Wishes for a Peaceful Holiday Season

With the New Year nearly upon us, it is a great time to reflect on 2007 and look forward to 2008.

I believe that 2007 has been a very good year for policing in Toronto. I want to thank all members of the Service and all of our partners who have worked hard to keep the city safe. I note with satisfaction the high level of trust that now exists between the police and the community. Complaints are down and satisfaction is high. Solid linkages have been forged and strengthened with our community partners, through significant formal and informal contribution by our uniform and civilian members at all levels. The generous investment of cash and volunteer time by members in community well-being throughout the city is truly appreciated.

I would like to thank the Command and all our Senior Officers for their leadership, which has played a key role in building a Service for our time that reflects the community in which we live. I also want to recognize the positive relationship between the Board and the Service based on mutual respect and commitment to the common goal of improving the quality of life in Toronto.

On behalf of the Toronto Police Services Board, I wish you and your families a peaceful holiday season and a happy and healthy 2008.

As the year comes to a close, I am also reflecting on the past year and looking ahead to dealing with future challenges in a constructive, co-operative manner.

A Mystery No Longer

Some complain that the budget of the Toronto Police Service is a sacred cow, and the police always get what they want. In these days of scarce resources, this is more of an urban legend than reality. The Toronto Police Services Board pays serious attention to the fact that, since we ask for a large portion of the taxpayer’s money, we must be able to justify what we ask for. It has taken a number of concrete steps to make the budget and the budget process fully transparent. We know how much is spent and where it goes.

Now, the budget is presented and debated on a line by line basis. We work closely with the Chief and the rest of the Service in order to scrutinize all proposed expenditures of tax dollars.

The collective agreement dictates an enormous proportion of our budget, including all salary related issues such as wages, benefits and special pay such as overtime and court pay.

Through this process and throughout the year, the Board is diligent in working to contain costs and provide value for taxpayers.

Gone in a Huff

The Toronto Police Association, led by their lawyer, walked out before collective bargaining could even begin this morning. This after they kept us waiting for over an hour.

We have very difficult issues to resolve together, in particular, those relating to the tough financial situation we are in. Walking out this early in the process may make good theatre but is not an option for finding creative solutions to these issues.

Click here to read the public statement that I released following the meeting.

"Leapfrogging"

I read with great interest the pieces in the Globe and Mail and The Toronto Star this morning on provincewide collective bargaining for police services. This is an idea that has been floated before as a way to try and contain the rapidly escalating costs of policing in the province.

This is not a unique concept. Variations of provincewide bargaining already exist with teachers and nurses. As we know police contracts are currently determined through individual bargaining between Police Services Boards and the various Police Associations. One issue we have faced is constant jockeying amongst police associations to be the “highest paid” even if it is only for a few months. This is what constitutes the game of ‘leapfrog’, and it contributes to the ever-rising cost of policing.

That said, our job, as the Toronto Police Services Board, is to stay focussed and ensure our members are fairly paid in a way that is also fair to the taxpayers and residents of Toronto.

INTERESTING MATH

A 1% increase in the Toronto Police Service budget equates to approximately $8 million.

A 1% increase in Toronto’s residential property tax equates to approximately $13 million.

There’s something to think about.

Taxpayers' Money

Today, I appeared before the Mayor’s Fiscal Responsibility Panel to discuss how public agencies like the Toronto Police Services Board use taxpayers’ money in a responsible way.

I reiterated the Board’s commitment to being vigilant and responsible with tax funds. I also provided the Panel with background information concerning how the budget process works and the Board’s role in that process. The Board submits its requested budget after line by line scrutiny. It is then the City’s role to approve an overall budget. The City cannot specify reductions or request expenditures.

In establishing our budgets for the coming year, both operating and capital, we are very mindful that every increase in the budget has to be funded by the City.

The old phrase “for every action, there is a reaction” - holds especially true in budgeting for a public agency such as the Toronto Police Service. Every increase in our budget represents a potential increase in the taxes and fees that are being paid by the residents and businesses of Toronto.

COMMUNITY POLICE CONSULTATIVE CONFERENCE

Earlier this month, I had the honour of participating in the 11th Annual Community Police Consultative Conference: Creating Opportunities through Youth Leadership in Community Safety.

Engaging youth in community policing is an important component of building genuine police community partnerships. In fact, inclusion of youth in these committees is required by the Toronto Police Services Board’s policy on community consultation. We believe that involving youth in these partnerships is critical for making our communities stronger, healthier and more vibrant. Young people constitute a very important part of our neighbourhoods and communities. I believe strongly, that without their active and meaningful involvement, our effort to build community partnerships will remain incomplete.

Based on the level of participation I observed, the conference clearly gave everybody an opportunity to explore issues of vital importance, and to develop effective methods of problem-solving and decision-making. The issues covered ranged from bullying to cyber culture to community engagement.

Thanks to all of the conference participants and congratulations to the organizers for a very successful conference on a most relevant topic.

A PRODUCTIVE DAY AT BARGAINING

We have just finished our second day of bargaining with the Toronto Police Association.

We spent almost a full day having really good discussions about issues that are important to the Association and the Board.

Much like our first meeting, it was friendly and cordial. It was also productive and set a good tone for future bargaining.

However, we both know that there will be challenges ahead in bargaining, given today’s fiscal realities.

BALANCE

Employers across Canada are facing a new reality – a younger workforce that wants different things from their employers. Much has been written about this generation looking for ‘balance’ in their life. Balance between work and family, balance between work and friends and balance between work and other interests such as travel and studying.

The Toronto Police Service is no different. We strive to continue to be the ‘employer of choice’ for new graduates and to attract the highest calibre of new recruits. We have programmes designed to assist the members of the Service with balance between work and family. Some of the initiatives that have resulted from this include our progressive wellness program and our childcare initiatives.

