format and associated public health guidance
The Board’s meeting will proceed as a hybrid meeting. This is consistent with recent changes by the City of Toronto in the way it is holding its City Council and Committee meetings. We ask that individuals attending in-person consider the guidance provided by Toronto Public Health that “[m]asks are strongly recommended in indoor public settings.” As a result, the Board is recommending masking and physical distancing, and especially masking where physical distancing is not consistently possible.
Sign-up to make a deputation
If you wish to sign up to make a deputation on an item, please use our Making a Deputation sign-up form: https://www.tpsb.ca/meetings/making-a-deputation. Registered deputants will have the option of making their deputation in-person or virtually. Virtual deputations would be available either by video via WebEx, or audio-only by phone.
In addition, members of the public and media are welcome and encouraged to attend the meeting as an observer through our livestream at: https://youtu.be/g4YI-dKVCDc
Items of Interest at this virtual Board meeting include:
EXTENSION OF 9-1-1 CRISIS CALL DIVERSION PILOT PROJECT
The Board will consider a report from Chief Ramer recommending an extension of the term of the 9-1-1 Crisis Call Diversion (CCD) Pilot Project with the Gerstein Crisis Centre (GCC), from October 1, 2022 to September 30, 2023, at a cost of approximately $1M. The 9-1-1 CCD co-locates a GCC crisis worker with specialized training in mental health crisis response in the Service’s 911 Communications Services Call Centre. This Pilot Project aims to quickly connect inbound callers experiencing non-emergency mental health-related issues with mental health professionals and support at the GCC, and other community support agencies.
The purpose of this report is to obtain the Board’s approval to extend the 9-1-1 Pilot Project for an additional one-year term and expand the 9-1-1 catchment area city-wide, with hours of operation extending to 24-hours each day. This is an important project, which demonstrates the willingness and determination of the Service to change the role of police in crisis calls and supports recommendations made by the City of Toronto Auditor General and the police reform program, adopted by the Board to provide alternative non-police models of community safety response for persons in crisis.
NEW BOARD POLICY – ELECTRONIC MONITORING OF EMPLOYEES
The Board will consider a report from from Ryan Teschner, the Board’s Executive Director and Chief of Staff, recommending that the Board approve a new Policy, “Electronic Monitoring of Employees” flowing from the new Working for Workers Act, 2022 provincial requirement for employers to put such a policy in place.
The purpose of this Policy is to describe how and in what circumstances the Service and Board may electronically monitor employees, and to outline the purposes for which information obtained through electronic monitoring may be used. As the report notes, employees must not expect privacy when using employer systems, including computers, tablets, Connected Officer devices, networks, and other I.T. infrastructure.
ADDITION OF SELECT HIGHWAY TRAFFIC ACT AUTHORITIES FOR TORONTO POLICE SERVICE COURT OFFICERS
The Board will consider a report from Chief Ramer recommending that the Board grant Court Officers certain police powers under the Highway Traffic Act, dealing with traffic direction, road closures, and the removal of vehicles and debris blocking traffic. The report details that this has already been done previously in relation to District Special Constables (D.S.C.s), in an effort to better utilize resources through a modernized policing approach. The deployment of D.S.C.s in this capacity has decreased the number of police officer hours required to assist at collision and crime scenes and for major events that require road closures. This has allowed for police officers to be deployed in a more efficient and effective capacity based on their skillsets and legislative abilities.
As the report notes, as budgetary and resource constraints are on the forefront of front-line operations, this recommendation will allow the Service to deploy the most suitable resources, based on skillset, knowledge and legislative requirements. The recommendation contained in this report is a clear demonstration of the continued implementation of the Board and Service’s modernization agenda, and the approach taken by The Way Forward.
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.
We will keep the public and media updated on any future changes to the format of our meetings.
Contact: Sandy Murray
sandy.murray@tpsb.ca
416-808-8090
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