Frequently Asked Questions

Civilian Member is a Toronto Police Service employee who is not a Police Officer.

All available civilian opportunities are posted under Civilian Opportunity Section of the Web site. As civilian positions become available, they will be posted on our website.

You will receive an email confirmation.

There is no specific time frame. There are several steps in the selection process that may include testing and interview. Please note, not all applicants will be contacted.

No. We keep applications active for one year from the date we receive them. During that time, your application may be brought forward for consideration for positions indicated on your application. You only need to submit a new application after the one-year time period has elapsed.

We will accept an online application, only during the posting period.

Yes. You may submit a general application which will be kept on file for one year.

The Toronto Police Service is a 24 hour operation; therefore, there are civilian positions that require working shifts. Please refer to the job posting for details.

The civilian positions that require a uniform are: Parking Enforcement Officer, Part-time Court Officer, Document Server, some positions in the Fleet Department, Telecommunications and Courier Services.

No. If you are required to wear a uniform, the Toronto Police Service will cover the cost.

If the position you are applying for requires First Aid and CPR certificates, you may apply for the position without having one, however, have in mind that at the time of offer you will be required to have up to date First Aid and CPR certifications.

No. The Toronto Police Service will cover the cost for your required training.

Only those applicants assessed best able to meet the organizational needs of the service will be selected for an interview.

Yes, we do. In order to participate in a PREP practice session, a candidate must:
(a) Attend a Toronto Police Service General Information Session (GIS),
(b) Have a TPS recruiter assigned to them,
(c) Visit http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/careers and register for a PREP practice session.

There are no set hours for volunteering. The hours of service are to be determined by a candidate’s personal schedule.

For the latest information regarding our hiring status, please visit our careers page for more information.

To be considered for the Police Constable position, you must meet the following requirements as outlined in the Police Services Act:

• Be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada,
• Be at least 18 years of age,
• Be physically and mentally able to perform the duties of the position, having regard to your own safety and the safety of members of the public,
• Have successfully completed at least four years of secondary school education or its equivalent. (Note: official transcripts and diplomas will be required).Where education has been completed outside Ontario, official proof of equivalency must be obtained,
• Be of good moral character and habits, meaning that you are an individual other people would look upon as being trustworthy and having integrity.

 In addition, you must:

• Have no criminal convictions for which a pardon has not been granted,
• Possess a valid driver's licence with no more than six accumulated demerit-points, permitting you to drive an automobile in Ontario with full driving privileges,
• Have current certification in CPR and first aid by the time the offer of employment is given,
• Possess a valid O.A.C.P. (Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police Certificate) certificate,
• Have a minimum of 20/40 (uncorrected) vision, with normal colour acuity,
• Successfully pass the hearing standards as outlined by the O.A.C.P.,
• Be able to pass a security clearance as well as background investigation, credit and reference checks.

A candidate must be 18 years of age to apply. Otherwise, there is no upper age limit.

After a candidate attends a General Information Session and before he/she can submit an on-line application, the candidate is required to successfully complete a series of preliminary tests, in accordance with The Constable Selection System as determined by The Ontario Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.

The process for the Constable Selection System begins when a candidate: 

Registers for a test date with Applicant Testing Services (ATS). 

and 

Completes Stage 1 of the OACP testing. This includes passing: 

• The Physical Readiness Evaluation for Police (PREP),
• The Police Analytical Thinking Inventory (PATI),
• The Written Communication Test (WCT).

Once these initial tests have been passed, the candidate will move onto Stage 2 of the OACP test. This includes passing: 

• A vision test,
• A hearing test,
• A video simulation Behavioural Personnel Assessment Device (BPAD).

If all components of the OACP testing above have been successfully passed, the individual will receive the Ontario Chiefs of Police (OACP) Certificate of Results.

The OACP Certificate of Results is a certificate approved by the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police and must be obtained by a candidate prior to submitting their application. The certificate is attained after a series of preliminary tests have been completed through Applicant Testing Services.

OACP testing is conducted by Applicant Testing Services (ATS).

For more information, please contact: 
Applicant Testing Services (ATS) 
540 Clarke Road, Unit 14, 
London, Ontario 
N5V 2C7, 
1-800-429-7728 
www.applicanttesting.com

The fees are as follows:

• first time applicant - $330.53,
• re-test/renewal component fee - $79.42.

No. Applicants are directed to contact Applicant Testing Services in regards to scheduling a test date and location.

The PREP test is the physical portion of the O.A.C.P. testing and requires a candidate to pass both the pursuit/restraint circuit and the aerobic shuttle run in order to move onto the next phase of assessment.

Pursuit/Restraint Circuit
The Pursuit/Restraint Circuit simulates a foot pursuit and includes obstacles, control of a person who resists arrest and the dragging of an incapacitated person. Throughout this test, a candidate will be required to wear a 9 lb weighted belt AND a 9 lb vest to simulate the weight of standard police equipment.

Aerobic Shuttle Run
The shuttle run assesses a candidate’s level of aerobic fitness and is evaluated by running back and forth over a 20 meter course in time with tape recorded signals. The time to cover the 20 meter course is shortened progressively. Candidates must complete stage 7 to pass the component.

There is no requirement by the Toronto Police Service to have a candidate be a member of the auxiliary police prior to applying to the Police Constable position.

Yes, we do. In order to participate in a PATI/WCT session, a candidate must:
(a) Attend a Toronto Police Service General Information Session (GIS),
(b) Have a TPS recruiter assigned to them,
(c) Visit www.torontopolice.on.ca/careers and register for PATI/WCT mentoring session.

The vision test is an assessment of a candidate’s vision and is administered by Applicant Testing Services. If a candidate has any questions regarding the vision test, please contact Applicant Testing Services for more information.

Yes. Provided that they have successfully passed the vision test as conducted by Applicant Testing Services.
The decision to undergo corrective eye surgery is strictly the personal decision of the candidate and not a requirement of the Toronto Police Service.
If a candidate has any questions regarding corrective eye surgery and the vision test, please contact Applicant Testing Services for more information.

The hearing test is an assessment of a candidate’s hearing and is administered by Applicant Testing Services. If a candidate has any questions regarding the hearing test, please contact Applicant Testing Services for more information.

There is no numerical grade assigned to any of the OACP test components. Instead, all tests are given a PASS/FAIL grade.

A candidate must ensure that they have a valid OACP Certificate of Results during all stages of the Constable Selection Process.

When you’ve obtained your Certificate of Results, the next step is to:
(a) Log onto the Toronto Police Careers website,
(b) Complete the on-line application,
(c) Attach the necessary documents,
(d) Submit on-line application.

Applications will be valid for a period of one year from the date they are submitted to the Employment Unit. If you have not been contacted within one year from the date you submitted your application, a new application, with current certifications is required.

Yes. However, this must be disclosed on your application.

There are several ways to get in contact with a recruiter, you can either:

• Attend a General Information Session and one will be assigned to you,
• Refer to the “Contact a Recruiter” section of the Toronto Police website and either email or call them,
• Call (416) 808-JOIN and speak with a recruiter.

Only those applicants assessed best able to meet the organizational needs of the service will be selected for an interview.

There is no specific time period. All applicants are reminded that when applying, it is for the position of Police Constable and not a particular recruiting class.

Unless otherwise stated, the Toronto Police Service typically hires three times a year for classes which begin in December, April and August.

The cost of attending the Ontario Police College will be $11,065 starting January 2015.

Yes. Once hired, a candidate is classified as a Cadet in Training and will receive a salary of $58,220.

Yes, all police recruits entering OPC for the Basic Constable Training Program after September 1, 2013 will be required to bring a laptop or notebook computer for their studies. Tablet computers are not acceptable. Students should also be aware that a flash player is required (recommend v.11), 256 mb Video Card, Adobe Reader, Microsoft Office 2007 or higher and 1 removable storage device (thumb drive) minimum 1GB. Acceptable Web Browsers include Internet Explorer 7.0 and above or Mozilla Firefox 4.0 and above or Google Chrome or Safari 5.0 and above or Opera 11.

The Toronto Police Service accepts applications for the lateral entry/rehire process on a limited basis.

You must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for the Lateral/Rehire process:

• Successful completion of recruit training at The Ontario Police College, Royal Canadian Mounted Police Depot or other accredited facility,
• Two years of continuous service following graduation,
• Successful completion of probationary period,
• Presently serving with a Police Service and in good standing,
• Former Toronto Police Service members must have left the Service for one complete year before seeking to reapply to the TPS.

If you meet the minimum requirements and/or wish further information please contact The Toronto Police Benefits and Employment unit at (416) 808-JOIN or email [email protected].

