Part 1: PEC Police Board Approves Safety Working Group and Launches New Community Crime Tool - 11/9/2023
- PECConnect
- Nov 9, 2023
- 5 min read
The Police Services Board met on November nine two thousand twenty three to conduct regular board business, receive reports from the local police detachment, and consider several items related to community safety, oversight, and police operations in Prince Edward County. The meeting followed the board’s legislated role of governance, oversight, and accountability for local policing services.
The meeting was called to order shortly after ten in the morning. The board began with a land acknowledgement recognizing that Prince Edward County is located on traditional Indigenous lands and acknowledging the longstanding stewardship of Indigenous peoples.
The agenda for the meeting was approved, and there were no disclosures of pecuniary interest. The minutes from the previous Police Services Board meeting held on September seven two thousand twenty three were adopted without amendment. There were no deputations or comments from the public registered for this meeting.
View the entire PEC Council Meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>
Community safety and well being plan working group membership
The first item for consideration focused on the Community Safety and Well Being Plan Working Group. Staff presented a partial slate of proposed members for the working group, explaining that the group would play a leadership role in implementing the county’s Community Safety and Well Being Plan.
It was explained that the proposed membership included representatives from education, social services, housing, seniors support, poverty reduction, and domestic violence and intimate partner violence action teams. Staff requested approval of the partial slate so the working group could begin meeting and assist in identifying and recruiting additional members for the remaining legislated and discretionary seats.
The board approved a recommendation to council to appoint the proposed representatives in accordance with the plan’s terms of reference. Council ratification will be required before the working group formally begins its work.
Police Services Board operating budget discussion
The board next received discussion related to the Police Services Board operating budget. No questions or debate were raised during the meeting, and the board formally received the budget discussion for information.
Neighborhood Protect program endorsement
A significant portion of the meeting focused on the Neighborhood Protect program, a modernized version of traditional neighborhood watch initiatives. The detachment provided an overview of how the program works and how it differs from earlier neighborhood watch models.
Neighborhood Protect is described as a free, web based platform that allows residents and businesses to share information about suspicious activity within defined neighborhoods. The system automates communication, allows anonymous posting, supports photo and video uploads, and enables police to monitor information through a secure portal. Residents can belong to more than one group, such as for a home and a business location.
The board discussed how the program could improve early information sharing, reduce the need for door to door canvassing by police, and support investigations by gathering timely details from the community. Questions were raised about privacy, misuse of the platform, eligibility to join, and how uploaded images are monitored. The detachment committed to following up with the program administrator to clarify safeguards and monitoring processes and to report back to the board.
The board endorsed the implementation of the Neighborhood Protect program in Prince Edward County and formally received the discussion.
Detachment commander verbal report on complaints and secondary employment
The board received a verbal report from the detachment commander related to Part Five complaints and secondary employment under the Ontario Police Services Act. It was reported that there were no public complaints received during the reporting period. The board formally received the verbal report.
Detachment report to the Police Services Board
The detachment commander then presented a detailed report covering policing activity and community initiatives from January to September two thousand twenty three.
Key points included clarification that a reported abduction entry in the records management system was an error and that no abductions had occurred in the County. It was also reported that the county continued to have no fatal collisions during the reporting period.
The report noted a decrease in billed service hours compared to the previous year and a significant increase in proactive policing activities, including traffic stops and ride programs. Impaired driving was highlighted as an ongoing concern, with higher numbers compared to the same period the previous year. The detachment emphasized that many impaired driving incidents were reported by members of the public.
Updates were also provided on domestic disturbance calls, staffing changes at the detachment, and increased community service activities such as foot patrols and public engagement. Several community programs were highlighted, including Keep Kids Warm, fraud prevention talks for seniors, family wellness initiatives, and regional traffic safety campaigns near schools.
The board received the detachment report and expressed appreciation for the information provided.
Board governance and meeting schedule discussion
Toward the end of the meeting, board members discussed governance matters, including meeting frequency, oversight responsibilities, and the timing for electing a chair and vice chair. Clarification was provided that the Police Services Board elects its chair and vice chair at the first meeting of each year, which is currently scheduled for February.
Concerns were raised about the limited number of meetings, oversight of serious incidents, and the need to review the board’s strategic plan. It was agreed that these issues would be addressed at a future meeting and that the clerk’s office would explore the possibility of scheduling a meeting earlier in the new year.
Adjournment and next meeting
The meeting adjourned just before eleven in the morning. The next regularly scheduled Police Services Board meeting is set for February twenty two two thousand twenty four.
Key Takeaways
The Police Services Board approved a recommended slate of members for the Community Safety and Well Being Plan Working Group, allowing implementation work to begin once council ratifies the appointments.
The board endorsed the launch of the Neighborhood Protect program in Prince Edward County as a new tool for community based crime prevention and information sharing, with follow up planned on privacy and monitoring safeguards.
Police reports showed increased proactive enforcement and community engagement in two thousand twenty three, including more ride programs, traffic stops, and public safety initiatives, alongside ongoing concerns about impaired driving.
Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 54:02. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.
Comments