|
|
OTTAWA POLICE SERVICES BOARD COMMISSION DE SERVICES POLICIERS D’OTTAWA
|
|
|
Working together for a safer community La sécurité de notre communauté, un travail d’équipe |
REPORT RAPPORT |
|
DATE 25 June 2012
TO/DEST. Chair and Members, Ottawa Police Services Board
FROM/EXP. Executive Director, Ottawa Police Services Board
SUBJECT/OBJET AMENDMENT TO
BOARD POLICY ON VICTIMS’ ASSISTANCE
That the Ottawa Police Services Board approve the amended Board Policy on Victims’ Assistance (#VA-001) set out in Annex A.
BACKGROUND
The Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services publishes a Policing Standards Manual that contains guidelines to assist police services boards, chiefs of police and municipalities with their understanding and implementation of the Police Services Act and its regulations, including the Regulation on the Adequacy and Effectiveness of Police Services. The Ottawa Police Services Board has adopted the standard guidelines published by the Ministry through its policies contained in Chapter 4 of the Board’s Policy Manual. These policies form part of the Board’s instructions to the Chief of Police. For each Board policy there is a corresponding police service policy or “procedure” that contains the detailed operational requirements mandated by the Ministry.
On 25 April 2012 the Ministry issued an amendment to its Victims’ Assistance Guideline (VA-001) to better facilitate information sharing from police services to victims service providers. This Ministry guideline is captured in the Board’s Policy VA-001, also called Victims’ Assistance. The amendments that must be reflected in the Board’s policy include an expanded legislative reference section and the addition of a fourth sub-section addressing the need for the Chief to ensure that whenever there is police service contact with a victim, the victim is referred to the appropriate community service available in their area.
The current version of the policy is as follows:
Current Version
|
LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY |
Ontario Adequacy Standards Regulation 3/99, section 29. |
BOARD POLICY
It is the policy of the Ottawa Police Services Board with respect to providing assistance to victims that the Chief of Police will:
a) working in partnership with the Victim/Witness Assistance Programme (VWAP) and Victim Crisis and Referral Service (VCARS), where available, municipalities, community and social service agencies and other local organizations, promote the development of an integrated service delivery framework for providing assistance to victims, including safety planning;
b) ensure that members of the police service are aware of victim service providers or a victim referral service available in the area; and
c) establish procedures on providing assistance to victims.
The policy as amended by the Ministry would read as follows (new text is bolded):
Revised Version
|
LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY |
Police Services Act, section 42(1)(c)
Ontario Adequacy Standards Regulation 3/99, sections 17 and 29 |
LEGISLATIVE AUTHORITY
Section 42(1)(c) of the Police Services Act provides that police officers have a duty to assist victims of crime.
Section 29 of the Adequacy and Effectiveness of Police Services Regulation requires a police services board to have a policy on victims’ assistance.
Section 17 of the Adequacy and Effectiveness of Police Services Regulation requires the Chief of Police to establish procedures on providing assistance to victims that:
- Reflect the principles of the Victims’ Bill of Rights, 1995; and
- Set out the roles and responsibilities of members for providing victims’ assistance.
BOARD POLICY
It is the policy of the Ottawa Police Services Board with respect to providing assistance to victims that the Chief of Police will:
a) working in partnership with the Ministry of the Attorney General’s Victim/Witness Assistance Programme (VWAP) and agencies that deliver the Victim Crisis and Referral Service (VCARS) program where available, municipalities, community and social service agencies and other local organizations, promote the development of an integrated service delivery framework for providing assistance to victims, including safety planning;
b) ensure that members of the police service are aware of victim service providers or a victim referral service available in the area;
c) establish procedures on providing assistance to victims; and
d) ensure that in each instance where there is police service contact with one or more victims of crime involving physical and/or psychological injury, that such victims are referred to the appropriate community service available in their area.
A copy of the revised policy with the amendments incorporated is attached at Annex A.
CONSULTATION
No consultation was required as the amendment was made by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and all police services boards are expected to adopt the policy guidelines issued by the Province.
FINANCIAL STATEMENT
There are no financial implications associated with this report.
CONCLUSION
All police services boards in Ontario are expected to adopt policies that are consistent with the standard guidelines issued by the Ministry of Community Safety & Correctional Services. The Ministry recently made a revision to the Victims’ Assistance Guideline, which is reflected in the Board’s Policy Manual as Policy VA-001. Approval of the amendment proposed in this report will ensure the Ottawa Police Services Board remains compliant with Ministry standard guidelines.
(original signed by)
W. Fedec
Attach. (1)