Although we appreciate your service in the military, all current and past members of any military service will proceed through the Constable Selection System like any other candidate.

The Toronto Police Service does accept on-line applications for the Police Constable position from international applicants provided that the applicant has met the minimum requirements as outlined in the Police Services Act.

In addition to this, individuals seeking a career as a police officer in the Province of Ontario, regardless of where they are from, must also successfully meet the requirements of the Constable Selection System in order be considered for the Police Constable Position.

Please note: The Toronto Police Service

• Can not influence Canadian Immigration procedure,
• Has no affiliation with any Immigration Consultant Organizations.

If you are unsure of what the Constable Selection System is or what the minimum requirements for the Police Constable position are, please refer to the Toronto Police Careers website for further information.

There is no requirement by the Toronto Police Service for a candidate to attend any Police Foundations or Law and Security program. The only requirement in regards to education is that a candidate possess a minimum grade 12 diploma or equivalent certificate.

Yes. Any candidate having attended secondary, post secondary or graduate school in any foreign country must contact any organization specializing in foreign credential evaluation and obtain a document verifying those credentials before submitting their application. Please refer to the Resource section of the Careers website, specifically the education section for more information.

Generally, an officer must be classified as a first class constable with a minimum of five (5) years road experience before they can be considered for any specialized units.

There are over 180 specialized units within the Toronto Police Service and they include:

• Police Dog Services,
• Marine Unit,
• Mounted Unit,
• Emergency Task Force,
• Drug Squad,
• Forensic Identification Services,
• Homicide Squad.

If an individual has declared bankruptcy and is interested in applying to the Police Constable position, the candidate must first resolve their credit situation prior to applying.

As per the OACP requirement, if an individual has been convicted of a criminal offence (in any country), they must first obtain a pardon prior to applying. Furthermore, if the individual has had a 'Findings of Guilt' which has resulted in absolute or conditional discharge, their records must be 'sealed' by the RCMP, prior to applying.

(This will be done automatically following one year if the absolute discharge is registered after July 24, 1992. For a conditional discharge, this will be done automatically following three years if the conditional discharge is registered after July 24,1992. Otherwise you must apply to have these records sealed.)

Please refer to the Resource section of the Careers website, specifically the Pardons section for more information.

Yes. Failure to knowingly not disclose a criminal record or any other information on the application can be grounds for disqualification from the Constable Selection System.

There is no requirement to obtain either of these licences when applying to the Toronto Police Service.

No, you cannot call an MCIT directly. If you or someone around you is experiencing a mental health crisis, call 9-1-1.

They are a seven-day-a-week service that supports people experiencing a mental-health crisis in the community. When an MCIT attends a call, they will:

• Assess the person in crisis
• Connect the person to appropriate follow-up services

MCITs attend in response to a call from a Priority Response Unit involving a mental-health crisis including thoughts of suicide or self-harm, distorted or psychotic thinking, anxiety, overwhelming depression, and those who may be suffering from a temporary breakdown of coping skills.

• Individuals who are intoxicated on drugs or alcohol
• Violent individuals or people with weapons
• Overdoses

A second responder means that an MCIT will go to a call along with the Primary Response Unit (the "regular" police). The Primary Response Unit makes sure that the client in crisis, and those around them, are safe.

The teams operate seven days a week and, depending on the team, will work as early as 6 a.m. and as late as 11 p.m. The hours are based on the times where the police receive the highest number of calls related to people experiencing a mental health or emotional crisis.

The TPS is available 24/7 to attend 9-1-1 calls involving an emotional crisis.

An MCIT consists of a nurse and a police officer. The job of the police officer is to make sure a person experiencing a mental health crisis, and those around them, are safe. In some cases, this might require that an individual is handcuffed. The MCIT police officer must fulfill his or her police responsibilities and follow TPS principles.

Where there are sufficient grounds to apprehend a person under the MHA, they will be taken to the nearest psychiatric facility, which is most often the nearest hospital emergency room.

To date, the Toronto Police Service is currently partnered with the following hospitals:

11/14/22 Divisions are partnered with St Joseph's Health Centre.

12/13/23/31 Divisions are partnered with Humber River Regional Hospital.

32/33 Divisions are partnered with Humber North York General Hospital.

41/42/43 Divisions are partnered with The Scarborough Hospital.

51/52 Divisions are partnered with St. Michael's Hospital.

54/55 Divisions are partnered with Toronto East General Hospital.

For Divisional maps and boundaries, click here.

Sometimes police services may not have sufficient information in order to proceed with the application, therefore a submission of fingerprints is required.

• This is confirmation of identity, and mandated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
• It also ensures that the information supplied is accurate and does not apply to anyone else.
• Vulnerable Sector Screening Process

TPS does not provide fingerprinting for civil purposes.
Private RCMP-accredited agencies are listed in your local telephone book, or online under fingerprinting services.

Yes. However, the applicant will be advised before any contact is made with the current police service. This usually takes place at the end of the process.

A successful applicant will receive a credit of 80 hours of lieu time (equivalent of two weeks leave). This is non-cashable and has to be used within the first year of employment.

Lateral Entry applicants are considered new hires. There is no consideration given to previous service with other police agencies.

Benefits such as dental and medical commence on date of hire.

The Toronto Police Service is a member of the OMERS pension plan. It is the responsibility of the applicant to contact OMERS regarding the transfer of an existing pension.

Up to and including first class constable, applicants will be accepted at their current rank. Sergeants and above, the incoming rank will be dependent on the needs and requirements of the Service at time of hire. Contact Toronto Police Service Benefits and Employment Unit for details.

Lateral Entry/Rehire applicants are considered new hires. Previous service does not count towards the calculation of service/retention pay.

Lateral Entry: 7 weeks at the Toronto Police College or as deemed necessary by The Toronto Police College. 
Rehire applicants: Contact The Toronto Police Service Benefits and Employment Unit for details.

No. There is no requirement to have an OACP certificate in order to apply to the Auxiliary program.

Auxiliary Officers promote community-based policing and are part of a very dedicated and committed team of volunteers who are trained both in the theoretical and practical applications of policing. They work alongside uniformed officers and assist the community and service with community mobilization initiatives, crime prevention programs, special events, parades, searches for missing persons and emergency call-outs.

The basic requirements are for becoming an Auxiliary Officer are:

• be a Canadian citizen or permanent resident of Canada

• be a minimum of 18 years of age

• Ontario Secondary School Diploma (Grade 12) or official transcript of High School marks Or if schooled outside Ontario, an educational equivalency, which has been completed by the Ministry of Education (Please refer to the applicant resource listing)

• possess Standard First Aid and Level ‘C’ CPR certificates

• not have been convicted of a criminal offence for which a pardon has not been granted

• be a fully licensed driver and meet all the requirements of the Graduated Licensing System in Ontario, having accumulated no more than 6 demerit points

• meet the vision standards which include, colour, peripheral and depth perception requirements, have uncorrected visual acuity of 20/40 and best corrected acuity of 20/30 with both eyes open (binocularly)

• be physically able to perform the duties of the position, with regard to personal safety and the safety of the public

• be of good moral character and habits

• due to the amount of time required in the selection and training process we ask all members to stay for a minimum of one year

Candidates are also expected to:

• volunteer a minimum of 150 hours per year

• reside in the Greater Toronto Area (Durham, Peel and York Regions or Toronto)

• complete all ongoing training as required

NOTE: applicants who do not meet all of the above requirements will not be considered for this volunteer position.

On a daily basis, an Auxiliary member may be asked to assist the Service members with any of the following duties:

• community response initiatives
• canvassing and searching with respect to evidence or missing persons
• maintenance of police perimeters
• registration and or identification of community property, i.e. bicycles
• community functions and events such as Police Week, parades, fairs, etc.
• community safety audits and other crime prevention programs
• serving on Community Police Liaison Committees
• assistance with the operation of the Toronto Police Information booths, Community Police Offices and Collision Reporting Centres
   

Some of the benefits of becoming an Auxiliary Officer are:

• the Toronto Police Service provides each Auxiliary member with a uniform, equipment and training
• the Auxiliary member is afforded an opportunity to develop an understanding of the Police function within the community
• experience gained as an Auxiliary volunteer will give experience to assess whether a career in the Service as a police officer or civilian member is a good fit
• an Auxiliary member, while on duty, is covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board satisfaction in knowing that a member has made a personal contribution to the well-being of his/her community

There is no requirement by the Toronto Police Service for a candidate to attend any Police Foundations or Law and Security program. The only requirement in regards to education is that a candidate possess’ a minimum grade 12 diploma or equivalent certificate.

