Accessibility Plan (2025)

Delta Police Department Effective: September 1, 2023 Updated: April 22, 2025

Delta Police Department Accessibility Plan (Accessible British Columbia Act)

Published April 22, 2025

Overview: Accessible British Columbia Act The Delta Police Department (DPD) has created this Accessibility Plan in accordance with new provisions of the Accessible British Columbia Act, which is intended to assist in identifying, removing, and preventing barriers to individuals in or interacting with the Department, and came into effect on September 1, 2023: 11

(1)

An organization must develop a plan to identify, remove and prevent barriers to individuals in or interacting with the organization.

(2)

An organization must review and update its accessibility plan at least once every 3 years.

(3)

In developing and updating its accessibility plan, an organization must consider the following principles: (a) inclusion; (b) adaptability; (c) diversity; (d) collaboration; (e) self-determination; (f) universal design.

(4)

In developing its accessibility plan, an organization must consult with its accessibility committee.

(5)

In updating its accessibility plan, an organization must: (a) consider any comments received under section 12 [public feedback], (b) consult with its accessibility committee.

DPD’s Guiding Principles 1. Mental & Physical Accessibility: to build and maintain a workplace environment that supports equitable access for individuals of all abilities to be employed and to access and receive services.

2. Awareness & Commitment: to reduce stigma in the workplace by demonstrating our commitment to establish, promote, and improve accessibility.

3. Public Communication & Self-Determination: to actively monitor and address how accessibility is integrated into organizational processes to ensure equitable access for all individuals to collaborate, participate, and engage.

4. Employee Education & Participation: to recognize the importance of and optimize opportunities to increase employee education regarding accessibility and inclusion, and participation in identifying, removing, and preventing barriers.

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Definitions Ability: mental or physical capacity to do a task or activity (e.g., walking, seeing, hearing, speaking, job functions, self-care).

Accessibility: a building, facility, structure, program, activity, resource, product, etc. that is readily usable, or the extent to which it is readily usable, by a person with a disability.

Accommodation: adjustments made to policies, practices, facilities or resources to allow for equitable access in the workplace.

Barrier: obvious or subtle obstacles that prevent or restrict persons from accessing, using, or doing something that others can readily access, use, or do – barriers can be physical, economic, financial, informational, and/or organizational.

Disability: refers to a broad range of conditions that impact an individual’s capacity to perform a task or activity, or the functional and social limitations that impact a person’s capacity to perform a task or activity.

Disabilities can be visible, invisible, temporary, permanent, or episodic: • • • • • •

Developmental disability (e.g., autism, ADHD, Down Syndrome) Health disability/chronic condition (e.g., diabetes, cancer, asthma) Learning disability (e.g., dyslexia, dyssomnia) Mental health condition (e.g., schizophrenia, depression, anxiety) Physical disability (e.g., cerebral palsy, spinal cord injury, amputation) Sensory disability (e.g., hearing or vision loss)

Inclusion: a culture that embraces, respects, accepts, and values diverse traits, backgrounds, experiences, statues, abilities, and needs – a mindful and equitable effort to meet individual needs so everyone feels able to contribute to their fullest potential.

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Partnerships & Projects ✓ Pacific Autism Family Network, British Columbia Association of Chiefs of Police, (BCACP), British Columbia Law Enforcement Diversity Network (BCLEDN) o Autism Decal Project Seeks to improve interactions between police and neurodiverse individuals by using decals on vehicles and homes; the decals serve as an invaluable tool to signal to first responders that an involved individual may require unique accommodations, fostering an appropriate response. ✓ Wavefront Centre for Communication Accessibility o Communication Cards Carried by all officers, with pictures, symbols, and words to enhance service delivery to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. ✓ Fraser Health Authority, Delta Mental Health, Deltassist, & other local mental health organizations o Safety Bulletins Available to all officers with guidance on how to assist persons in crisis or with a mental health or substance use concern, and information regarding community organizations and resources. ✓ HealthIM o Crisis Response System Digital system that allows mobile access to review client-specific safety and de-escalation information when responding to urgent mental health calls, assisting officers in complex mental health emergencies and strengthening the response and support for people in crisis. ✓ Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion (CCDI) o National Organization/Educational Resource Organization that provides educational and training toolkits, resources, conferences, webinars, presentations, and more regarding a wide variety of diversity, equity and inclusion topics.

DPD is an employer partner that has full access to these resources, and educational opportunities are promoted internally for staff to attend.

