I Standards Compliance Framework

Background

The Community Safety and Policing Act (Act), and its regulations, sets out Ontario's modernized policing framework, outlining the standards and protocols for police service delivery across the province.  Under the Act, civilian police service boards are entrusted with the governance and oversight of policing within their respective municipalities. In the context of Toronto, the Toronto Police Service Board (Board) holds the responsibility for ensuring the provision of adequate and effective police services.

The Board is committed to developing evidence-based, community-centered, and equitable policies to govern the Toronto Police Service (the Service), emphasizing safety of both the public and Service Members, and fostering increased trust between the police and the community. Through adherence to the principles outlined in this Policy, the Board strives to safeguard fundamental rights, respect diverse communities, and ensure that policing services are effective and representative of, and accessible to, all residents of Toronto.

Top of Form

Oversight of compliance with these standards is conducted by the Inspector General of Policing, an arms-length office within the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, through regular evaluations of both the Board and the Service.

Purpose of the Policy

This Policy outlines the essential obligations for the Service under O. Reg. 393/23: Adequate and Effective Policing (General) (Regulation), to ensure the delivery of adequate and effective policing in Toronto. It establishes frameworks for quality assurance and reporting, enabling the Board to monitor compliance with legislation and provide direction to the Chief as needed.

Policy of the Board

It is the Policy of the Board that:

Standards Compliance

1. The Chief of Police will ensure that the Service complies with all chapters of this Policy, and is in compliance with all requirements set out in the Act and the Regulation.
2. The Board, in consultation with the Chief of Police, will develop, maintain, review, and update Board policies as required and on the basis of new developments, and legal requirements.
3. The Chief of Police will ensure that processes are established and procedures are developed to operationalize all new and revised Board policies within the Service.
4. The Chief of Police will ensure the provision of policing services in Toronto 24 hours a day and that emergency response functions are deployed within a reasonable time frame.
5. The Chief of Police will ensure that policing functions are provided to an extent and in a manner that is reasonable, having regard to the following factors:
   1. The policing needs of the community;
   2. The geographic and socio-demographic characteristics of Toronto;
   3. The extent to and manner in which the policing function is effectively provided in similar communities in Ontario;
   4. The extent to which past provision of the policing function by the Service has been effective in addressing the policing needs of the community; and
   5. Best practices respecting the policing function.
6. The Board, in consultation with the Chief of Police, will ensure that appropriate equipment and other resources which enable provision of police services in Toronto are provided to Service Members.
7. The Chief of Police will ensure that Service Members receive the appropriate training and use the equipment made available to them in accordance with relevant legislation, regulation and best practices;
8. The Chief of Police, in collaboration with the Board, will ensure that the Service works with the City of Toronto, school boards, community organizations, neighbourhoods and residents, businesses and neighbouring municipalities on issues and matters of policing in Toronto.

Training – Toronto Police Service

8. The Chief of Police, in consultation with the Board, will ensure that officers and all other Service Members receive appropriate training, are informed of legislative changes and are provided with timely information for proper execution of their required duties;
9. The Chief of Police will ensure that every Service Member will have successfully completed all training prescribed by the Minister, unless exempted in accordance with the regulations, including:
   1. Training on techniques to de-escalate conflict situations;
   2. Training regarding human rights and systemic racism; and
   3. Training that promotes recognition of and respect for:
      1. The diverse, multiracial and multicultural character of Ontario society, and
      2. The rights and cultures of First Nation, Inuit and Métis Peoples.
10. The Chief of Police will ensure that every Service Member providing the following policing services will have successfully completed all relevant Ministry-accredited training and/or have Ministry-approved equivalent qualifications and skills:
    1. Communications operators and supervisors providing police communications and dispatch services;
    2. Criminal investigators;
    3. Service members providing investigative support in the areas of crime scene analysis and/or forensic identification;
    4. Police officers who are members of a containment team, tactical unit and/or hostage rescue team;
    5. Service Members assigned responsibilities respecting the recording of information and decisions during an emergency response incident involving the functions of a containment team, tactical unit, hostage rescue team, crisis negotiator and/or explosive disposal;
    6. Police officers who are incident commanders;
    7. Police officers who are crisis negotiators; and
    8. Any other policing service as determined by the Chief of Police.
11. The Chief of Police will ensure that, when obtaining policing assistance from another police service or any other external organization, personnel from that service or agency be qualified to carry out the task(s) assigned to them, including, where appropriate, undertake or manage a criminal investigation, or provide investigative support of an occurrence.

Quality Assurance Processes

It is the policy of the Board that, in accordance with section 23 of the Regulation:

12. The Chief of Police will establish and maintain quality assurance processes related to operational, management, training, information technology, and financial controls that ensure compliance with Service procedures, Board Policies, and the Act and its regulations.