In accordance with the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services, Private investigators and Security Guards Act, Bill 159, (2004), a person holding a Private Investigators licence will not be an eligible candidate for the Toronto Police Service Auxiliary Program.

A person currently licensed as a security guard may make application to the Auxiliary Program if it is determined that they do not directly or indirectly participate in any investigative capacity. Notwithstanding, a complete background investigation will be conducted to determine if a conflict of interest may exist.

As per the minimum requirement, if an individual has been convicted of a criminal offence (in any country), they must first obtain a pardon prior to applying. Furthermore, if the individual has had a 'Findings of Guilt' which has resulted in absolute or conditional discharge, their records must be 'sealed' by the RCMP, prior to applying.

Applications will be valid for a period of one year from the date they are submitted to the Talent Acquisition Unit. If you have not been contacted within one year from the date you submitted your application, a new application, with current certifications is required.

Only those applicants assessed best able to meet the organizational needs of the service will be selected for an interview.

There is no specific time period. All applicants are reminded that when applying, it is for the position of Auxiliary Officer and not a particular recruiting class.

Yes. Once hired, all Auxiliary officers will undergo a six-week training program which will include theoretical, procedural and self-defence training.

Community/special events are generally held on weekends and evenings. As a result, Auxiliary Officers will also typically work on evenings and weekends. Your hours will also vary depending on the event.

The Toronto Police Operating budget has had a 0% increase over the last 2 years (i.e., the budget has been the same since 2017). If we remove the Collective Agreement mandated increase for Toronto Police Service employees, also known as COLA, the Toronto Police Service Budget has decreased by approximately 6% over the last 3 years.

It is important to note that the crime statistics only show reported crimes and there are a number of crimes that occur that do not get reported. The Operating Budget pays for the efforts of the police to not only act when a crime takes place, but also to prevent crime from happening.

We are currently in the beginning stages of the 2019 Budget Process. There will be opportunities to voice your concerns at the upcoming review sessions. Unfortunately, it is too early in the process for the release of those dates.

No. Currently, only Deaf, Deafened, Hard of Hearing or Speech impaired (DHHSI) persons may register for this service.

To be eligible, DHHSI persons must have a compatible cell phone and must register with their wireless service provider. Without registration, there is no access to T9-1-1 services. For a list of cellphones that meet T9-1-1 requirements refer to your wireless service provider's website.

When a DHHSI person requires 9-1-1 services, they must dial 9-1-1 on their cell phone to establish direct contact with the 9-1-1 call centre. They do not need to speak. Because of the registration process, the calltaker will receive an indicator with every T9-1-1 call to let them know that they must respond to the caller by text message. Until the caller receives that first text message from 9-1-1, they are not able to text with a calltaker.

T9-1-1 is considered a “best efforts” service due to technology limitations associated with text messaging. This means like with any text message, that there is no guarantee a text message will be sent, delivered or received in a timely manner. In some instances, it may take longer than one minute to receive the initial text message.

The T9-1-1 service should only be used for emergency situations. The more specific you are when answering the questions from the call taker, the more quickly help can be sent. Text the following information: the location where help is needed, the service (police, ambulance or fire department) required, and the reason (what is wrong) that you need help with. The call taker will ask for more details based on these answers. Be sure to answer all questions as best as you can.

Yes. Providing location information and the nature of the emergency in the first message is important. The 9-1-1 call taker may receive an approximate GPS location of your cell phone with your 9-1-1 call, but is not a guaranteed accurate location. It is important that the caller confirms the exact location of the emergency to avoid unnecessary delays.

T9-1-1 will be made available across the country as Public Safety Answering Points (PSAPS or 9-1-1 Centre) make the appropriate network upgrades. The service availability section of the TEXT with 9-1-1 website located at www.textwith911.ca is updated regularly and is the best source of current information as to where in Canada T9-1-1 services are available.

Anyone registered for T9-1-1 services in the city of Toronto can contact Toronto Police for non-emergency issues using the T9-1-1 service.

The change is intended to reduce police response to false alarms and result in the ability to redirect police resources in a more effective and efficient manner, providing an improved response to other calls for service. Year after year, the majority of alarm activations reported to the TPS have been identified as false (97%). This means, police officers are responding to calls for service where there is no requirement for a police response. The TPS is striving to provide the best possible service to all members of the community. Other agencies that have implemented verified response have seen a reduction in the number of calls for service related to alarm events. By reducing response to false alarm events, the call takers, dispatchers and police officers will be more available to provide response to other calls for service and core police duties and responsibilities.

A verified response means there is some form of verification that an unwanted intrusion has occurred. The TPS has defined verified response as: The requirement of validation that criminal activity is occurring/has taken place OR there is imminent threat to personal safety PRIOR to requesting a police response.  The verification requirement will apply to burglar alarm activations. It will NOT apply to panic alarm activations.

Many North American law enforcement agencies have successfully implemented a verified response protocol and have experienced a reduction in the number of false alarm events responded to.

Verified response was implemented on September 10, 2018. Confirmation was communicated to all registered monitoring stations and posted on our website.

Yes, the TPS will provide a response to alarm activations; however, a burglar alarm must be verified to confirm an unwanted intrusion prior to requesting a police response. Once the burglar alarm activation has been verified, the TPS will provide a response. The TPS will provide a response to panic alarm activations and a verification process will not be required.

A burglar alarm may be verified using one or more of the following methods: • Audio device; • Video device; • Multiple zone activations; or • An eye witness (i.e. private security or person at scene).

A burglar alarm activation includes, but is not limited to, alarm distinctions described as burglar, motion, door, window, glass break, etcetera.

A panic alarm activation includes, but is not limited to; alarm distinctions described as panic, hold-up, duress, emergency button, etcetera.

An increase in the false alarm fee has not seen a significant reduction in the number of alarms reported and identified to be false. In 2010, the false alarm fee was increased to $130 from $83.50. The number of alarm events reported to the TPS have remained over 23,000 and 97% have been identified as false.

Owning and operating an alarm system involves a private contract with a private and for-profit business that is providing a private service. The TPS recommends that alarm clients contact the alarm dealer and/or monitoring station to discuss current alarm system set-up, alarm settings and response options.

Racism means the ideas, beliefs, or practices that maintain or perpetuate the superiority or dominance of one racial group over another. Racism is different from prejudice in that it is tied to the social, political, economic, and institutional power that is held by the dominant group in society.

Systemic Racism occurs when institutions or systems create or maintain inequity often as a result of hidden institutional biases in policies, practices and procedures that privilege some groups and disadvantage others. It can take many forms including singling out members of Indigenous, Black and other racialized groups for greater scrutiny or different treatment.

Officer’s Perception means the individual officer’s perception about another individual’s race, based on observations.

Self-Identification means the information that is derived from an individual providing their race in response to being asked this information by a Service member, unless it is impractical to do so.

The TPS has engaged in its own public information campaign. Since October, consultation sessions have been held with each Community Consultative Committee and a group of CPLC representatives. Focus groups have been held with more than 20 community organizations and four public Town Hall Meetings are scheduled to take place before the end of year. A webpage – www.tps.on.ca/race-based-data has also been created.

The Service’s Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights Team has a group of Subject Matter Experts who have been hired to facilitate the implementation of this initiative, including the development of our training curriculum. This training will consist of online and classroom components that will not only provide technical support but will complement the Service’s past efforts to provide our members with fair and impartial policing.

The data collected will be anonymized and eventually available on the Service’s Open Data Portal, available to the media and public. The portal contains current and historical calls for service and occurrence data, arrest data, and other key public safety data sets. Through this portal and open data initiative, the Service is committing to greater openness and transparency.

Yes, in addition to regular public reporting, the data will be made available to the public through the Service’s Open Data Portal by 2021.

Like any document created by the TPS, defense counsel could seek the records disclosed as part of a trial and, if the judge determined it was relevant to the case, the records would be released.

We cannot change what we do not measure. The data will be used to identify and to monitor, potential systemic racism within the Toronto Police Service. Through our analysis, we will be able to put action plans in place to address any gaps.

An independent third-party assessor will be engaged to validate the process. Can individuals ask to be self-identified during this first phase? The first phase of the program is meant to measure perceptions and our own interactions.

Yes, the data we collect will be anonymized and stripped of identifiers. It will be impossible for the data to be connected to a specific individual.

Street checks are an investigative tool while race-based date collection is used to measure systemic trends.

Body-worn cameras provide an unbiased, independent account of police/community interactions. They are an investment in the Toronto Police Service’s commitment to delivering accountable and transparent policing services. Whether they are used to legitimize an engagement between an officer and a member of the public, provide evidence in court, or offer an unbiased alternative to allegations of misconduct, every frontline police officer will be equipped with a body-worn camera.‬‬‬‬‬‬

Implementation began in August 2020 following approval from the Police Services Board. As of January 2021, 607 frontline officers have been using the cameras during their interactions with the public. We anticipate implementation across all divisions will be complete by October 2021.

