Toronto Police Services Board eyes changes for court officers
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Several items of interest to the public will be considered at next week’s meeting of the Toronto Police Services Board.
One item on the agenda for the meeting coming up on Tuesday, Sept. 13, is the addition of some Highway Traffic Act authorities for Toronto Police Services (TPS) court officers.
What’s being considered (and recommended by Chief James Ramer) is that the Board grant court officers certain police powers under the Highway Traffic Act that would allow them to take over such duties as directing traffic, closing roads and removing vehicles or debris blocking traffic — in order to free up police officers to do more important work.
The objective, as stated in a media release, is to decrease “the number of police officer hours required to assist at collision and crime scenes and for major events that require road closures.”
The report on this change includes the information that this has already been done with District Special Constables, to good effect: “This has allowed for police officers to be deployed in a more efficient and effective capacity based on their skillsets and legislative abilities.”
For budget and manpower reasons, this particular change, “will allow the Service to deploy the most suitable resources, based on skillset, knowledge and legislative requirements.”
This will allow police officers get back to their core duties and put their expertise to better use.
Court officers would receive appropriate training were these additional duties to be added to their area of responsibility.
A policy pertaining to the electronic monitoring of employees is also on the agenda, as it is for many companies, given the new provincial requirement for employers to put such a policy in place (as per the Working for Workers Act, 2022.)
As the agenda spells out, the policy would specify how and in what circumstances the Service and Board may electronically monitor employees, and how the information obtained through electronic monitoring may be used.
The report on this subject states, “employees must not expect privacy when using employer systems, including computers, tablets, Connected Officer devices, networks, and other I.T. infrastructure,” which — whether stated in a policy or not — should be taken as fact by anyone who regularly works on equipment owned by his or her employer.
The policy only applies to civilian and board office staff as uniformed officers have their own governance.
The agenda for the upcoming meeting is available to read online on the Toronto Police Services Board website.
Members of then public who wish to weigh in may register online to make a deputation.
The meeting itself will also be live streamed on YouTube.
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