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XX ER-002\ER-003 – Tactical and Hostage Rescue Unit

REPORTING REQUIREMENT

 

LEGISLATION

Police Services Act, R.S.O. 1990, c.P.15, as amended, s. 31(1)(c).

Adequacy & Effectiveness of Police Services, O. Reg. 3/99, ss. 21(1) (5), 23, 24(2), 25(2)(a)(b), 25(3).

It is the policy of the Toronto Police Services Board that:

  1. The Chief of Police will develop and establish procedures on tactical unit services to effectively and efficiently perform the following functions:
    1. containment;
    2. apprehension of an armed barricaded person;
    3. forced entry, and
    4. hostage rescue;
  2. The Chief of Police will ensure that the Service will provide the services of a tactical and hostage rescue unit by using Service members, that will consist of a minimum of 12 full-time tactical officers including the supervisor, who are dedicated to the tactical and hostage rescue unit, but who, when not training or undertaking tactical activities, may undertake community patrol;
  3. The Chief of Police will establish a selection process for members of the unit, including ensuring that members who provide this service meet the requirements of the Adequacy Standards Regulation;
  4. The Chief of Police will ensure that tactical and hostage rescue unit services are available 24 hours a day and deployed in a reasonable time;
  5. The Chief of Police will ensure that the established procedures set out the circumstances in which tactical and hostage rescue unit services will be deployed, including the process for obtaining the service and reporting relationships, and further delegate to the supervisor or major incident commander the responsibility for determining how many tactical officers are required to be deployed at an incident;
  6. The Chief of Police will ensure that the established procedures set out processes for engagement with individuals who may be in crisis, with the goal of reducing harm and preventing loss of life;
  7. The Chief of Police will ensure that the tactical and hostage rescue unit may perform explosive forced entry if it uses the services of a police explosive forced entry technician;
  8. The Chief of Police will develop and maintain a manual on tactical and hostage rescue unit services that is available to each Service member providing these services;
  9. The Chief of Police will establish a selection process for members of the tactical and hostage rescue unit, including ensuring that members who provide this service meet the requirements of the Adequacy Standards Regulation;
  10. The Chief of Police will ensure that every member of the tactical and hostage rescue unit has successfully completed the required training accredited by the Ministry of the Solicitor General or has equivalent qualifications and skills as approved by the Ministry;
  11. The Chief of Police will ensure the ongoing training of Members who provide this service, including training on de-escalation and strategies for engagement with a person in crisis, aimed at reducing harm and preventing loss of life; and
  12. The Chief of Police will ensure that appropriate equipment, in accordance with the Ministry’s designated equipment and facilities list, is available to the members who provide this service, and used by them.

adequacy standards, emergency response