A police officer will turn on the body-worn camera prior to arriving at a call for service; when they start investigating an individual; or when they are asking a person questions for the purpose of collecting their information. A police officer will turn off the body-worn camera when the call for service or investigation is complete or when the officer determines that continuous recording is no longer serving its intended purpose.

All officers will have the body worn camera in plain view, and the camera has lights and notices indicating it has been activated. Officers are trained to give notice as soon as reasonably possible that a body worn camera is in operation. The timing of this notice may vary depending on the context of the encounter.

The only time a request to turn off a body-worn camera will be actioned is when a police officer has been given permission to enter a private home and the person granting permission has made the request. This can happen before the officer enters the private home or at any time during the officer’s presence in the private home.

Axon Canada is providing a complete solution that includes hardware, software, storage, training, and ongoing support for the Program. The total cost is $34 million for five years, including an option for an additional year.

The officers will undergo training online and at the Toronto Police College. This training covers both the theory behind body-worn cameras in addition to technical training about how to operate the cameras.

Yes, a procedure has been approved and it provides officers with operational direction that includes but is not limited to recording in private and public places; retention and security of videos; and responsibilities for supervisors and Unit Commanders.

Like any other allegation of misconduct, complaints can be made to the Office of the Independent Police Review Director. Once investigated, officers may face any number of disciplinary actions, up to and including dismissal.

We know that only proper use of body-worn cameras will enhance public trust and legitimacy while improper use will have the opposite, detrimental effect on police/community relations. As a result, any officer found to be in non-compliance with the procedure will face a minimum penalty of eight hours lost pay. This penalty increase to a minimum of 16 hours of lost pay for supervisors who are found to be in non-compliance.

In response to the Police Services Board’s recommendations on police reform, along with our ongoing commitment to transparency, we held public consultations on our BWC procedure and decided to make it available to the public. By doing so we hope to foster public trust around the use of BWCs. These cameras are valuable tools that support and reinforce our commitment to delivering accountable and transparent police services.

The Service participated in a comprehensive procurement process, which included written proposals; environmental testing; field evaluations and demonstrations. The process was overseen by a Fairness Commissioner.

The body-worn camera data will be stored for a minimum of one year unless there is a reason to retain it longer, such as for court purposes or an ongoing investigation. If kept for this purpose, the retention period is governed by City of Toronto by-laws and other legal requirements.

The body-worn camera data will be stored in a Canadian-based cloud system. This means data stored in the cloud will remain in Canada. As part of the procurement process, a Privacy Impact Assessment was completed by the Toronto Police Service and shared with the Information & Privacy Commissioner.

At the end of every shift, a police officer will take their body-worn camera and dock it at one of the porting stations in their unit/division. Once docked, the data will automatically be uploaded to the cloud.

Recorded data cannot be altered or deleted at any time. It can be viewed in real-time by the recording officer on their Connected Officer device. It can also be viewed by the officer and their supervisor once it has been uploaded to the cloud.

Only the staff at Video Services will be permitted to edit/vet the body-worn camera data, as per Service procedures covering video recordings. The original, unedited version will always be available.

All body-worn camera data will be considered as part of the standard process for disclosure as dictated by R v Stinchcombe, meaning body-worn camera data will be part of the full and fair disclosure the Crown Attorney is obligated to provide to defense.

An officer will make their notes in compliance with standard operating procedures. If, after reviewing the video, an addition to the notes is needed, an addendum can be done that includes a reference to the review of body-worn camera footage.

The battery in a body-worn camera will last an entire 12-hour shift.

Yes, the technology does have transcription capabilities.

If you have an emergency – an immediate threat to life or property – please call 911. Non-emergencies can be reported by calling ‪416-808-2222.

Many incidents can be reported using our Online Reporting System, such as Damage to Vehicle or Property under $5,000, Driving or Parking Complaints, Traffic Issues or Concerns, Graffiti, or Theft or Fraud Under $5,000.

Yes, all Toronto Police Service facilities, including Headquarters, are open to the public, however members of the public are encouraged to continue using our Online Reporting System when possible.

If you have a specific issue you would like to discuss, it is recommended you schedule a time with the appropriate member. You can call the front desk of any division to make these arrangements.

 The phone number for each division follows the same format, with the last four digits being the number of division, followed by two zeroes.  As an example, the main number for 14 Division is 416-808-1400, the main number for 43 Division is 416-808-4300, etc.

The Records Release Section (Information Access Unit) located at Headquarters will be providing in person service on an appointment basis. To book an appointment please visit Background Checks

Please note Vulnerable Sector Checks will still have to be mailed in to: Information Access Unit (Records Release), Toronto Police Service, 40 College Street,  Toronto, ON M5G 2J3 as appointments are not available for this service.

Alternatively, these checks (and required payment) may be hand-delivered to the HQ Drop Box, Monday – Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.  

The Access and Privacy Section (APS) is processing all mail-in applications under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. Members the public can also attend Headquarters to submit applications. Any questions regarding the process and/or requests can be sent to Access Privacy Section.

The Property Unit, is open by appointment only, please call 416-808-3750 or email [email protected] to book an appointment.

Collision Reporting Centres will be open Monday - Friday – 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday – 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, please visit their website at www.accsupport.com.

Racism means the ideas, beliefs, or practices that maintain or perpetuate the superiority or dominance of one racial group over another. Racism is different from prejudice in that it is tied to the social, political, economic, and institutional power that is held by the dominant group in society.

Systemic Racism occurs when institutions or systems create or maintain inequity often as a result of hidden institutional biases in policies, practices and procedures that privilege some groups and disadvantage others. It can take many forms including singling out members of Indigenous, Black and other racialized groups for greater scrutiny or different treatment.

Officer’s Perception means the individual officer’s perception about another individual’s race, based on observations.

Self-Identification means the information that is derived from an individual providing their race in response to being asked this information by a Service member, unless it is impractical to do so.

• Traffic and or pedestrian control for various events, including films
• Security services for licensed establishments or other organizations
• Escort services for oversized loads

• On behalf of an employer or union in relation to a labour dispute
• At a function likely to promote a confrontation between participating groups including, but not limited to, annual general meetings, termination of employees by an employer, protests and get belongings
• Events for political parties or politicians
• As a bodyguard service
• The escort of money or valuables

If you require police assistance at one of these prohibited functions, please contact your local Division.

Please see our Rates page and the Terms of Agreement (printable document for your records only).

A spreadsheet calculator is also provided on the main Paid Duty webpage to help provide customers with an estimated cost of a request.

NOTE: Customers are responsible for making payment for all Paid Duty requests as soon as possible to expedite the process.

We ask that you provide all known details of the work and a description of the expected functions of the officers. This information is necessary for us to determine the urgency, and prioritize your request.

NOTE: Please make sure that all contact information is accurate and updated and that all permits are provided with the request.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your TPS account, please contact Accounting Services at [email protected].

No.  The Paid Duty Office makes best efforts to fill all approved paid duty requests, but there are no guarantees.

Once your request has been processed you will get an automatic e-mail notification that includes an ID number(s). This assigned ID number is specific to each paid duty request (separate dates will have separate ID numbers, as well, different ranks of officers will be separated and will each have their own ID number)

Our system is set up to notify the customer via email whenever there is a change in status.

Due to the volume of requests received, CPDO will only contact you directly if there is an issue with your request.

NOTE: Only persons listed on the account/request can be provided information with regards to updates/changes/revisions.

The emails you will receive are as follows:

WaitingARApproval: we have entered your request on our system and you need to make payment and or accounting needs to verify that you have enough funds on your account to cover the cost.

Posted: funds have been received/verified and your request has been posted on our board for officers to apply for

Awarded: an available officer has been awarded your request

Void: if you cancel your paid duty with more than 24 hours' notice (as set out in the Terms of Agreement) CPDO will void the Paid Duty. You will receive an email stating such and no fees will be owed.

Void: if your Paid Duty cannot be filled, CPDO will void the Paid Duty. You will receive an email stating such and no fees will be owed.

Cancelled:  If you cancel your request with less than 24 hours' notice (during CPDO business hours) you will be charged for a (3) hour minimum charge** including all applicable fees and taxes for each Officer(s) and equipment assigned the Paid Duty.

If you wish to cancel your Paid Duty, please e-mail [email protected] with the Paid Duty ID number provided to you. If no Paid Duty ID number is received, the Central Paid Duty Office will not action your request and you may incur unwanted costs. Please be advised that if you send a cancellation outside of business hours, it will not be processed until the start of the following business day.

