Candidate's Name: Clive DoucetQUESTIONNAIRE
Candidate's Ward: 17 - Capital
Dear Ottawa Witness Group:
I've seen the questionnaire but don't wish to answer it. My reasons are as follows:
Ontario local police forces aren't controlled by the local councils. All Ontario police forces are governed by the provincial Police Services Act and over-seen by the Ontario Police Service Commission, a 12-member civilian board appointed by the provincial government.
Local Councils have the authority to approve the budget envelope for the local police service, as each local police service is funded by local taxpayers. But local Councils don't have the authority to question line items in the budget envelope they are given the authority to approve or reject. If there is a disagreement between the local Police Service Board and the local Council over the budget envelope, the final arbiter is the Ontario Police Service Commission.
Under the Police Services Act, local councils have the authority to appoint council members to the local Police Service Board.
All police complaints are handled in-house by the Professional Standards Division of each Police Service - local Police Service Boards only review appeals of these decisions. Police Service Boards are governed by the same in-camera stipulations as the Municipal Act sets out for City Councils (labour relations, human resources, legal matters), excepts that Police Service Boards have the added discretion to include "public safety" as one of the in-camera levers and can also take votes in camera.
So...municipal taxpayers pay for policing but do not have direct authority/control over the policies, programs, and accountability of their police.
Do I like the system? No, I don't. What it means is that Ottawa residents pay for Ottawa's police force to the tune of 130 million dollars annually, but the folks who pay for this service have little control over it. The Ottawa Police Service, for example, doesn't even enforce the city's by-laws, our by-law officers do. I don't think the system is democratic, accountable or transparent, but the answer is in changing the provincial legislation which controls all aspects of the city's or more properly named, the provincial force. If I could change the system I would have the police force reporting to a committee of council just as OC Transpo does with all the normal civic interventions normally seen, then there would be some purpose in filling out the Ottawa Witness Group's questionnaire. As it stands now, I can't see what purpose there would be in me making comments on something I have no control over. I can't even attend Police Board Hearings when requested to by a constituent. Filling out the questionnaire gives the impression I have powers and responsibilities which don't have.
Sincerely,
Clive Doucet