Skip to content

Sault Police Chief responds to new policing legislation

Legislation gives police chiefs power to suspend without pay in serious circumstances, requires police board members to take additional training
170427-BOBKEETCH-DT
Sault Ste. Marie Police Service Chief Robert Keetch. Darren Taylor/SooToday

The Ontario government passed the Safer Ontario Act March 9, calling it “the first comprehensive review of the Police Services Act since 1990.”

One of the provisions of the Act calls for enhancing police accountability to the public.

“I believe that independent civilian oversight has the potential of enhancing accountability and transparency of the police oversight system, which improves public confidence and strengthens trust in policing, which benefits all,” wrote Robert Keetch, Sault Ste. Marie Police Service chief, in an email to SooToday Wednesday.

The legislation calls for:

  • an Inspector General of Policing whose responsibilities include monitoring and inspecting police service boards and chiefs of police
  • the Ontario Policing Discipline Tribunal, whose mandate will be to hear matters of alleged misconduct of police officers or other policing officials and
  • the Ontario Policing Complaints agency, who will investigate, and once there are reasonable grounds to conclude that professional misconduct has occurred, refer the matter to the Tribunal for a hearing.

The Safer Ontario Act gives police chiefs the power to suspend, without pay, officers accused of the most serious crimes, something chiefs can do in every other province.

“This is something which the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) and Police Service Boards have been lobbying for years. I believe that it is also supported by members of the general public as well,” Keetch stated, adding “it provides (police chiefs) greater flexibility in issuing discipline.”

The new act allows a chief to discipline a police officer effective immediately, including suspending an officer without pay for up to 30 days.

Suspension without pay, Keetch explained, “can only be imposed in very limited circumstances.”

These include:

  • If the police officer is convicted of an offence and sentenced to a term of imprisonment, even if the conviction or sentence is under appeal
  • If the police officer is in custody or is subject to conditions of judicial interim release that prevent the officer from performing the usual duties of a police officer
  • If the police officer is charged with a serious offence, as described in the regulations, under a law of Canada, and if the likely outcome of the proceedings would be, if the events leading to the charges are proven, that the officer’s employment would be terminated.

“A failure to suspend the officer without pay would bring discredit to the reputation of the police service,” Keetch wrote.

The legislation also requires the introduction of Mandatory Governance Training for police service board members.

“I don’t think that training for anyone is a bad thing. I am uncertain at this point what the contents of the training will be but I agree that it will be beneficial,” Keetch wrote in relation to the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Board.

“There are standards of conduct required of a Board member as well as a process for investigation, suspension and dismissal. I don’t believe this has really changed significantly from the previous legislation,” Keetch added.

The new legislation allows police services to “contract out” certain services which include:

  • Crime scene analysis
  • Forensic identification
  • Collision investigation and reconstruction
  • Breath analysis
  • Canine tracking
  • Surveillance
  • Polygraph and behaviour science
  • Interception of private communications

While Keetch noted Sault Police have recently civilianized some positions, such as a Civilian Forensic Identification Technician as of Sept. 2017, the chief said there are no Sault Police Service plans to contract out services such as breath analysis (officers currently undergoing more training in that area) and canine tracking (the Police Board approving, in January, the purchase and training of a new dog from the OPP).


What's next?


If you would like to apply to become a Verified reader Verified Commenter, please fill out this form.


Discussion


Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
Read more