Back to SearchThe people of Ontario are enduring a health crisis. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted our society in unprecedented ways. It has brought illness and death in heartbreaking proportions. As police professionals, our police leaders, frontline officers, communicators, civilian staff, and Special Constables are standing with all Ontarians every day. We are sharing the deep concerns and grief of so many people in our province as we join other first responders and our brave health care professionals in fighting COVID-19. Our personnel are sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, husbands and wives, friends and coworkers. As committed public servants, we willingly put ourselves on the frontlines of the fight to safeguard the health and safety of all Ontarians during this pandemic.
That is why we are disappointed to hear comments from some political leaders which undermine the integrity of our frontline officers in relation to the requirement of individuals to provide identifying information when they violate emergency orders. Our front-line officers are literally putting their lives at risk during this pandemic to keep their communities safe. Legislation that requires violators of Emergency Orders to identify themselves when contravening the law is only good sense. How else could our officers ever enforce the law?
This legislation is completely in line with legislation governing the Collection of Identifying Information. To suggest that this somehow stretches to anything beyond its goals of keeping communities healthy and safe is an insult to our profession and the women and men who are on the frontlines of this health crisis.
As police leaders, we stand with our police officers and all our police service members who have difficult jobs in these most difficult times. We know that we do so with the public's trust and confidence.
Chief Paul Pedersen
President, Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police
Issued: April 3, 2020
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