When you send written notice cancelling a Paid Duty with less than 24 hours' notice (during CPDO business hours) prior to the start of the Paid Duty, you will receive an email stating your Paid Duty has been cancelled and you will owe a 3 hour minimum charge for the Officers on the Paid Duty plus applicable fees and taxes as set out in the Terms of Agreement. 

If you cancel your paid duty with more than 24 hours' notice (as set out in the Terms of Agreement) or your Paid Duty cannot be filled, CPDO will contact you and then proceed to void the Paid Duty. You will receive an email stating that your Paid Duty has been void with no fees owing.

As of March 15, 2014 all customers must make the full payment at least 10 business days prior to the Paid Duty.

Paid duty officers shall not be paid directly. All paid duty payments shall be made payable to: Toronto Police Service and mailed to: Accounts Receivable, Toronto Police Service, 40 College Street, 10th floor, Toronto, ON M5G 2J3.

We accept the following payment methods:

• Certified Cheque payable to the Toronto Police Service,
• Money Order,
• Visa and MasterCard up to $10,000 per transaction.

For more information, please refer to the Payment section of the Terms of Agreement.

Please direct any inquiries to: [email protected]

If you wish to revise your Paid Duty Request, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with MORE than 24 HOURS NOTICE within our business hours and include the ID number(s)

Failure to provide proper notice with leave you with two options:

1. Leave the paid duty in status quo, or,

2. Cancelling the paid duty (incurring a 3 hour minimum charge**) and requiring you to resubmit a new paid duty request at the risk of not being able to fill it. *
* including all applicable fees and taxes

If you wish to revise the date, you will need to provide the following:

1. Send an cancellation email providing the ID# to: [email protected]ps.ca
2. Submit a new paid duty request form with the new date

Customer feedback is very important to us. The Central Paid Duty Office is always open and willing to hear your comments regarding the service provided during the Paid Duty. Please do not hesitate to email [email protected], and we will follow-up with you at the earliest opportunity.

To make an online payment, go to pay.tps.ca.
For further assistance, please refer to “How To Pay Online” document. It may take 1 to 3 business days for a payment to be posted to your account.

Once your payment transaction is processed, a payment receipt will be send directly to your email address that you have provided. It is important that all information entered in the payment application is accurate and free of any errors.

Your credit card information is kept in digital form and securely stored using Moneris vault, provided by Moneris Solutions, Inc., a trusted provider of card transaction services. No credit card information is stored in any of Toronto Police Service servers.

Any short payment is due immediately, payment of which is automatically processed. Per Consent Agreement, you agree to authorize Toronto Police Service to process automatically the required additional charges (the difference between estimated and actual cost) using the same Credit Card. You will also receive a payment receipt via email for your file.

Email your request for refund to [email protected] The refund will be credited back to the same credit card used in the original transaction.
Alternatively, you may leave your credit balance (if you wish) for future paid duty requests.

These are other payment methods:

• Certified Cheque or Money Order
  The money order or certified cheque should be made payable to Toronto Police Service and sent to Toronto Police Service, Accounts Receivable, 40 College Street, 10^th floor, Toronto, ON M5G 2J3.
  It should be received at least 10 business days prior to paid duty event.


• Electronic Funds Transfer / Direct Deposit
  Please email a blank EFT/Direct Deposit form to [email protected].

Rather than paying for each paid duty request, several options may be more suited for your needs such as security deposit or drawing from lump sum deposit.
To find out what payment solution works for your business needs, email [email protected].

HST #86740 2299 RT0001 (under City of Toronto)

The information will only be accepted if it is entered by the vulnerable person named in the record, their parent or guardian or a person with power of attorney or similar authority over the individual. A verification process will follow the data entry to ensure that the person entering the data had the authority to do so.

The information entered into this system becomes available to frontline police officers as soon as it has been verified. This provides frontline officers with important context about any behaviours they may observe when they are assisting a vulnerable person.

The information can include the following but many fields are not mandatory:

• The name, date of birth, address and description of the person


• The name, address, contact information of the individual entering the data and any other support person who might be able to assist the person being registered


• Behaviours that may be exhibited by the person


• Locations where the person might be located if reported missing


• Triggers or subjects to avoid discussing


• It is not mandatory, but if the person entering the information wishes to do so they can also provide a photograph, information about the person’s physician and medical conditions.

While the Toronto Police Service Vulnerable Persons Registry captures much of the same information as the Connect Protect program the information is used in different ways. Vulnerable Persons Registry information is available to officers before they arrive at a radio call while Connect Protect information is generally accessed after officers have identified that an individual is wearing a Medic Alert bracelet and requires assistance.

As a result, the Toronto Police Service strongly recommends registering in both initiatives. This ensures that vulnerable members of the community will receive the appropriate care and assistance that they might need. Please visit the Medic Alert Connect Protect sign-up page to register for that progam.

This information will only be used by officers to obtain background information about people they are dealing with unless the person is reported missing. In those cases the missing person’s photograph (if provided), name and description may be shared with the media, TTC, Toronto Community Housing or Hospitals.

No. The information provided in the Vulnerable Persons Registry will not be provided to potential employers or other civilian organizations.

The registered person's information will remain in the database for two years. This time frame can be extended by the person who entered the data by adding a supplemental report to the original report.

The person who submitted the information can request that it be removed from the registry at any time by sending a supplementary attachment to the original report.

Applications can be made online or in person at TPS Headquarters – 40 College Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2J3.

You will need to bring two government issued pieces of identification; one must have your photo.

No. As of November 1, 2018, in response to the Police Record Checks Reform Act, the Toronto Police Service no longer collects fees for those under 18 requiring a regular check using our regular service.

Please see our up-to-date processing timelines for information on when you can expect to receive your completed record check results.

The processing time is the same regardless of the application method.

A non-conviction would not be disclosed on a Criminal Record Check. However, an additional step of identity verification may be required. Please see the Fingerprint Requirements section.

It is up to the accepting agency when a police background check, including a Vulnerable Sector Check will be accepted.

All levels of police background checks, including Vulnerable Sector Checks, represent  a clear criminal record on the day it has been performed.

• A criminal record can change after a search of records has been completed and the result of the check has been issued.
• At their discretion, an agency may determine that they are willing to accept a recent background check.
• There is no renewal process - each request is considered as new, whether or not the applicant has applied previously.

For a Criminal Record Check, the Toronto Police Service can conduct the check wherever you live. The Criminal Record Check is a Canada-wide search that can be obtained by any policing agency (Peel, York, Durham, etc.).

In the case of a Vulnerable Sector Check, it must be requested from the policing jurisdiction where you live.

An authorized party can apply on your behalf, and must provide two original notarized copies of your identification and an authorization letter. Further details are available from our Criminal Record Check – Application Process for Residents outside of Canada section above.

Yes, this document can be produced in French upon request.
Oui, ce document peut être produit en Français sur demande.

• If applying online please indicate you wish to have the document issued in French by making a note in the ‘Reason for Request’ field.
  Si vous postulez en ligne, veuillez indiquer que vous désirez que le document soit émis en Français dans le champ « Reason for Request ».
   
• If applying in person, please advise a clerk at the Records Request Counter that you wish to have the letter issued in French.
  Si vous présentez une demande en personne, veuillez aviser au commis du comptoir des demandes de documents que vous désirez que la lettre soit émise en Français.

No. Level 1 and Level 2 background checks can be applied for online. Alternatively, you may schedule an appointment through our booking app.

Vulnerable Sector Checks can either be mailed or dropped off in the Drop Box at:

• Toronto Police Headquarters
  Information Access
  40 College St., 4th Floor
  Toronto, ON
  M5G 2J3

Appointments will not be available for Vulnerable Sector Checks.

No. Expedited Vulnerable Sector Checks have been suspended until further notice.

Yes. The Police Reference Check Program will continue to receive applications submitted through the mail. Please review the requirements carefully to ensure there are no processing delays because of incomplete information.

Individuals do not apply directly to the Toronto Police Service for a Vulnerable Sector Check. Requests for vulnerable sector checks must be completed through organizations that are registered with our Police Reference Check Program.

The registered agency will provide you with the application form. The form is on legal-sized paper and must be signed by the agency's contact person.

No, do not attend 40 College Street to pay for your Vulnerable Sector Check.

Your Vulnerable Sector Check request (with payment of a Certified Cheque or Money Order) should be mailed to

Toronto Police Service
Attn: Information Access
40 College St., 4th Floor
Toronto, ON 
M5G 2J3

Alternatively, you may hand-deliver your completed Vulnerable Sector Screening application (and required payment) to the HQ Drop Box, Monday to Friday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding statutory holidays.

