CAPB NATIONAL Summer 2009 NEWSLETTER Alok Mukherjee, NDP Public Safety Critic Don Davies, Greg Dionne CAPB Board in Michael Ignatief’s office Liberal Public Safety Critic Mark Holland, Alok Mukherjee Message from CAPB President boards/commissions as well as municipalities across Canada. Last year the Federation of Canadian These past months have been significant ones for Municipalities released their “efficiency and equity most Canadians. We’ve witnessed an economic storm model” for allocation of those policing costs that can be that has left devastation in its wake with rising said to fall under federal jurisdiction. CAPB’s members unemployment and budget cuts being felt across all are the ones who are directly involved in dealing with sectors. Municipal police services are not immune to police cost issues, and are affected by the trends. the financial impact and we are cautious and optimistic During budget times and when bargaining with their to see these trying economic times end. That is why employee groups, they find themselves in the middle of the theme of our 20th Anniversary Conference - “A Fine demands by their Chiefs and associations, on one Balance: Meeting the Challenges of Police hand, and pressures to control costs by their Governance in a Changing World” - seems very municipalities, on the other. appropriate. We live in challenging times and our roles as police governors must adjust. My role leading the A big source of the cost pressure that all parties – the Canadian Association of Police Boards is to guide the boards/commissions, the Chiefs, the associations and association so we provide our members with the municipalities – face is the downloading of, or networking, tools, guidance and information that will refusal to take responsibility for, policing services that assist your police service in achieving continued properly belong to the provincial or federal success. jurisdictions. We are very fortunate to have the Cape Breton As the national voice of civilian oversight of policing in Regional Municipality Board of Police Commissioners Canada, we continued to raise your concerns with the together with the Cape Breton Regional Police Service Ministers of Justice and Public Safety in Ottawa. This hosting a wonderful educational and entertainment spring we met with Public Safety Associate Deputy program in Sydney, Nova Scotia, August 14 – 16, Minister Myles Kirvan and Assistant Deputy Minister 2009. Check out the latest updates on the CAPB Richard Wex and dialogued on Conducted Energy website to see the full program at www.capb.ca. The Weapons, the cost of policing, defining more clearly 2009 conference promises to be one of our best yet provincial, federal and municipal roles, responsibilities and we are delighted with the registration and support and aboriginal policing policy. shown by our members. I hope you are able to join us in Cape Breton in August to celebrate the 20th We also had very informative meetings with Michael anniversary of CAPB. Ignatief’s Chief of Staff, Paul Zed; Liberal public safety critic, Mark Holland and Don Davies from the NDP. In recent years trends in the cost of policing have been CAPB is being recognized as a voice of strength for an causing concern among police service 1 CAPB NATIONAL Newsletter impressively large group of stakeholders. effective, and more responsive to the community; We were disappointed when the Minister of Public 3. Consider matters of national interest which Safety, Peter Van Loan was unable to meet the board affect policing services and to formulate when we were in Ottawa but his schedule would not policy positions and appropriate responses at allow it. the policy making level, form the perspective of civilian governors, for dissemination to A few weeks later a second meeting was set up in government and the public, such matters early June so that the Executive could sit down face- including but not being limited to the to-face with the Minister and discuss our resolutions. following: Alok Mukherjee traveled from Toronto and I flew in Drug and substance abuse policies; from Prince Albert and we arrived at the office well Sentencing policies; ahead of the scheduled time. Unfortunately that Young offenders; meeting was also cancelled while we sat in his office. Communications policies; I am still waiting for another meeting to be set up in Employment equity; Regina. Minorities, the alienated and disadvantaged; You will note in this issue of the National we are Recruitment of women and minorities; including the responses to the resolutions we have Policing standards; received from the Honourable Rob Nicholson, Minister Community oriented policing; of Justice and provincial ministers. CAPB has not Prostitution; received a response from the Minister of Public Safety 4. Comment on social, economic, cultural and to the 2008 resolutions although numerous formal legislative questions, particularly of national requests have been made. concern, which may affect the quality, efficiency and costs of policing services; This year we have continued working on our 5. Promote the quality and uniformity of policing governance structure, strengthening areas where we services and to encourage greater co- were weak and building on the committees that began operation amongst Policing Services at the their work three years ago. We’ve expanded the Federal, Provincial and Municipal levels in Committees, developed policies, terms of reference Canada; and held meetings on a regular basis. 