ECP130 - Lecture Week #5

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  • Seneca Police Services Act

  • Coroners Act

  • Law for Communications Operators

  • ECP130 Week #5

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  • Online Quiz #2 (5%)

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  • Police Services Act Overview

    • Gives municipalities the responsibility for providing police services.

    • Identifies core activities for policing in Ontario.

    • Describes six principles for police services to follow in carrying out those activities.

  • Page 4

    • Police Services Act Core Activities (Section 4)

      • Crime prevention.

      • Law enforcement.

      • Assistance to victims of crime.

      • Public order maintenance.

      • Emergency response.

    • Municipalities must also:

      • Provide police services with the support systems, buildings and equipment they need so they can carry out their activities.

    Page 5

    • Police Services Act Infrastructure for Police Services Section 4(3)

      • In providing adequate and effective police services, a municipality shall be responsible for providing all the infrastructure and administration necessary for providing such services, including vehicles, boats, equipment, communication devices, buildings and supplies.

    Page 6

    • Police Services Act Suspect Apprehension Pursuits (SAP)

      • According to the Police Services Act, Police Communicators play a crucial role during suspect apprehension pursuits.

      • Under Regulation 266/10 made under the Police Services Act, Communicators/Dispatcher play a critical role in several areas of SAP’s.

      • For example under Section 3 of the Regulation: "A police officer shall notify a dispatcher when the officer initiates a suspect apprehension pursuit."

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    • Police Services Act Suspect Apprehension Pursuits (SAP)

      • Another area is whether the SAP should continue or be discontinued.

      • For example, under Section 4 of Regulations: "A communications or road supervisor shall order police officers to discontinue a suspect apprehension pursuit if, in his or her opinion, the risk to public safety that may result from the pursuit outweighs the risk to public safety that may result if an individual in the fleeing motor vehicle is not immediately apprehended or if the fleeing motor vehicle or an individual in the fleeing motor vehicle is not identified."

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    • Police Services Act Suspect Apprehension Pursuits (SAP)

      • Section 4(2) (con’t): "A police officer who receives an order under subsection 1shall obey the order even if the officer is not a member of the police force of the communications or road supervisor who made the order."

      • This means that if the OPP are chasing someone and they enter York Region, and York Regional Police Communications takes over the call of the SAP, then a communications supervisor can order the pursuit discontinued.

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    • Police Services Act Suspect Apprehension Pursuits (SAP) Section 8 - Pursuit in Unmarked Police Motor Vehicle

      • "A police officer in an unmarked police motor vehicle shall not engage in a suspect apprehension pursuit unless a marked police motor vehicle is not readily available and the police officer believes that it is necessary to immediately apprehend an individual in the fleeing motor vehicle or to identify the fleeing motor vehicle or an individual in the fleeing motor vehicle."

      • The Dispatcher will confirm if they believe or know the vehicle is unmarked and ask the officer for the reason of the pursuit, along with determining if there are any marked vehicle available.

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    • Police Services Act Suspect Apprehension Pursuits (SAP) Section 10 – Other Procedures

      • Every police force shall establish written procedures on the management and control of suspect apprehension pursuits.

      • The procedures must describe the responsibilities of police officers, dispatchers, communications supervisors and road supervisors.

    • Section 13 – Training

      • "Every police force shall ensure that its police officers, dispatchers, communications supervisors and road supervisors receive training accredited by the Solicitor General about suspect apprehension pursuits."

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    • Police Services Act Ontario Regulation 3/99 Section 5(1)

      • Police forces shall have: a) A communications centre

    • Section 5(6) "A communications centre, whether provided by the police force, by another police force, by another municipal emergency service or on a combined or regional or co-operative basis must operate 24 hours a day with one or more communications operators or dispatchers to answer emergency calls for service and maintain constant two-way voice communication capability with police officers who are on patrol or responding to emergency calls."

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    • Police Services Act Ontario Regulation 3/99 Section 6(3)

      • Every chief of police shall a) Establish procedures on communications and dispatch services; and b) Ensure that communicators and dispatchers and those supervising them have successfully completed the required training accredited by the Ministry or have equivalent qualifications or skills as approved by the Ministry.

    • This will section will be very important later in the course (such as APCO certification).

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    • Coroners Act

      • What are Coroners?

        • They are medical doctors with specialized death investigation training, who have been appointed to investigate sudden deaths as mandated by the Coroners Act.

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    • Coroners Act

      • What are Pathologists and Forensic Pathologists?

        • Pathologists are medical doctors who are experts in disease and injury.

        • Forensic Pathologists have further training and are experts in disease and injury that result in sudden death.

        • Pathologists and Forensic Pathologists are the medical doctors who perform autopsies (post mortems), when required.

        • Forensic Pathologists may also be appointed as coroners to investigate cases of suspicious death.

    Page 15: Coroners Act

    • What is a death investigation?

      • A process to understand how and why a person died

      • Coroner or forensic pathologist must answer five questions:

        • Who (identity of the deceased)

        • When (date of death)

        • Where (location of death)

        • How (medical cause of death)

        • By what means (natural causes, accident, homicide, suicide or undetermined)

    Page 16: Coroners Act

    • How are police involved?

      • Police are usually first responders at a death scene

      • Coroners may request police assistance with investigations

    • Why is a coroner called?

      • To investigate deaths from unnatural causes or sudden/natural deaths

      • When concerns are raised about the care provided prior to death

    Page 17: Coroners Act

    • What is a reportable death?

      • Certain types of deaths must be reported to a coroner

      • Reportable deaths include:

        • Sudden and unexpected deaths

        • Deaths at construction or mining sites

        • Deaths in police custody or correctional facilities

        • Deaths that appear to be accidents, suicides, or homicides

    Page 18: Coroners Act

    • Who can contact a coroner to report a death?

      • Deaths are generally reported by health care workers or police

      • Anyone, including family members, should immediately contact the police and a coroner

      • Police Communicators are designated to contact the coroner when requested by a police officer

    Page 19: Coroners Act

    • Common Offences and/or Provisions

      • Section 10: Failure to report a death to a coroner

      • Section 11: Interference with the body of a deceased person

    Page 20: Coroners Act

    • Common Offences and/or Provisions (con't)

      • Section 13: Shipment of a dead body outside of Ontario with a certificate from a coroner

      • Section 16(6): Obstructing a coroner or a person authorized by a coroner to carry out an investigation

    Page 21: Coroners Act

    • Obstruction of a Coroner

      • Section 16(6): No person shall knowingly:

        • Hinder, obstruct, or interfere with a coroner or authorized person

        • Furnish false information or refuse/neglect to furnish information to a coroner

    Page 22: Coroners Act

    • Obstruction of a Coroner - Example #1:

      • Superintendent or anyone in a correctional facility obstructs a coroner by refusing to provide an incident report

    Page 23: Coroners Act

    • Obstruction of a Coroner - Example #2:

      • Doctor changes information on a fellow doctor's incident report

    Page 24: Coroners Act

    • Obstruction of a Coroner - Example #3:

      • Withholds key information relating to the death of a patient on weekend leave from a psychiatric facility

    Page 25: Coroners Act

    • Purpose of an Inquest

      • Section 31(1): Inquest inquires into the circumstances of the death and determines:

        • Who the deceased was

        • How the deceased came to their death

        • When the deceased came to their death

        • Where the deceased came to their death

        • By what means the deceased came to their death

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    • Questions?

      • Reading posted on Blackboard

      • Complete Online Quiz# 2 (5%)

      • 30 minutes to complete 10 questions

      • Contact instructor for any questions

      • Have a great week!