Board of Directors Meet in Chatham

The OACP Board of Directors ended 2021 with a hybrid Board meeting. Most of the Board were able to travel to the City of Chatham for the meeting while some joined virtually. It was the first in-person meeting  outside of the meeting this past October at our 2021 Annual Conference.

During their time in Chatham, the Board engaged in discussions on many important issues impacting the association and policing in Ontario, including:

• The Fresh Start Campaign regarding police records;
• The OACP’s Five-Pillar Committees structure and how to support committee members;
• Changes to legislation governing alcohol inspection in Ontario;
• Strategic planning for 2022;
• Sharing police equity, diversity and inclusion plans;
• Update on the provincial Mental Health Collaborative Table;
• Possible implications of the new Working for Workers Act Ontario; and
• Recommendations from the OACP Unsanctioned Mass Gathering Working Group.

The Board also received a number of important presentations:

• Chief Roland Morrison and Deputy Chief Jeff Skye delivered a presentation on the realities facing Indigenous policing in our province on behalf of the Indigenous Police Chiefs of Ontario (IPCO).
• Deputy Chief Rich Johnston and Sergeant Randy Fitzgerald of the Barrie Police Service presented on their service’s work on capturing violent and non-violent crimes using the Crime Severity Index.
• Allison Johnstone of Johnstone and Cowling LLP provided the Board with a very informative legal update.
• Chief Bryan Larkin, President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police, provided an update on the federal government’s decision to transfer Sexual Offense Files from the Canadian Armed Forces to local police services.
• Superintendent Lisa Darling (OPP) and Inspector Tammy Fryer (Ret.) (Ontario Police College) gave the Board an overview of research compiled by Carlton University on gender issues in policing on behalf of Advancing WE in Policing.

Please contact your Zone Director or Joe Couto (jcouto@oacp.ca) for more information on any issues or presentations.