6. Educate the public on matters relating to the governance of policing services; The following is a list of the current CAPB Committees: 7. Act as a lobbying group to liaise between 1. Executive Committee; Federal, Provincial and Municipal 2. Finance Committee; governmental authorities and the Federal 3. Law Reform Committee; and Provincial Solicitors General; 4. Governance Committee; 8. Provide a forum for participation by all civilian 5. Conference Committee; governors of municipal policing services and 6. Joint Meeting Committee; other agencies to promote and encourage 7. Lobby Day Committee; greater co-operation to serve the interests of 8. Aboriginal Police Governance the public, to advance criminal justice and to Committee; promote common policies. 9. Resolutions Committee; 10. Nominations Committee. We are back with CAPB National as we expand our communications plan and come up with innovative As we look back two decades it is time to reflect on the ways to get our message to you. I hope you enjoy this objectives that the Canadian Association of Police issue. On behalf of the Board, you have my assurance Boards was founded on and see how they apply in the that CAPB will continue to strive to be a significant and current state of municipal police governance in credible participant in all discussions related to Canada. policing, crime and justice at the national level. We will The objects of the Canadian Association of continue to raise our public profile as the body that Police Boards are to: promotes and represents our membership - the 1. Establish a national body to express the Canadian police service boards and commissions. views and positions of municipal police governing authorities; 2. Provide a means for the collection and sharing of information and the discussion of matters relating to policing services to render Greg Dionne such services more efficient and cost CAPB President 2 CAPB NATIONAL Newsletter I appreciate the opportunity to comment on the 2008 IN THIS ISSUE resolutions that were approved by the membership that pertain to our provincial ministry. R ESPONSES TO R ESOLUTIONS N ATIONAL N EWS F EATURE ON C ANADA F IREARMS C ENTRE As noted in the resolutions, 08-01 and 08-02 are within P ROVINCIAL N EWS the purview of the federal government. I anticipate that P EOPLE ON THE M OVE the new Minister of Public Safety Canada, the C ONFERENCES & E VENTS Honourable Peter Van Loan, will respond in due course addressing these resolutions. RESPONSES TO CAPB 2008 RESOLUTIONS The other six resolutions, while directed to the federal government, relate to issues that our ministry, along with our policing partners and federal, provincial and NOVA SCOTIA territorial counterparts are currently addressing. I C ECIL P. C LARKE appreciate the opportunity to comment on these A TTORNEY G ENERAL & M INISTER OF J USTICE resolutions from an Alberta perspective. I have reviewed the resolutions with great interest to R EPEAT O FFENDERS assess their impact on our provincial strategy of providing safe communities in which our citizens live Alberta Solicitor General and Public Security (SGPS) and work. The Province of Nova Scotia continues to supports initiatives that address the serious problem of work closely with Police Agencies, the Nova Scotia repeat offenders. We would be in favour of a review of Chiefs of Police Association and the Nova Scotia legislation and programs designed to address these Association of Police Boards to consider solutions to repeat offenders as it would benefit all jurisdictions. If many of the issues identified in your resolutions. repeat offenders are managed effectively, justice efficiencies are realized leading to increased I appreciate the efforts of your Association in confidence by the public in the justice system. advancing discussions on issues facing law enforcement and the criminal justice system. I wish R EQUEST FOR I MMEDIATE A CTION ON you and the Canadian Association of Police Boards L AWFUL A CCESS continued success. Technology is rapidly evolving and legislation must ONTARIO keep pace. Given that the current legislative R ICK B ARTOLUCCI, M INISTER OF C OMMUNITY framework under Part VI of the Criminal Code of S AFETY & C ORRECTIONAL S ERVICES Canada dates back to the 1970s, it is important that this complex review be undertaken as soon as The ministry acknowledges the concerns and possible. Alberta SGPS supports the CAPB in their recommendations of the CAPB in relation to the eight call for a review of the legal framework governing issues outlined in your correspondence.