PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE

In reflecting on the wave of unacceptable violence during the past few months, we’ve seen 11 police officers killed in the line of duty since September 12, 2022 – nine of them murdered due to random acts of violence.

We have never seen such a stretch where we have lost so much life. Since our last issue, sadly, I have attended their funerals with my fellow members across Canada for police officers killed in the line of duty: Const. Grzegorz Pierzchala, 28, from the Ontario Provincial Police; Const. Travis Jordan, 35, and Const. Brett Ryan, 30, from Edmonton Police Service; Sgt. Maureen Breau, 42, of the Sûreté du Québec; Const. Harvinder Singh Dhami, 32, of the Alberta RCMP, Sergeant Eric Mueller, Russell County OPP Detachment and Detective Constable Steven Tourangeau OPP Perth County Detachment.

Every day, our policing members answer the call of duty, leave their homes, and go to work to ensure the safety and security of their community. There is always a danger and no such thing as a routine call.

Right now, there are concerns that police arrest violent offenders only to see them walk out of court.

Our members, police service personnel from across Ontario, and the communities they serve, have been telling us for years that Canada’s bail framework has failed to prioritize the safety of our communities.

Our members have stopped referring to the court and prison system as a revolving door. For them, and for the communities they serve, it no longer feels like the door is revolving, but instead, that it is simply wide open.

We continue to ask ourselves: what is our role in ensuring our members return safely to their families after protecting their communities at the end of each workday? This has been top-of-mind for Police Association of Ontario (PAO) members.

First, we must address bail reform for repeat and violent offenders.

During our annual Lobby Day Conference on November 16, when more than 100 police leaders from across Ontario met with MPPs from all political parties about these issues, our members have continued to play a critical role in advancing our collective interests.

In January, the PAO was one of a few organizations that provided testimony to the Standing Committee of Justice Policy to explain the front-line reality of how the current bail system fails to keep Ontarians safe. Since then, the Government of Canada tabled new legislation aimed at making it harder for repeat violent offenders to be granted bail, through a handful of targeted Criminal Code reforms – Bill C-48. You can read more about it on page 18.

I was proud to bring remarks on behalf of the PAO in April when the Ontario Government held a press conference announcing an investment of $112 million to strengthen the province’s bail system immediately, a move to ensure that high-risk and repeat violent offenders comply with their bail conditions.

We must address the fact that police are overloaded and facing a severe staffing shortage. Across the province, our members’ call volumes are high and violent crime is rising – this increases the risk to our members.

Recruiting has become more difficult because we are asking people to do more with fewer resources. In addition, officers are facing burnout which affects the overall community and officer safety. Folks in our communities also want to know that we have enough people doing the job. In this issue, you will read about the creative solutions the Police

Association of Timmins are implementing to resolve their police recruitment and retention crisis (see page 9).

Shortly after Timmins proposed its initiative, the Ontario Government announced that it will make it easier for police services across the province to recruit and train more police officers by removing tuition fees for the Basic Constable Training program at the Ontario Police College (OPC), and by immediately expanding the number of recruits that can be trained each year. In addition, the government has eliminated a requirement for police applicants to have post-secondary education under the Community Safety and Policing Act, and instead has maintained the status quo of a minimum grade 12 education. These announcements are a major development our members can celebrate and take pride in because together we lobbied our MPPs on these changes at our Lobby Day in November 2022.

I am also proud to highlight the winners and finalists of our Eighth Annual Police Hero of the Year Awards. On page 20, you will read some incredible stories that display the outstanding efforts of police personnel – our members – across the province.

Plus, you will read about 911 Dispatcher Andrea Lamothe, a former PAO and CPA director, who supports the spouses of fallen on-duty police officers through SOLE (Survivors of Law Enforcement), and Senior Constable Adam McEachern with York Regional Police, inspired by his son Caleb, who has raised almost $100,000 for autism services in his community.

Our members represented in this issue are a snapshot of the thousands of exceptionally brave men and women across the province who serve as inspiration and role models to their colleagues and to civilians.

Thanks to our members’ hard work and persistent efforts, we look forward to welcoming more recruits to our policing family over the next year, which will improve the safety and well-being of our members and the communities we serve.

In unity, President