Public Order Units

Legislative/Regulatory RequirementsSection 18(1) of the Adequacy Standards Regulation requires a police service to have a public order unit.Section 18(2) allows a police services board to enter into agreements/arrangements that would result in the services of a public order unit being available from another police service, or the services of a public order unit being delivered on a combined, regional or cooperative basis.

Section 18(3) requires every public order unit to consist of a unit supervisor, and, at least, four squads of seven officers, including the squad leader, and must be able to be deployed within a reasonable time.

Section 29 of the regulation requires a police services board to have a policy on public order unit services. In addition, section 19 requires the Chief of Police to establish procedures on public order unit services, which:

• set out the circumstances in which a public order unit, or a squad within a unit, may be deployed;
• require that, if the police service maintains its own public order unit, the police service’s procedures on public unit services are contained in a manual that is available to all members of the unit; and
• ensure that a person who is a member of a public order unit has the knowledge, skills and abilities to provide that service.

Board Policy #_____________

Contracted Delivery

It is the policy of the _______________ Police Services Board with respect to public order maintenance that:

1. this Board will contract with the _____________ Police Services Board/OPP to provide the services of a public order unit within a reasonable response time; and
2. the Chief of Police will establish procedures, in consultation with the Chief of Police who is providing the services of the public order unit, that:

1. set out the circumstances in which a public order unit may be deployed;
2. set out the steps for obtaining the services of a public order unit; and
3. address the circumstances and processes for liaising with appropriate officials for the purposes of Sections 63 - 68 of the Criminal Code, regarding unlawful assemblies and riot situations.

It is the policy of the ________________ Police Services Board with respect to public order maintenance that:

1. the police service will provide access to the services of a public order unit within a reasonable response time by (using its own members. or by entering into an agreement for a combined, regional or cooperative delivery)
2. the public order unit will consist of a unit supervisor and, at least, four squads of seven officers, including the squad leader;
3. the Chief of Police will establish procedures that:

1. set out the circumstances in which a public order unit may be deployed;
2. set out the steps for obtaining the services of a public order unit; and
3. address the circumstances and processes for liaising with appropriate officials for the purposes of Sections 63 - 68 of the Criminal Code, regarding unlawful assemblies and riot situations; andthe Chief of Police will:

1. ensure that appropriate equipment, in accordance with the Ministry’s designated equipment and facilities list, is used/available to members of the public order unit;
2. develop a selection process for members of the public order unit to ensure that the members have the knowledge, skills and abilities to provide the services of the public order unit; and
3. address the ongoing training of members of the public order unit.

Procedures

1. Every police service’s procedures should address:

1. the circumstances in which a public order unit should be deployed;
2. operational responsibility within the police service for requesting the services of a public order unit;
3. incident command, including when public order unit services are provided by another police service;
4. the circumstances and processes for liaising with appropriate officials for the purposes of Sections 63 - 68 of the Criminal Code, regarding unlawful assemblies and riot situations; and
5. debriefing following all major incidents.

1. the unit’s mandate, functions and members’ responsibilities;
2. call-out and reporting relationships;
3. command and control;
4. communications with unit members;
5. crowd management procedures, including response levels and negotiation;
6. incident assessment;
7. provision and use of equipment;
8. operational training;
9. the circumstances and processes for liaising with appropriate officials for the purposes of Sections 63 -68 of the Criminal Code, regarding unlawful assemblies and riot situations;
10. use of training, operational and equipment logs;
11. debriefing process;
12. the selection process for members of the public order unit to ensure that the members have the knowledge, skills and abilities to provide the services of the public order unit; and
13. the recording and reporting of incidents involving a public order unit.

3. Where a police service has established or participates in a public order unit, the Chief of Police should develop a skills development and learning plan that includes the following requirements:

1. ongoing two-day semi-annual maintenance training; and
2. annual re-qualification to a task-specific fitness standard, based on the functions being provided by the public order unit.

4. Where a police service has established or participates in a public order unit, the Chief of Police should ensure that members are provided, at minimum, with the equipment and facilities set out in the Ivlinistry’s designated equipment and facilities list.

MINISTRY’S DESIGNATED EQUIPMENT LIST

Public Order Units — Equipment and Facilities List

All equipment used by members of a Public Order Unit shall be approved by the Canadian Standards Council (CSA), where appropriate. The following list is the minimum kit with which a POU member or unit shall have available in order to respond to a public order situation:

GENERAL PROTECTION

Body Armour
- standard police service issue
Helmets
- riot control design to meet minimum standard NIJ 0104.01 or CSA equivalent
- designed not to impair peripheral vision and quick movement
- allowance for earpiece
Shields and Batons
- riot or crowd control design easily manipulated with one hand
- clear construction
- one per member
- spares available
- 24 - 26" non-collapsible baton (personal issue)

FOREIGN AGENT PROTECTION

Chemical Masks
- CS chemical agent protection
- filtration canister suitable for an extended period of use
- capable of wide range of vision
- filter canister system for ambidextrous shoulder-firing of weapon

COMBUSTION PROTECTION (combine with clothing section)

Flame Resistance Protection
- flame retardant clothing offering outer surface protection
Fire Extinguishers
- minimum available, one per squad
- spares available
- portab1e

CLOTHING

POU Uniform
- fatigues in heavy-duty, fire-retardant material
- allow for maximum ease of movement
- rain, moisture and cold weather protection, which is situationally and environmentally appropriate
Foot Wear
- reinforced heavy-duty boots (steel shank & instep protection) with toe impact protection
- situationally and environmentally appropriate
- chemical and puncture resistant sole
Gloves
- all weather and impact protection
Body Impact Protection
- body impact protection/deflection for arms, elbows, shoulders, groin, thighs, knees and shins

OTHER SAFETY EQUIPMENT

First Aid
- members’ emergency medical information (vital information for rapid medical information sharing in emergency situation)
- multi-purpose kit with wide assortment of bandages, disinfectant, etc.
Chemical Munitions Decontamination
- water eyewash gear for OC decontamination
Arrest or Restraint Devices
- handcuffs
- temporary hand and foot restraints

ILLUMINATION

- flashlight

RADIO EQUIPMENT

Portable Radios
- dedicated channel capability (or access to OPC common tactical channel)
- with ear-pieces or similar devices
- capable of use with foreign agent protection, as set out in this equipment list
Power Source
- extra batteries

OTHER COMMUNICATIONS

Loud Hailing System
- portable

TACTICAL OPTIONS (as identified in use of force standard)

Oleoresin Capsicum
- spares available
CS Agent
- camster system designed to be thrown
- 37 mm delivery system
Impact Weapons
- 37 mm impact projectiles designed to be accurately fired directly at a threat

ADMINISTRATION

Records
- administrative area for storing training and operational records

February 2000 P0-001 page 6 of 6

Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General