QUESTIONNAIRE
Candidate's Name: Dawn Pickering
Candidate's Ward: 14 - Somerset

Section A: OTTAWA POLICE SERVICES BOARD (PSB)

1a) What is your understanding of the role of the Ottawa Police Services Board (PSB)?
The role of the Ottawa Police Services Board is to ensure that the powers that the police have are not abused and to ensure that citizen complaints regarding police conduct are reviewed and appropriate measures are applied.
1b) If elected, will you seek to be appointed as one of the three City Council representatives?
If elected I may seek to become part of the Board if that is what would best serve the interests of my Ward.
1c) If so, why would you be particularly appropriate for this appointment?

My belief in a true community requires that the opinions of all residents in the community be heard. I am open-minded, accessible and interested in what the residents of the community have to say.

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?

I believe that the PSB has some level of public trust, although it does not have a high profile among most residents of the City. Because new issues come into light everyday, the PSB should continue to try to find ways to keep this level of trust and to increase public awareness of its role and existence.

3. What policies should the PSB introduce or update concerning the policing of major events, and why?
Crowd control will always be important for major events and the PSB needs to work to ensure that there is an appropriate level of policing at all community events. Citizens also have a role in policing local community events by providing additional security as appropriate to the crowd size and the event type. Police and residents should continue to work together on crowd control and providing general security at events without intimidating the crowds and while allowing peaceful protests.
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?
(b) Or should the PSB have its own Web site and the PSB proceedings be posted there?

It would be better if the PSB has its own Web site. It would cause less confusion and ensure that the proceedings are posted as they were recorded. Further, the Ottawa Police Service should have a link to the PSB Web site. This would ensure that the public has access to the site.

Section B: POLICY CONCERNS WITH THE PSB
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:
  1. In your opinion, has the policing of major events since the November 2001 G-20 demonstrations improved?
    2. I believe that the policing of major events has improved since the G20 demonstration. This can clearly be seen from the various peaceful protests during the War on Iraq.
    (b) If not, what needs to be done?

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

    The role of the PSB should be to ensure that the Ottawa Police upholds its Agenda for Excellence. The PSB should also take into consideration that sometimes freedom of expression and assembly might render the community less secure. Therefore, the PSB should look at all the possible consequences of a demonstration before deciding on the type of action taken by the police.

    (d) If appointed to the PSB, how will you help?
    If appointed to the PSB, I will make sure that all decisions are based on facts and will best meet the security and freedom of expression rights of the community.
    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?
    Yes.
  2. to allow complaints to be filed by witnesses and others?
    3. Yes.
    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?
    There’s no way to answer this question fairly without actually looking at the log of complaints and the process through which the Board decided on how many were substantiated. I believe that the Board did its best to come up with a fair and accurate number.
    (b) 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?
    Guidelines for the use of either weapon should be made public and their use and effects examined over a certain time period. I believe that in cases where a demonstration has gotten out of control pepper spray is a more effective way to calm the situation than other weapons that could inflict more harm and injury to the protesters, however there may still be better ways that could be examined.
    (b) changing the policy to eliminate use of these weapons by police? Why or why not?

    9(a)     Do you think that the media sensationalize protest activities and downplay the value of public expression of views in maintaining our democracy?
    I do believe that the media to an extent does sensationalize protests. However, I do not think that they downplay the value of public expression. They rather help spread the views of the protesters, which the non-participants would otherwise not know. I think the best way to contribute to a balanced perception regarding public places, is by creating awareness about the rights individuals have and the advantages of having a public space. At the same time, making available cases of violent protests would allow residents to perceive the importance of how public places are used. It is only by demonstrating the two extremes that guidelines can be created on the best ways to use a public place, and hopefully provide a more balanced view. Peaceful protest is a right of Canadians, but when protestors begin assaulting each other or acting out violently, they are breaking the law and endangering their right to protest in a public place.
    (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?

    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?
    Videotaping demonstrations is a very critical issue. It could be perceived as violating the privacy rights of the involved, however, it helps the PSB to review complaints made by citizens to ensure that both the protestors and the police behaved appropriately.
  3. 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?
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?

Yes. It will make videotaping demonstrations more acceptable.

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?

Yes. It is important that the Agenda of Excellence and other policing policies be finalized. It will contribute to a safer community, as both protestors and the police would know how to follow the guidelines. It will also make the rendering of decisions by the PSB faster and allow for the review of more complaints. Overall, it should make the system more effective.

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?
Yes. I favour the MELT unit to be made a permanent part of the OPS Structure, but budget will be based on the outcomes of the Program Review that the current Council is working on.