Toronto Makes Pledges to Community

The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) has recognized Toronto Police Service’s commitment to ensuring successful interactions with persons with mental health conditions and intellectual/development disabilities and enhance trust with the community it serves.

On December 18 at police headquarters, Chief Myron Demkiw and IACP President Wade Carpenter signed the pledges that the TPS Command discussed, debated and approved along with the IACP Strategy last summer.

“The Service is looking to increase our presence internationally through active participation at the IACP stage. These pledges are commitments that are already active or on the roadway to implementation within the organization and will assist us in maintaining the public’s trust and ensure that mental health is a priority in our interactions,” Chief Myron Demkiw said.

Toronto Police is the only law enforcement agency in North America to complete the requirements for both the IACP’s “One Mind” and the “Trust Building” Campaigns in a 12-36 month period.

TPS has established a clearly defined and sustainable partnership with one or more community health organizations, developed and implemented a model policy addressing law enforcement response to individuals with mental health conditions and trained and certified 100 percent of sworn officers (and selected non-sworn staff, such as dispatchers).

Canada’s largest municipal police service has also fulfilled the requirements for the IACP Trust Building Campaign that seeks to enhance trust between police agencies and the communities they serve by ensuring positive community-police partnerships that promote safe, effective interactions, create strategies to prevent and reduce crime and improve the well-being and quality of life for all.

“Chief Demkiw and Toronto Police’s commitment says volumes about what we are trying to accomplish in creating trust within our communities, creating relationships of trust and trust with everyone we serve at every level,” said Carpenter, who is the Park City, Utah Police Chief. “It is a roadmap of the principles of what is behind the Trust Building Campaign”

The Chief was also the recipient of the IACP badge and a plaque for his outstanding commitment to the global policing profession.

“This is an award that we only present to someone who is very deserving and is going to carry forward the commitments of the IACP and our 33,000 Chiefs in 173 countries,” added Carpenter, on his first visit to Toronto. “Toronto Police is doing amazing work in building trust internally and within that community.”

IACP’s Director of Global Policing, Vince Hawkes also attended the ceremony.

“The commitment to pledge to the IACP Trust Building Campaign is a positive link between the police and the community,” noted the retired Ontario Provincial Police Commissioner. “Globally, we have seen a recent trend of a lack of trust and confidence in police organizations. This initiative, undertaken by Toronto Police, reinforces the commitment to enhancing community trust and build on the current strategy in a public and transparent way. That is why it is so important to sign the pledge, complete it and then be recognized for the good work Toronto Police Service is doing.”