Why we should elect police board members
The Toronto Police Service (TPS) and its governing board are undertaking an unprecedented review of TPS policies. The interim report issued by Chief Mark Saunders, board chair Andy Pringle and their committee contains downright radical suggestions: civilianizing many jobs; tackling the pork-barrel system of paid duty; reducing the number of police stations; and pushing hard to change staffing rules that benefit nobody but the police union.
But do these proposals to make the service lean and efficient go far enough? The report on rational resource allocation is in the end just an exercise in bean counting.
I have long studied the dizzying variety of “agencies, boards, and commissions” (ABC’s, in bureaucrat parlance) set up by the city and other authorities. In that context, there is a broader issue not mentioned in the report: how the Police Services Board is constituted.
My question is: is it finally time for a discussion about whether Police Services Board members should be elected, rather than appointed?
In Canada as in the U.S., local residents elect school boards. But other entities that provide services or make legal decisions for the whole local population (not just those with school-age children) are run by obscure appointed boards. This is the case for water authorities, transit and utilities commissions and committees that make legal decisions (e.g. the city’s licensing tribunal and its committees of adjustment).
It would not make sense to elect all of these bodies. Many boards do require some expertise (though being defeated in a run for a council seat has often been treated as a qualification by council in the appointments process). In any case, it would be impossible to have informed elections for all local ABC’s.
Out of all the boards and commissions that govern our local affairs, the Police Services Board may be the best candidate for popular election.
First, policing affects everyone. Whether you are routinely stopped or whether you are only stopped in the RIDE program; whether you go to demonstrations or worry about your store during demonstrations; whether you’re a victim of violence, or an angry husband who wonders if he’ll go to jail if he becomes violent, citizen expectations about police actions are crucial in shaping local belonging.
Secondly, any citizen active in their community could study the Police Services Act and other legislation to prepare for running for the board — it’s not rocket science.
Finally, policing, unlike other municipal services, generates a great deal of comment and research. So not only would potential board members have opportunities to learn enough to develop plans and ideas, but voters too could easily inform themselves.
These elections would have to be citywide — which could counterbalance the current council system, whereby each councillor is only accountable to a few neighbourhoods.
Board elections would likely lead to vigorous, maybe even rancorous, debates at board meetings. But that would be a refreshing change from the traditional practice of rubber-stamping the chief’s budget proposals and quietly going home. It would also let those who are most concerned run for the board: currently, the streets are their only arena.
The current structure has three members of the board appointed by council and three by the province, with the mayor as ex-officio seventh member. That the province appoints people to a body that spends nothing but local taxes is already an undemocratic scandal. By contrast, in Chicago, which unlike Toronto has a ‘strong mayor’ system, the mayor appoints all members of the board, which gives supporters and cronies a huge amount of unchecked power.
Having council name all Police Service Board members would be an improvement on both the Chicago system and the current Ontario one. But now that police management practices that long seemed untouchable are in question, why not go all the way toward accountability and elect the board?
Board elections would require provincial law to change. But could any provincial government, Liberal or otherwise, say no to a call for local democracy? I don’t think any government would enjoy seeing placards around Queen’s Park reading, “Are we in China, or what?”
It’s great we are debating police management issues. But it would be even better to take the time to think about a not-so-radical idea: electing those who spend our money and make decisions on our behalf.