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Principle #1: Mental & Physical Accessibility The Delta Police Department (DPD) is committed to building and maintaining a workplace environment that supports equitable access for individuals of all abilities to be employed, subject to bona fide operational requirements, and to access and receive services.

To achieve this goal, DPD administrative and operational processes already adhere to the following and employees are committed to their continuation: •

• • •

•

employees and the public have access to information regarding workplace accommodations for persons with disabilities, and associated Policy EM60 – Accommodation is reviewed every three years in conjunction with this plan; internal wellness initiatives and activities are assessed for accessibility barriers and considerations are made to address any identified; DPD’s Information Technology (IT) Section considers technological and informational barriers when implementing new software, devices, and systems; DPD’s Facilities Committee identifies any existing physical or sensory barriers during their annual walkthrough for maintenance and development (e.g., sidewalks, curb ramps, overhead lights, accessible parking spots); and DPD’s Facilities Committee ensures all facility renovations or additions are accessible and inclusive, in consultation with DPD’s Finance Section to ensure sufficient allocation of financial resources towards accessibility in the annual budget.

To further improve DPD’s mental and physical accessibility, the following action items have been established: •

•

DPD’s Facilities Committee will create an inventory of DPD buildings’ physical spaces, including walkways and entrances, and identify where accessibility improvements may be required (e.g., ensure accessible washrooms have powered doors, entrances have card readers relocated to be within accessible reach, and entrance ramps are not blocked at any time); and DPD’s Human Resources Section will review hiring practices to determine where improvements can be made to reach and accommodate potential applicants with disabilities.

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Principle #2: Awareness & Commitment The Delta Police Department (DPD) seeks to reduce stigma around accessibility needs in the workplace by demonstrating our commitment to establish, promote, and improve accessibility.

To achieve this goal, DPD administrative and operational processes already adhere to the following and employees are committed to their continuation: •

•

employees are required to complete respectful workplace training, and associated Policy EC30 – Respectful Workplace is reviewed specifically with consideration of disabilities, accommodations, and accessibility, every three years in conjunction with this plan; DPD’s Communications Section promotes awareness and information regarding accessibility on its internal and external communication platforms (e.g., public awareness campaigns such as National AccessAbility Week); and

To further improve DPD’s awareness of and commitment to accessibility, the following action items have been established: •

•

•

DPD’s EDI & Wellness Unit will provide information on our internal online platform to enhance and promote accessibility, particularly in interacting with the public, such as how to use respectful first-person language, terms and definitions associated with disability, and community resources that may benefit a person with whom they are interacting; and DPD’s Audit Committee will assess the progress of this plan’s action items annually and report their findings to the Senior Management Team and the Delta Police Board.

DPD’s Chief’s Office will explore opportunities to partner or collaborate with local accessibility organizations and groups and consider their input in our policies and practices.

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Principle #3: Public Communication & Self-Determination The Delta Police Department (DPD) will actively monitor and address how accessibility is integrated into organizational processes, specifically regarding internal and external communications to ensure equitable access for all individuals to collaborate, participate, and engage.

To achieve this goal, DPD administrative and operational processes already adhere to the following and employees are committed to their continuation: •

DPD’s Communications Section and Information Technology (IT) Section work collaboratively to seek to ensure our website, communication platforms, and content are accessible.

To further improve avenues and provide opportunities for persons with disabilities to engage with DPD, the following action items have been established: •

•

DPD’s Communication Section will create and monitor a feedback mechanism on our website for members of the public to report accessibility issues and provide comments or suggestions related to DPD facilities, services, processes, spaces, policies; and DPD’s Communication Section will invite public input on this accessibility plan through social media platforms.

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Principle #4: Employee Education & Participation The Delta Police Department (DPD) recognizes the importance of and will optimize opportunities to increase employee education regarding accessibility and inclusion, and participation in identifying, removing, and preventing accessibility barriers.

To achieve this goal, DPD administrative and operational processes already adhere to the following and employees are committed to their continuation: •

DPD’s EDI & Wellness Unit promotes educational opportunities regarding accessibility barriers, accommodation, disabilities, and how to foster an inclusive workplace and community, and specifically identifying those that are created directly by accessibility advocacy organizations or groups.

To further provide opportunities to enhance awareness and education regarding accessibility, the following action items have been established: •

•

accessibility is added bi-annually to the DPD’s EDI & Wellness Working Group’s meeting agenda, where employees offer input regarding any feedback they have received from other employees or members of the public; and DPD’s Training Section seeks opportunities for training of frontline officers regarding how to accommodate and serve people with various disabilities.

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