Toronto is the largest jurisdiction in Canada and we experience a higher volume of applications. Processing times may fluctuate due to volume and time of year.

Criminal Record Check and Criminal Record and Judicial Matters Checks generally take between 7-10 business days from the date the information is received. Cost is $20.

Vulnerable Sector Checks generally take 2 weeks from the date the informaiton is received for individuals who are not on file with any Federal, Provincial or Local Database. For an update on a Check, call the Status Line at 416-808-8253. The cost is $65 for employment purposes and $20 for volunteer or student applications.

For Vulnerable Sector Check applications - Certified cheque or money order made payable to Toronto Police Service.

If your application has surpassed our normal processing time frame, you can contact the Police Reference Check Program to follow up at 416-808-8244. Phones answered live only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, 8:00am to 4:00pm, excluding statutory holidays.

It is up to the accepting agency when a police background check, including a Vulnerable Sector Check will be accepted.

All levels of police background checks, including Vulnerable Sector Checks, represent  a clear criminal record on the day it has been performed.

• A criminal record can change after a search of records has been completed and the result of the check has been issued.
• At their discretion, an agency may determine that they are willing to accept a recent background check.
• There is no renewal process - each request is considered as new, whether or not the applicant has applied previously.

Yes, this document can be produced in French upon request.
Oui, ce document peut être produit en Français sur demande.

• If applying online please indicate you wish to have the document issued in French by making a note in the ‘Reason for Request’ field.
  Si vous postulez en ligne, veuillez indiquer que vous désirez que le document soit émis en Français dans le champ « Reason for Request ».
   
• If applying in person, please advise a clerk at the Records Request Counter that you wish to have the letter issued in French.
  Si vous présentez une demande en personne, veuillez aviser au commis du comptoir des demandes de documents que vous désirez que la lettre soit émise en Français.

No. Level 1 and Level 2 background checks can be applied for online. Alternatively, you may schedule an appointment through our booking app.

Vulnerable Sector Checks can either be mailed or dropped off in the Drop Box at:

• Toronto Police Headquarters
  Information Access
  40 College St., 4th Floor
  Toronto, ON
  M5G 2J3

Appointments will not be available for Vulnerable Sector Checks.

The purpose of collecting race-based data is to assess whether racial disparities exist in policing, and if so, what can be done to eliminate them. In 2019, the provincial government directed that all police services in Ontario begin collecting race-based data in instances of reportable use-of-force. In response to the OIPRD’s 2019 report “Breaking the Golden Rule,” we went a step further and also included the collection of race-based data related to strip searches.

The Toronto Police Service (the Service) has made police reform and being responsive to our communities a top priority. We have been listening and taking actions to repair community trust. However, we cannot fully understand or change what we do not measure. The Service’s Race-Based Data Collection (RBDC) Strategy is providing us with valuable data and insights to address and reveal trends to help us identify, monitor and eliminate systemic racism in our policies and practices. It is also allowing us to identify ways we can better support our members in their delivery of fair and equitable policing.

To determine disproportionality and over representation of a specific race group in use-of-force and strip searches, we have to first determine the appropriate “population group”, or “denominator” to compare it to.

In use-of-force, our analysis looks at the “enforcement action” population, and in strip searches, our analysis looks at the “all arrests” population, rather than City of Toronto Resident Population. This allows us to compare outcomes against the population that actually had contact with police. Comparing outcomes to the resident population is useful to understand broad systemic issues in society and how that impacts different groups, but it is not as useful at telling us what effect policing practices and policies have on those outcomes. Our goal is to focus our efforts on the actions that we can control.

Taking a multiple benchmark approach lets us see the different outcomes in the policing pathway for each race group. Identifying these patterns helps us to know where there may be opportunities for improvement to reduce use-of-force and strip search outcomes and to more accurately identify the issues that contribute to disparate outcomes.

• The findings on reportable use-of-force and strip searches released on June 15, 2022 are from data collected in 2020.
• The findings confirm that Black, Indigenous, and racialized people are over-represented in both use-of-force incidents as well as in strip searches.
• The RBDC Strategy is meant to address issues of systemic racism and will not be used to further stigmatize communities or identify individual officers. Instead, our analysis will help us adjust our policies and practices to eliminate systemic bias.
• We have identified 38 action items to address the findings. We will work with communities, our members, and our partners to further develop the items that are in progress or that we have not yet started, and to identify additional areas where we can do better.
• This is only the beginning of this work. The findings from 2020 will act as a baseline to build upon in the years ahead. We are committed to continued engagement with our members and communities as we expand the types of data we collect and analyze, and co-develop actions in response.
• We would encourage everyone to visit our RBDC webpage on TPS.ca for comprehensive information on the strategy, the findings, how we collected and analyzed data, and how we are working with our community partners to find solutions. The QR code at the top of these FAQs will link you to the page.

Systemic racism occurs when institutions or systems create or maintain racial inequity often as a result of hidden institutional biases in policies, practices, and procedures that privilege some groups and disadvantage others. It is the “normal ways of doing things” that are often unintended or unconscious and that have a negative impact on racialized people. That includes when members of Indigenous, Black, and racialized groups are singled out for greater scrutiny or different treatment.

Yes, the Province’s Anti-Racism Act requires the public sector to collect race data. For policing, all services across Ontario must collect race data in all use-of-force reports. The Service expanded the scope of collection to include strip searches. The Province’s Anti-Racism Data Standards guides the collection, management and analysis of race-based data. The Toronto Police Services Board’s policy specifically directs the Service on how to collect and analyze race-based data.

The Service is collecting information to understand systemic racial bias and systemic racism in policing by collecting officer perception of an individual’s race based on what they can observe about the individual with whom they are interacting.

Perception is important to understand unconscious biases, assumptions and other internal thought processes that may impact decision-making. This will help us to make improvements to our policies, procedures, practices and training.

A Use of Force Report goes through several internal check points to ensure the data is recorded correctly and in accordance with legislation. Intentionally falsifying police records constitutes as misconduct.

Perceived race is an important measurement to help us understand if we treat people fairly, regardless of how we perceive their race.

Perceived race and self-identified race are two different things, although they may closely intersect for most people. For this analysis, we are focused on whether there are trends in how officers perceive individuals and any impacts on their outcomes, and not about how people personally identify.

Disproportionality is a measure of a racial group’s presence in an interaction and compares it to that group’s presence in the reference population. Disparity measures a racial group’s difference in outcomes by comparing it to the outcomes of another group.

Yes. Community engagement is a core part of the RBDC Strategy. From the beginning, we partnered with community organizations and engaged broadly with the public, including at town halls and focus groups. We established a Community Advisory Panel (CAP) dedicated to supporting all aspects of the Strategy and met regularly with community stakeholders, and the Board and Chief’s community-based committees.

We also regularly engaged with the Board’s Anti-Racism Advisory Panel (ARAP), the Police and Community Engagement Review (PACER) committee, and the City of Toronto Confronting Anti-Black Racism (CABR) Unit.

TPS met with the Chief’s Aboriginal Community Consultative Committee early on about the RBDC Strategy. We partnered with Native Child and Family Services to conduct focus groups with Indigenous members of the public, and met regularly with the Indigenous Justice Division (Ministry of Attorney General) for strategic advice and input.

To further support our efforts, the Service hired an Indigenous Engagement Specialist to help us increase cultural competencies needed as a foundation for building relationships. Developing and implementing a specific Indigenous Engagement Strategy is a priority for the Service.

We have more work to do to meaningfully engage with Indigenous peoples in Toronto and we acknowledge that greater efforts must be made to build trusted relationships with Indigenous peoples and organizations. Developing and implementing a specific Indigenous Engagement Strategy is a priority for the Service.

Yes. Community partnerships and collaboration are necessary to the success of the Strategy. We need to embed community perspectives and be informed by lived experiences in order for changes to stick and have real impact on the ground. As the strategy progresses and we continue to monitor racial disparities, we will rely on community partnerships to make sure we are going in the right direction, make necessary adjustments, learn and improve together.

Front line experiences and perspectives are necessary for the analyses to be meaningful, accurate, and useful. Engaging with members of the Service is also a priority to ensure that changes have real and sustained impacts. We engaged with uniform and civilian members of the Service from all ranks and units in several ways:

• Unit Champions from each Division and specialized unit are informed about the Strategy and its progress so that they can regularly engage and support their peers to understand and get feedback about race-based data collection and analyses.
   
• A team of Inspectors have been selected to support Unit Champions, and to provide resources and seek the perspectives of officers.
   
