Section A: OTTAWA POLICE SERVICES BOARD (PSB)

1a) What is your understanding of the role of the Ottawa Police Services Board (PSB)?

1b) If elected, will you seek to be appointed as one of the three City Council representatives?

1c) If so, why would you be particularly appropriate for this appointment?

Objectives of candidates who would serve on the PSB range from protecting the public interest to protecting the police from citizens.

2. Do you believe that the PSB has to date improved public trust in the police service by providing effective civilian oversight, thus assuring the community of appropriate police behaviour? Why or why not?

3. What policies should the PSB introduce or update concerning the policing of major events, and why?

4. In the spirit of transparency and openness related to public business, would you support:

(a) posting the records of the proceedings of the PSB on the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) Web site?

- enter the address www.ottawapolice.ca - click on "Ottawa Police Services Board", the bottom item on the menu to the left of the screen - on the new screen, "click on Meeting Schedule" - on the new screen, click below the chart on "Meeting agendas, minutes and dispositions" - on the new screen, select the month and year of the meeting you are interested in by using the menus below the calendar to the left of the meeting list - click on "Jump to month" - scroll down the list of meetings to find that of the PSB - click on the words "Ottawa Police Services Board" - on the new screen, at the bottom of the chart where three choices are shown ("Agenda", "Disposition", Minutes"), click on "Minutes" to read about the proceedings

(b) Or should the PSB have its own Web site and the PSB proceedings be posted there?

5. In May 2002, the Citizen Panel on Policing and the Community made recommendations concerning aggressive police behaviour toward peaceful G-20 demonstrators in November 2001. According to the Ottawa Police Service's Agenda for Excellence, released in April 2002, the stated objectives of the OPS are:

to uphold the democratic rights of all individuals to freedom of expression and freedom of assembly; and

to ensure the safety of demonstrators and the rest of the community at major events.

In your opinion, has the policing of major events since the November 2001 G-20 demonstrations improved?

7/13 (54%) - Yes, policing of major events has improved 3/13 (23%) - Could improve further 3/13 (23%) - Don’t know

(b) If not, what needs to be done?

Suggestions range from stopping pre-emptive arrests to increasing the dialogue with the public to providing the police with sensitivity training and other tools for the job of crowd control.

(c) What should be the role of the PSB?

Suggestions for the PSB role include mediating and opening dialogue between police and protest organizers, being involved in the operational decisions at major events, encouraging the police to follow the AFX, and looking at other jurisdictions for ideas. Three of the 10 responding on this question feel that no change is necessary.

(d) If appointed to the PSB, how will you help?

If appointed to the PSB, candidates would seek transparency and dialogue, work seriously with community groups and the police to improve relations, make decisions critically and based on facts.

6. Ontario regulations from 1997 make this the only province in Canada to NOT allow third party complaints about police behaviour, i.e. a witness to police wrongdoing cannot file a complaint with the PSB. Ontario regulations from 1997 also put the complaints process entirely in the hands of the police (investigation, hearings, adjudication). This is a clear conflict of interest. The City of Toronto Auditor has been very critical of this situation. Will you push to have the Ontario Minister of Public Safety and Security recognize the need:

(a) for an independent review of complaints against the police?

8/10 (80%) - Yes, would support efforts for an independent review of complaints 2/10 (20%) - No, hands off, it’s a provincial responsibility

(b) to allow complaints to be filed by witnesses and others?

9/13 (69%) - Yes, allow third party complaints 1/13 ( 8%) - Would consider it 1/13 ( 8%) - Undecided 2/13 (15%) - Provincial responsibility

Some candidates added that witnesses would need to expect to be investigated and/or take polygraph tests.

7. More than 200 complaints were made to the PSB in 2002 concerning alleged police misconduct in Ottawa. The Board found that less than 5% were substantiated.

(a) Do you believe this percentage is valid?

6/15 (40%) - Yes, valid until shown otherwise 4/15 (27%) - No/hard to believe 4/15 (27%) - Need more data to decide 1/15 ( 7%) - Don’t know

If no, will you work to establish an effective, independent and responsive complaints process here in Ottawa?

8. Pepper spray and tasers have potentially lethal effects. Amnesty International has expressed concerns about their use. As a member of City Council and possible member of the PSB, would you support:

(a) making public the guidelines for the use of either of these weapons? Why or why not?

(b) changing the policy to eliminate use of these weapons by police? Why or why not?

8/13 (62%) - No, do not eliminate their use 2/13 (15%) - Set limits/must be used properly 1/13 ( 8%) - Would support finding alternatives 1/13 ( 8%) - Would review with constituents 1/13 ( 8%) - Don’t know

9(a) Do you think that the media sensationalize protest activities and downplay the value of public expression of views in maintaining our democracy?

(b) If so, in what ways can City Council contribute to a balanced perception by citizens of the rights of those who wish to express dissent in public places?

3/9 (33%) - Council can provide venues for dissent/work with peaceful protest groups 2/9 (22%) - Share police video/publicize the facts 4/9 (44%) - Not Council’s role

10. The Ottawa police are increasingly videotaping citizens involved in or near demonstrations, possibly violating privacy rights.

(a) Do you agree with this? If so, why?

(b) If you do not agree with this, would you support the PSB, as part of its oversight responsibility, in discouraging the use of intimidating and indiscriminate taping of citizens?

2/2 (100%) – Yes, would support the PSB in discouraging this activity [relates only to those who disagreed with videotaping]

11. The OPS has said that video shot of peaceful demonstrators, not needed for any criminal prosecution, is destroyed afterward. Would you support the PSB requiring a periodic report from the OPS confirming that this destruction of the images has been done within a specified timeframe?

11/14 (79%) – Yes, require destruction of videotape not needed 1/14 ( 7%) - No 1/14 ( 7%) - Need guidelines on the use 1/14 ( 7%) - Don’t know

Section C. AGENDA FOR EXCELLENCE (AFX) FOR POLICING MAJOR EVENTS

12. Since the Agenda for Excellence was released as a draft document in April 2002, nothing appears to have been done to finalize the document as policy for the Ottawa Police Service. Since the PSB is responsible for establishing policing policy, whether you are on City Council or on the PSB itself, would you support setting a short deadline for having the very good principles and guidelines in the AFX incorporated as policy for the OPS?

10/13 (77%) - Yes, set a deadline to make the AFX a policy 1/13 ( 8%) - No 2/13 (15%) - Don’t know

13. The Major Events Liaison Team (MELT) unit was created as part of the AFX, and intended to work on improving communications between police and protestors at major events so as to defuse dangerous situations. Initially they appeared to have some success in this role. However they were not present at significant later events where violence has taken place (e.g., eviction of protestors from 246 Gilmour Street in July 2002, Algerian refugees and their supporters tasered at Minister of Immigration's office in May 2003).

(a) Would you be willing to find out more about the status of this unit and support its increased use as per its original mandate?

(b) As the MELT members are only on assignment to this group and the funding is unclear, would you push for the MELT unit to be made a permanent part of the OPS structure, i.e. with a budget and one or more permanent positions?