Section 31 of the Police Services Act sets out the responsibilities boards must fulfill on behalf of the residents of their municipality.
The primary role of the board is to establish, after consultation with the Chief of Police, the overall objectives and priorities for the provision of police services and the safety and security of citizens. Some of its other key responsibilities include:
- Recruiting and appointing the Chief of Police and Deputy Chiefs of Police;
- Annually assessing the Chief's performance;
- Approving annual operating and capital budgets for the Police Service;
- Establishing policies and by-laws for the effective management of the police service;
- Preparing a business plan for the Police Service every three years;
The Board cannot direct the Chief with respect to specific operational decisions or day-to-day operations of the Service. The Chief of Police is responsible for administering the Police Service and overseeing its operation in accordance with the objectives, priorities and policies established by the Board.
Every municipality in Ontario with its own police service must have a civilian board to govern that police service. Police services boards are independent bodies established by provincial legislation called the Police Services Act. The boards represent community interests and are accountable to the Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services, and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission located in Toronto.
Who are the members of the Police Services Board?
The Ottawa Police Services Board (PSB) has seven members: Three members of City Council, three citizens appointed by the province as community representatives, and one citizen appointed by City Council as a community representative.
Comments
Today? 199 to 298
Clearly growing support for my viewpoint.
If I meet King in debate I won't pull any punches. I was too easy on him last time.
King didn't go quietly. In his official resignation statement, he called the mayor's claim that the board hadn't been effective in its oversight function "highly disingenuous and insulting" to colleagues who, he said, had been working tirelessly within their scope of responsibility. He argued the board had exercised oversight in the strongest way available to it — public and in-camera meetings, pressing the chief to use every resource at his disposal.
That was King's claim: this board, as constituted, was doing its job.
Four years later, it's a claim worth testing against what actually happened to oversight at the Ottawa Police Service between then and now.
It's not going well.
May 10
181 - 282
17 up 15 down over the past month and a half.
Notice that that during the debate King, a master of communications must read his reply...does not do well off the cuff.
163 agree 277 disagree as of this date. What I see happening is that more are coming round to my point of view by a margin of 2:1.
As of today , 138 agree, 266 disagree. Clearly some traction exists with my viewpoint that a councillor should not "quit".
Make no mistake, this matter will come up again.
As of October 27th 138 disagree to 5 agree
Which I find astounding. Definitely a nerve was hit.
What exactly do they disagree with?
OPS is a mess, sure but you cannot say you are really proud of what you "accomplished" on ops one minute and then defend your quitting the job the next.