Hamilton offers feedback on police oversight review

The Ontario Court of Appeal judge who headed the Independent Police Oversight Review says he’s confident the recommendations he’s made will instil more public trust in the police oversight system if the government chooses to act on them.

“The most I can do is point it out to them,” Justice Michael Tulloch told a gathering of about 50 people in Hamilton Monday night.

“Their political will is critical to this whole process.”

Tulloch spoke at the Sheraton Hamilton Hotel following the release earlier this month of his 263page report on the three bodies that oversee policing in the province.

He had previously visited Hamilton in November as part of a yearlong review that saw him hold 18 public consultations and 130 private meetings.

As part of the review, Tulloch said he heard from more than 1,500 individuals on changes they would like to see made to the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) and the Ontario Civilian Police Commission (OCPC).

The Community Coalition Against Racism was one of the groups that offered input last fall.

Ken Stone, chair of the coalition, said he applauded the recommendations put forward.

Stone said he was particularly pleased by the idea of renaming the Independent Police Review Director, and having the body investigate all public complaints about police officers’ conduct within five years.

“That would be an enormous step forward for Ontario,” he said.

Out of the 129 recommendations, the one targeting improving selection criteria and training for police services boards to reflect the diversity of their communities didn’t go far enough, he said.

“We think that should go as far as targets and quotas on police service boards,” he added.

Halton police Chief Stephen Tanner called the recommendations “thoughtful” and “long overdue.”

Tanner pointed in particular to the report’s suggestion for Special Investigations Unit work to be completed within 120 days of the incident.

“We want — as police leaders — transparency,” he said at the meeting.

Tanner’s comments were followed by a round of applause from the room.

Evelyn Myrie, co-chair of the newly formed African Canadian Action Congress in Hamilton, asked Tulloch at the meeting how communities can help influence politicians to make sure the report and its recommendations are not “shelved.”

“We’d like to see it taken to an action plan by the government,” she added.

Tulloch said the province is accountable to the people of Ontario, and the Ministry of the Attorney General is currently accepting feedback on the recommendations and ideas on possible reforms to the oversight bodies.

“This is the time you get your people out there and let them know your thoughts,” he added.

Following the release of the recommendations, Attorney General Yasir Naqvi committed that by December, all SIU reports on officerinvolved deaths from 2005 to present-day will be made public, with earlier reports following suit by summer 2018.