As well, with our commitment to be an ‘employer of choice’, we believe that the overall package of compensation and benefits that we offer will help them achieve their goals while providing them with the most exciting job in law enforcement in Canada.

BARGAINING

Tomorrow is our second day of bargaining with the Toronto Police Association. We had a very cordial start to bargaining earlier this month and as we start to get into the details tomorrow, I am hopeful that we will be able to move closer to reaching a negotiated collective agreement.

The ideal collective agreement, I believe, is one that is sensitive to the hard work of the members and at the same time respects the life realities of Toronto’s taxpayers by using their dollars wisely.

CRIMESTOPPERS

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure of attending the tribute dinner for Staff Superintendent Gary Grant. Anyone who knows Gary will not be surprised to learn that the evening was full of fun and laughter.

The one point that everyone in the room reflected on was the important place that Gary has within Services’ history. It was Gary, who in 1984 introduced the Crime Stoppers Program to the Toronto Police Service. Crime Stoppers has proven to be a highly successful initiative that provides an impressive volume of useful tips to investigators.

On May 25, 2007 Gary was installed into the Order of Merit of the Police Forces by the Governor General. This award “honours a career of exceptional service or distinctive merit displayed by the men and women of the Canadian Police Services, and recognizes their commitment to this country. The primary focus is on exceptional merit, contributions to policing and community development.”

On behalf of the Toronto Police Services Board we wish Gary a healthy and happy retirement.


Click here to read more about the Order of Merit of the Police Forces
http://www.gg.ca/honours/nat-ord/ormp/index_e.asp

TPS IN THE COMMUNITY

A new store recently opened on the corner of Morningside Avenue and Kingston Road in Scarborough, deep in the heart of 43 Division.

Very shortly after it opened, a friend of mine was there when one of the frontline officers walked in and introduced himself to the women behind the counter. The officers provided their card and said that, as the store was located in their patrol area, if the storekeeper or staff needed anything, they simply had to call the officers.

At that store, on the community bulletin board, was a congratulations card from the Divisional officer responsible for community policing. This card welcomed the business to the neighbourhood and, like the frontline officers, provided a phone number in case the store owner had any questions or concerns.

I believe that a commitment to community policing, where the police officers and the police service are a part of the community, is one of the ways that we will help keep Toronto safe for our officers, taxpayers and tourists.

REMEMBRANCE DAY

Today, Chief Bill Blair and I will be participating in the Remembrance Day ceremonies at Toronto Police headquarters.

I have always found the Remembrance Day ceremonies to be very thought-provoking. In particular, right now as we reflect on those who served in both World Wars and those who are serving currently in countries throughout the world.

Members of the Toronto Police Service have been active in the military for many years. We have active Service members in the reserves and on cadet instructor list as well as many former members of the Canadian Armed Forces.

Over the years, Service members have been stationed in Cyprus, Bosnia, Kosovo and Afghanistan and have worked on domestic operations such as the Ice Storm and the Manitoba floods.

Toronto Police Service members have made contributions to promoting peace worldwide, in accordance with the tradition of Canada as a peacekeeping nation, supporting the cause of democracy and human rights in other countries. I think, for example, of Bosnia and Kosovo and I applaud the Service members who have worked in these areas, a challenging but invaluable undertaking.

This Remembrance Day I encourage you to take the time to reflect on those who have served and are serving and perhaps attend a Remembrance Day ceremony.

Click here to see services throughout the City.

RCMP CONSTABLE DOUGLAS SCOTT

I read with great sadness the stories on the death of 20-year-old RCMP Const. Douglas Scott on Monday. It is always a matter of great sadness when a law enforcement officer is killed in the line of duty. That Const. Scott’s life was taken away when he had barely embarked on his career makes us feel the effect of his death more acutely.

On behalf of the Toronto Police Services Board, I wish to extend our deepest condolences to Const. Scott’s family and friends.

POLICE RECRUIT GRADUATION

Since becoming Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board in 2005, one of the most fulfilling parts of my role has been to attend the graduation of new officers. With the increased level of staffing at the TPS, these graduations have been frequent and, without exception, there has been Board representation at each ceremony.

Each time I attend one of these events, I am impressed by the diversity of the new officers and their enthusiasm for their new careers.

Our staffing levels at the Toronto Police Service have recently been increased and more officers than ever are out in our neighbourhoods and on our streets. More officers are in uniform and more officers are in their cars, on their bikes and on foot – working to keep Toronto safe for our officers, taxpayers and tourists.

WEEKEND READING

I read with great interest in Sunday's Toronto Star the excerpt from the former Chief of Police's new book. The excerpt reveals a common assumption about the relationship of the Toronto Police Services Board to the City of Toronto.

Click here to read my letter to the editor of the Toronto Star.

CORDIAL MEETING LAUNCHES BARGAINING

Yesterday we completed our first meeting with the Association and exchanged proposals. Of course both sides will now take some time and reflect on what is in the others proposal.

The meeting was very cordial. I am looking forward to further meetings and reaching a contract agreement that reflects the hard work of Association members.

COLLECTIVE BARGAINING BEGINS

Later today, the Toronto Police Services Board Bargaining Committee will have our first meeting with the Toronto Police Association’s (TPA) Bargaining Committee.

This is the second time that Dave Wilson, the TPA President and I have been in contract negotiations. The last time was 2005. I look forward to working with him and his committee on a contract that reflects the hard work of the TPA members.

At the end of the day, the TPSB wants a Toronto that is safe. We believe this is achieved through respect for our police service, taxpayers, the Chief and the TPA. We will keep this top of mind as we work to achieve the best possible contract for our officers.
Throughout the negotiations process, I will work to keep you informed of our progress. Click here for a media statement I sent out last night. Media Release