• Police Constables are embedded in the Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights Unit to support the RBDC Strategy and lead internal engagements.
   
• Race-based data discussions have been incorporated into relevant training modules, such as In-Service trainings, to hear members’ thoughts, questions and to understand their concerns.
   
• Members and communities will continue to be engaged as we expand the types of data we collect and analyze, and co-develop actions in response.

The Service has a dedicated team of subject matter experts in the Equity, Inclusion and Human Rights Unit (EIHR) leading the work. Members of the unit provide expertise in equity, human rights, research methods, and engagement, and have partnered with internal subject matter experts in TPS data systems and analysis. The Service also hired Dr. Mai Phan, an external consultant who is an expert in race data for equity purposes, to join EIHR to support the Service in all aspects of this work, including providing strategic advice, guiding engagements, and developing and conducting analyses.

Questions and perspectives for analyses were also informed by engagements with both internal members and external communities and stakeholders. The RBDC Strategy Community Advisory Panel (CAP) was established to provide diverse community perspectives and lived experiences to inform analyses and interpretation of results.

In addition, the Service partnered with the Wellesley Institute and contracted independent researchers, Dr. Lorne Foster and Dr. Les Jacobs, to conduct reviews of our analyses and data practices and make recommendations to the Board.

From talking to Service members as well as stakeholders and the RBDC Community Advisory Panel (CAP), we identified key questions to explore with our data, to include context and look at the data in different ways.

By working together to co-develop questions and perspectives to test, our analysis is very in-depth and uses more of our data while also protecting the privacy of the public and our members. Some examples of things we took into consideration are:

• Are there differences by race in the highest type of force used?
   
• Are incidents associated to more violent offences more likely to involve a use-of-force, regardless of race?
   
• Are there differences by gender for each race group in use-of-force compared to the enforcement action population?
   
• Are there differences for youth for each race group in use-of-force compared to the enforcement action population?
   
• Are there racial disproportionalities in people who come into contact with police for enforcement-type actions?
   
• Are use-of-force incidents more likely to be associated with arrests than with other types of enforcement activities?
   
• Do uses of force originate from proactive events or reactive calls for service?  Does time of day impact use-of-force by race?
   
• Were situations associated to weapons (weapons were perceived or calls for service) more likely to involve a reported use-of-force and are there any racial disproportionalities?
   
• Were there differences by race for use-of-force incidents taking into account the primary offence type?
   
• Are certain calls for service (i.e.: violent calls for service, persons in crisis, calls in progress) more likely to result in use-of-force incidents and racial disproportionalities?
   
• Are people who come into contact or who are arrested more frequently more likely to have a use-of-force or strip search?
   
• Are strip searches and use-of-force incidents related to crime rates within a division?
   
• Do incidents such as failure to appear or comply and involving warrants impact uses of force/strip searches by race?
   
• Are the racial disproportionalities in use-of-force or strip searches related to the racial breakdown of a division's resident population?
   
• Where in the city do uses of force or strip searches happen by race?
   
• Were there differences in reasons for strip searches by race?
   
• Are there racial disproportionalities in strip searches when bookings, instead of arrests, are used as a benchmark, instead of arrests?
   
• Did the change in Procedure 01-02 (Search of Persons) reduce strip searches and racial disproportionalities?
   
• What is the rate of items found during strip search data by race?

For the analysis to have impact, it must reflect the operational context of policing so we can identify what is working and where we need to improve. This includes understanding if, when an officer arrives on scene, they are providing the same level of service to everyone, regardless of their race, and whether there are disparities in use-of-force and strip search outcomes.

Yes, they are. To properly understand strip search results, we need to provide context, which includes procedures and any changes. For 2020, this means analyzing the data in a way that recognizes major changes to the strip search procedure and booking form that took place in October 2020.

Comparing outcomes to the resident population is useful to understand broad systemic issues in society and how that impacts different groups. But it is not as useful at telling us what effect policing practices and policies have on those outcomes, or where we need to focus to make positive change specific to policing.

To best understand use-of-force and strip search decisions, we will compare outcomes against the population that experienced an enforcement action (for use-of-force) and arrests and bookings (for strip searches). An individual must have a relevant interaction with police before they can experience one of these outcomes. This will help us more accurately measure racial disparities in police outcomes, once an interaction occurs.

The Service has undertaken an immense effort to collect, manage, and analyze race-based data in a way that has never been done before, including using calls for service and occurrence data to better understand the context of use-of-force incidents and searches of persons. That said, there continued to be room for improvement in areas where we have identified gaps in what we collect and in what situations. We have identified Information Technology improvements that are part of the RBDC Action Plan and include:

• Working with the province to improve the Use-of-force Report and reporting requirements
   
• Improving booking and strip search templates, particularly reporting items found

The Service’s overall findings are comparable to other police services in Ontario who reported racial disparities in use-of-force incidents. Across Ontario, there is evidence of Black over-representation in use-of-force when compared to their proportion in the resident population and over-representation of different racialized groups, depending on the particular police service.

However, the Service’s approach is much more comprehensive and allows us to dig deeper into the data. This is unique amongst all police services. Our analysis takes into account context and other factors so that we can better understand the nuances of use-of-force situations, and where we can focus to reduce disparities in outcomes.

Yes. We will report all the findings of analyses conducted for all groups and not just those areas where disparities were found. We looked to the data to answer key questions and report the results, even if they did not support commonly held assumptions. Being evidencebased means that we use the best information we have to understand the issue.

Yes. The Strategy is an ongoing initiative that is part of how the Service will support the Board, our members, community partners, and stakeholders to work collectively to advance racial equity in policing, and other police reform efforts.

Given the small numbers of incidents where firearms were discharged (4), to include them in the race-based data analysis, we grouped them with firearms pointed.

Officers are required to submit a Use of Force Report, as mandated by the Ministry of the Solicitor General, for every incident in which they:

• Used physical force that results in medical attention from EMS or the hospital;
   
• Drew, pointed or discharged a firearm, or demonstrated or used a taser, regardless of the level of injuries;
   
• Used a weapon other than a firearm or taser (such as a baton, pepper spray, or police animal) that comes into contact with person, regardless of the level of injuries.

For our analysis, types of force were categorized from LOWEST (physical or other type of force), INTERMEDIATE (less than lethal force and handgun drawn) to HIGHEST (firearms pointed or discharged) across all officers involved in the same incident.

A Use of Force Report is a mandated form by the Ministry of the Solicitor General. It captures information about a use-of-force interaction, including the type of incident officers responded to, the type of force used, if a weapon was perceived, and the level of injuries.

Starting in January 2020, the province revised the Use of Force Report form to add perceived race and to comply with the Anti-Racism Act and regulation. The revised form also enables every police service to securely submit the form to the Ministry electronically under the Police Services Act.

• There were differences by race in use-of-force incidents showing distinct patterns for different race groups. Black, East/Southeast Asian, Middle Eastern and Latino people were overrepresented in reported use-of-force incidents compared to their presence in enforcement action population.
   
• Officers may use multiple use-of-force options in an attempt to deescalate an incident. When force was used, Black people were over-represented in higher types of force used.
   
• Differences by race remained in incidents after taking into account weapons, calls for service that result in an enforcement action, and frequency of recent involvement in enforcement actions.
   
• There were differences across locations in use-of-force incident rates after taking into account crime rates and resident population.

• Black people: 1.6x
   
• East/Southeast Asian people: 1.2x
   
• Middle Eastern people: 1.2x
   
• Latino people: 1.5x

Black, South Asian and East/Southeast Asian people were more likely to experience higher uses of force compared to White people across all use-of-force incidents.

In 2020, the Service had approximately 700,000 interactions with the public in response to 911 calls, traffic and pedestrian stops, and other policing activities. Of those, there were 949 or 0.2% reportable use-of-force incidents.

Although the number of reported uses of force was small in comparison to our overall interactions, we recognize that each one is unique and has impacts on individuals, their families, and the officers involved.

The majority of use-of-force incidents started out as a 911 call and were not proactive events. The largest category by far, making up almost half of the reported use-of-force incidents, were violent calls for service. Of the reportable use-of-force incidents in 2020:

• 48% were associated with a Violent Call for Service
• 9% were Calls in Progress or Just Occurred events (such as break & enters or assaults)
• 7.8% were proactive events (such as vehicle and subject stops)
• 6.8% were Persons in Crisis

For detailed information on our Use-of-force Findings, visit our Race-Based Data Collection webpage at TPS.ca. In particular, consider watching the Use-of-force: Measurement & Outcomes video.

In 2020, there were 31,979 arrests, of which 17,096 (53.5%) were booked into custody at a police station. Of those, there were 7,114 strip searches, representing 22.2% of all arrests or 41.6% of bookings that year.

