Inspector General of Policing releases his annual report: Ontario's policing system is strong overall, with areas that require attention to meet evolving public safety complexity and demand Français
"Police services and boards are being asked to navigate complex social issues while confronting operational pressures, emerging public safety risks, and resource demands," said Inspector General Teschner. "At the same time, there is a clear opportunity to move beyond the models of yesterday and towards a modern policing approach that contributes to policing excellence, good governance, and public trust. The Inspectorate of Policing is applying my oversight mandate to anticipate future challenges and ready our public safety system to effectively meet them."
The public report, mandated by the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA), provides a comprehensive picture of the state of policing in Ontario. The report identifies the common challenges that Ontario's 43 police services are facing across the province's diverse communities. It also highlights successful approaches and initiatives to confront those challenges, including: more officer wellness concerns, alternative models of crisis response with partnerships between police and other responders, the importance of addressing strain in the public order policing system and strategies for improving public confidence in police performance. The report also contains information about how Inspector General Teschner and the IoP oversee more significant, real-time policing operations to ensure adequate and effective policing, including ongoing border policing operations led by the Ontario Provincial Police.
"April 1, 2024, marked an important milestone in Ontario policing with the coming into force of the CSPA and the start of my role as Inspector General of Policing. This is more than legislative change. It is the first of a generation and an important step in a more modern, transparent, and accountable policing system" said Inspector General Teschner. "As we continue to leverage our independent research and data intelligence, we are identifying and helping the sector adopt leading practices to drive improved performance, ensuring that high-quality policing and police governance are delivered to make everyone in Ontario safer."
The annual report also includes information about how the Inspector General has been fulfilling his legislative responsibilities to independently oversee the compliance and performance of all Ontario's police service boards, municipal police services and the Ontario Provincial Police, First Nation police services and boards constituted under the CSPA, and special constable employers. The oversight activities detailed for the first year of the IoP's operations include: inspections conducted; public complaints investigated and dealt with, including statistical information about public complaints; and turning information into data intelligence to drive risk-based decision-making and apply the right oversight tools at the right time.
The key oversight activities highlighted in the report include:
The IoP launched 46 complaint-based inspections in response to public concerns that identify common emerging themes, including: police response during protests, handling of intimate partner violence cases, quality of investigations, traffic enforcement, delays in response and communication, and issues with records checks.
The IoP launched the first Policing Insight Statement survey to gather perspectives from all of Ontario's chiefs of police and police service boards to help identify areas of common opportunity and challenge across the sector.
Inspector General Teschner released the first-ever Spotlight Report on the policing of protests and major events, assessing compliance with provincial requirements for maintaining public order policing. Inspector Teschner concluded that Ontario's public order policing is strong but under strain, and included 12 recommendations for police services, boards, and the Ministry of the Solicitor General to improve the system's long-term performance.
The Inspector General launched the first issue-specific inspection under the CSPA. The inspection of the Thunder Bay Police Service and Board began in October 2024. The inspection is examining how the police service conducts death and missing persons investigations, as well as how the police service and board are addressing recommendations issued by other oversight bodies that have reviewed policing and governance in Thunder Bay.
The report also looks ahead to the IoP's priorities, including establishing a Centre of Excellence, building a provincial policing performance measurement framework, preparing for a thematic inspection of police response times, and independently monitoring significant policing operations to ensure adequate and effective delivery of policing occurs.
"Ontario's policing system is strong, and there are opportunities to strengthen it further, so it meets evolving and complex public safety challenges. At the Inspectorate of Policing, we will continue to focus on areas of greatest risk, while identifying how to improve compliance and performance" said Inspector General Teschner. "By applying my mandate to encourage the sector-wide uptake of leading and innovative practices, Ontario can continue to distinguish itself as an international policing and police governance leader."
The 2024 Annual Report covers activities from January 1 to December 31, 2024, and is available online.
About the Inspector General of Policing
Appointed in March 2023, Ryan Teschner is Ontario's first Inspector General of Policing with independent duties and authorities under the Community Safety and Policing Act. The role of the Inspector General serves the public interest by promoting improved performance and accountability in the policing sector, while ensuring compliance with the CSPA and its regulations. Inspector General Teschner leads the Inspectorate of Policing, an oversight body dedicated to ensuring high-quality policing and governance across Ontario.
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