In March 2012, Chief William Blair commissioned a review of all aspects of police and community engagements to address the issues of racial profiling and biased police service delivery. During this time, the Police and Community Engagement Review (PACER) Team consulted with almost every area of the Service, as well as more than 30 community organizations. The result was 31 recommendations that will positively affect the contacts between police and the community.
Since the implementation of Recommendation #4, the creation of the External Advisory Committee (EAC), in November 2013, community members from across the city have been providing expertise, advice, and accountability on issues related to bias-free policing and PACER recommendations. The committee members are also a conduit between the community and the Toronto Police Service.
Volunteers from 15 community organizations meet on a regular basis with members of the PACER Team; the group is co-chaired by Superintendent David McLeod of the Toronto Police Service and Ms. Audrey Campbell of the Jamaican Canadian Association. In the last few months, the EAC has had the opportunity to work on the implementation of all 31 PACER recommendations. The material contributions of the EAC, to date, are listed below.
Recommendation #1: the EAC has helped draft a new Core Value for the Service, entitled Bias-Free, with language that clearly articulates and acknowledges an individual's rights and freedoms. This draft is with Chief Blair for review and approval.
Recommendation #29: the EAC has helped develop the new business card design and process that will see police officers distribute a business card, offering more information about the interaction or occurrence. This new design is with Chief Blair for review and approval.
Recommendation #19: the EAC will be attending the Fair and Impartial Policing (FIP) training session in May. The EAC will receive the FIP evaluation and will offer input on its success and make suggestions for Service-wide implementation.
Recommendation #14: the EAC received a presentation by the Service's Employment Unit about the role Community Safety Notes play in a person's candidacy or disqualification. The EAC has pressed the Service for information on this process.
Recommendation #30: the EAC is an important stakeholder in the ongoing evaluation of the PACER Project, currently underway by the Center for Policing Equity (CPE). Members of the EAC have participated in the initial interview process. They will continue to be a resource for CPE.
The EAC will continue to represent their constituents at these meetings for the duration of the PACER Project, currently scheduled through to December 2016.
On Tuesday, April 8, 2014, members of the PACER EAC are scheduled to provide deputations at the Toronto Police Services Board Special Meeting. Members of the media are invited to speak with the EAC at the TPSB Special Meeting or by contacting Ms. Audrey Campbell at audreycambell@rogers.com.
EAC membership is made up of the following organizations:
Aboriginal Legal Services of Toronto
Africanadian Mediation and Community Services
Alexandra Park Community Centre
Black Community Consultative Committee Toronto Police Service
Breakaway Relief Care
Centre for Addiction & Mental Health
For Youth Initiative
Jamaican Canadian Association
National Ethnic Press & Media Council of Canada
Office of the Independent Police Review Director
Office of the Information & Privacy Commissioner of Ontario
Ontario Human Rights Commission
Policing Literacy Initiative
School of Public Policing & Governance
Somali Youth Leader
The Toronto Police Service is actively working on all PACER recommendations, for a status update,
click here . To review the PACER Report, EAC Terms of Reference and other project information, please visit the
PACER Website.
For more PACER-related updates, please contact Meaghan Gray, Toronto Police Service Corporate Communications, at 416-808-7095.