13. The Chief of Police will ensure that quality assurance mechanisms are reviewed on a regular basis, to ensure that Service procedures remain consistent with applicable legislation, case law, inquest findings, guidelines and direction from the Ministry of the Solicitor General guidelines, and direction from the Board.

14. The Chief of Police will ensure that internal quality assurance processes are assessed for compliance in accordance with internal auditing standards, and report to the Board all findings, explanations, and, if applicable, mitigation plans.

15. The Chief of Police will ensure that internal audits are carried out independently and in accordance with the auditors’ professional discretion.

16. The Chief of Police, in consultation with the Board, will ensure the preparation, using appropriate risk-based methodology, of an annual quality assurance work plan which will identify and prioritize audits to be conducted by the Service. The plan will identify risks and tentatively identify resource requirements.

17. The Chief of Police will ensure that members of the Service engaged in audit processes have the knowledge, skills, abilities and accreditations, as may be required, to perform their duties.

18. The Chief of Police will ensure that the head auditor submits all audit reports to the Board for its consideration, as well as to the Service’s Executive Assurance Committee;

19. The Chief of Police will provide a report to the Board on an annual basis, including:
    1. The annual quality assurance work plan, and
    2. Audits included in the previous annual quality assurance work plan but not completed during the reporting period, and an estimated time for their completion or an indication that they will no longer be pursued with supporting rationale.

20. The Board will include a standing agenda item allowing for the head of the Service’s internal auditing function to discuss confidential matters, where appropriate, without the presence of the Chief of Police, Command Members, or any other supervisor of the head of the internal auditing function.

21. The Board Office will maintain an internal quality assurance process to support the implementation of Board Policies, offering insights and recommendations to enhance service delivery and identify areas for improvement within the Service.
22. The Chief of Police will facilitate the Board Office’s access to necessary resources for evaluations and reviews conducted by the Board Office, subject to legal constraints (e.g. information subject to informer privilege, investigative techniques, ongoing investigations etc.). This may include, but is not limited to: personnel, data and information, records and any other materials deemed necessary by the Board Office.

21. The Board and Service will uphold a Memorandum of Understanding with the City of Toronto Auditor General to facilitate external audits aligned with the Auditor General's work plan. This collaboration aims to enhance service delivery, pinpoint areas of success and improvement within the Service, and identify potential cost-saving opportunities. For this purpose: 
    1. The Board retains the authority to request that the City of Toronto Auditor General conduct audits addressing systemic organizational issues or matters of significant public interest.
    2. Additionally, the Auditor General may autonomously propose audits to the Board for consideration.
    3. The Auditor General will formulate an annual audit work plan, which will be shared with the Board.
    4. The Chief of Police will facilitate access for the Board Office and the Auditor General to personnel, information, records, and other materials necessary for audits outlined in the aforementioned work plan, subject to legal constraints prohibiting disclosure.

22. Upon the conclusion of each of the audits, the Auditor General will provide the Board with a report which includes:
    1. An assessment of the adequacy and effectiveness of the Service’s or Board’s policies, procedures and/or processes in the areas stated in the audit plan, relative to the requirements of the Act and associated regulations;
    2. Identification of notable issues related to the policies, procedures and/or processes of the Service or the Board, including recommended improvements; and,
    3. Updates on the status and results of the audit work plan, as required.

23. The Chief of Police will ensure that the Service’s financial transactions are verified by an annual audit conducted by the City of Toronto’s external Auditor as identified in section 139 of theCity of Toronto Act, 2006;

Annual Report from the Chief of Police to the Board:

24. In addition to any other reporting requirements required by the Board, the Chief of Police will prepare annual report(s) for the Board relating to the activities during the previous fiscal year for each of the standards included in the Policy, including information on:
    1. Performance objectives, indicators, applicable generally accepted industry standards, and results.
    2. Public complaints.
    3. The Service’s compliance with this Policy and the standards required under the Regulation, including:
    1. A summary of any changes made during the reporting period to procedures regarding each of the sections of this Policy;
    2. The status of Service compliance with these procedures;
    3. The publication of crime analysis, call analysis and public disorder analysis data, and of information on crime trends;
    4. Every matter with respect to which a chief of police is required under this Regulation to establish procedures; and
    5. Any additional reporting requirements specified by the Board in the following chapters.

25. The Chief of Police, in consultation with the Executive Director/Chief of Staff, will develop an expected schedule for the annual report(s), and post it on the Service’s website.

Annual Report from the Board to the City of Toronto

26. The Board will prepare an annual report which includes information on:
    1. The implementation of the Board’s strategic plan and relevant updates on the performance objectives identified in the strategic plan,
    2. The affairs of the police service,
    3. The provision of policing as it relates to the City of Toronto’s community safety and well-being plan (i.e., SafeTO), and
    4. Any other prescribed matters.
27. The Board will file the annual report with the City and publish to the Board’s website on or before June 30 in each year.