There are four different levels of searches:

• Protective Search: a scope of search that is limited to exterior patting of clothing such as pockets, waistband or areas that may reasonably conceal such items as weapons. It may be described as a “safety search”.
• Frisk Search: a more thorough search that may include emptying and searching pockets as well as removal of clothing, which does not expose a person’s undergarments or areas of the body normally covered by undergarments. It could include the removal of belts, footwear, socks, shoes, sweaters, etc.
• Strip Search: includes all steps in the protecting and frisk search, and a thorough search of a person’s clothing and non-physical search of the body. That will often require removal or rearrangement of some, or all, of the person’s clothing to permit a visual inspection of a person’s private areas.
• Body Cavity Search: are conducted by a qualified medical practitioner or at a medical facility.

• Strip search rates varied throughout the year and dropped significantly following changes in policy and procedures. The Search of Persons policy change took effect in October 2020, resulting in a significant decline in strip searches:
• There were differences by race in strip search rates which were reduced following the changes in policy and procedure. Black, Indigenous and White people were overrepresented relative to their presence in arrests.
• There were differences by race after accounting for repeat arrests, including drug-related and weapons offences.
• There were differences across arrest locations by Division in strip searches conducted in 2020.

In 2020, we updated our Search of Person Procedure, which resulted in a significant reduction in the overall numbers of strip searches by 90%, and a decrease in disparities as well. All protective and frisk searches are now captured on audio and video, wherever possible, to allow for transparency and accountability. As part of the changes, we developed a robust training module of search of persons, including a review of case law. We also require that all strip searches are authorized by a supervisor and are accurately documented and audited at a divisional and senior management level. Information captured includes the reason for the search and the items found.

• Pre-Policy Change: 27% of arrests resulted in a strip search
• Post-Policy Change: 4.9% of arrests resulted in a strip search

Changes in policy and procedures resulted in a reduction in over-representation of Indigenous people arrested, from 1.3x to no over-representation in 2021.

Disproportionalities remained for Black and White people arrested.

For detailed information on our Strip Search Findings, visit our Race-Based Data Collection webpage at TPS.ca. In particular, consider watching the Strip Searches: Measurement & Outcomes video.

As a result of the findings from our analyses of strip searches and use-of-force, the Service has identified 38 action items to improve procedures, support members through improved training and coaching, revise and improve governance, continue to engage affected communities and our members, and enhance monitoring and communication of our progress.

For detailed information on our action items, visit our Race-Based Data Collection webpage at TPS.ca. In particular, consider watching the Taking Action video.

Transparency and accountability for our actions is a priority for the Service. This means a commitment to monitor and track how we are doing and the progress made, including whether we are meeting our goals. We will work with stakeholders, communities and our members to identify what success looks like, and how our actions are expected to contribute to it. A dashboard will be available to help the public and our members see what progress we are making. We are also required to report on our progress bi-annually to the Toronto Police Service’s Board.

In Phase 2 of the Strategy, the Service is collected data on arrests, charges, mental health and child apprehensions, and diversions. This expanded view will let us identify racial disparities at other critical interaction points to understand how they affect different outcomes in the policing pathway so that we can make meaningful change.

The protection of personal privacy and confidentiality is critically important to the Service’s RBDC Strategy. This means that prior to conducting analyses, the data containing race and identity data is made anonymous by removing any personal identifiers, such as occurrence numbers, names, birthdates, badge numbers and other information so that the data cannot be used to directly identify any individual member of the public or officer (i.e., anonymized data).
 

Anonymized data containing race and identity-based data are securely stored and access is restricted to designated staff with responsibilities to produce, manage, maintain and analyze the data under the Strategy.

Prior to public release, the Service further protects personal privacy by de-identifying the information to further minimize the risk that a unique individual can be re-identified through the use of information, alone or combined. The Service also regularly consults with Ontario’s Information and Privacy Commissioner to seek its advice on best approaches to data privacy and confidentiality.

The purpose of the RBDC Strategy is to identify and address systemic racial bias in our policies and practices. The analytical framework we have developed for the purpose of measuring systemic racism does not lend itself to identifying individual racism.

The Board’s RBDC policy states specifically that the data will not be used to identify individuals, including Service members, and that data is removed prior to analysis. If the Board decides that that is a direction they would like to head we will have to develop a new framework to achieve that purpose.

We have been engaging with the Privacy Commissioner to make sure that how we handle, access and use data does not violate individual privacy and that we’re only using the data for the stated purpose, which is to address systemic racial bias in policing policies and practices.

The Service already has accountability measures in place to address individual racism, which is identified as misconduct. We understand the public’s interest in increased accountability, and will be adding further accountability measures as part of the RBDC action items. You can find more information about those existing measures on the Public Data Portal or the RBDC website under ‘Policing Practices.’

To be transparent, fair and accountable for its analyses, the Service is approaching data analyses in several ways. First, the Service is consulting with communities, stakeholders, subject matter experts and internal members to develop an analysis framework that is guiding how we are looking at the data in a principled and open way that reflects understanding of community and policing contexts.

Secondly, a Community Advisory Panel (CAP) was established to advise the Service on the collection, analyses and interpretation of results. This panel is comprised of diverse members of affected communities with lived experiences, including youth, and subject matter experts in community and research.

Thirdly, the Service partnered with the Wellesley Institute and independent researchers, Dr. Lorne Foster and Dr. Les Jacobs, to examine and advise on the Service’s analysis and findings as well as conduct independent analyses to report to the Toronto Police Services Board.

Finally, the Service is committed to open data and open analytics to enable everyone to do their own analysis. Open, informed conversations help contribute to solutions to improve policing.

The Chief of Police is accountable to the TPS Board for the implementation of the Racebased Data Collection, Analyses, and Reporting Policy. Under the Policy, the Chief is responsible for developing procedures to safeguard the data collected and assign areas accountable for the management, use, and protection of race-based data. All Service members have a responsibility to ensure that personal privacy and data security are protected and to comply with policies and procedures related to personal information and race and identity-based data. To support this, all members, uniform and civilian, receive training specific to the RBDC Strategy.

Yes. The Service is committed to transparency and accountability while protecting personal privacy and ensuring information security in compliance with privacy laws. The Strategy includes an open data requirement and public reporting of analyses to allow the public to access and use de-identified data. The Service will consider and balance the public interest in access to open data and protection of personal privacy to prevent any individuals from being identified in the data.

Under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, individuals continue to have access to their own personal information, including any race and identitybased data, by submitting a request to the Access and Privacy Section.

Yes, they must provide the same information that you are required to provide when you make a request. In addition, a signed authorization letter that directs the Toronto Police Service to release that record to an authorized party must also be provided.

For personal requests: 
    Motor Vehicle Collision Reports – 5-10 business days 
    Confirmation letters/Occurrence report summary – 5-10 business days 
    Lost/stolen Passports – 10 business days 

For company requests: 
    Motor Vehicle Collision Reports – 4-6 weeks 
    Confirmation letters/Occurrence report summary – 4-6 weeks 
    Due to the high volume of Insurance Company and Law Firm requests.

* Processing times may fluctuate due to volume and time of year.

If the normal processing time has elapsed, you may call our office to initiate a follow-up on your request. 
Please call 416-808-8240

No. Requests must be submitted in person or by mail.

There is a mandatory $5.00* application fee that must be paid when submitting an Access Request. Additional fees may be charged under section 45 of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Privacy Protection Act for photocopying and severing the records. 

*The $5.00 application fee cannot be waived and is non-refundable.

We accept personal or certified cheques and money orders which should be made payable to the "Toronto Police Service". If submitting your request in person, you may also pay by Debit, Visa or Mastercard.

Under MFIPPA, we have to respond to your request within 30 calendar days; we may extend that time if the request is particularly complex or involves a large number of records. Requesters will be advised of a time extension. 

The Access & Privacy Section receives a significant number of requests daily and we endeavour to complete them as expeditiously as possible. Your patience is appreciated.

Failing to detail exactly what you are requesting, or failing to include the required application fee or authorization/consent form will delay your request. 

Records may not be released if the investigation is open and ongoing. If the record you request contains sensitive law enforcement information that would harm a law enforcement matter if released, we do not provide that part of the requested record. 

If the matter is proceeding before the court, disclosure no longer falls under MFIPPA and records will not be released.

No. Once your records are ready, pending any other fees owing, we will mail your records or you have the option to pick them up at Toronto Police Service Headquarters.

It is suggested an agent, such as a law firm or insurance company, submits a letter detailing complete incident details, clients name and provide accompanying authorizations.