1. That the Board approve the two year extension of the Provincial Community Policing Partnership (CPP) Grant Program from the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services; and

2. That the Chair be authorized to execute the agreement in accordance with Recommendation #1, subject to prior review by York Region Legal Services; and

3. That the Board forward the agreement to The Regional Municipality of York requesting a resolution of Council authorizing the Region of York to enter into this agreement with the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services.

York Regional Police is currently being funded for 79 front line officers under the Provincial Community Policing Partnership (CPP) Program which was first introduced in December 1998. Funding covers 50 per cent of salary, related overtime and benefit costs to a maximum annual amount of $30,000 per officer.

The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services is proposing a two year extension of this agreement to March 31, 2007. The same termination provisions remain in the new agreement allowing the Ministry to terminate the agreement upon 30 days notice.

FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:

Grant funding for the full 2007 fiscal year of $2,370,000 has been included in the 2007 Operating Budget for 79 officers at the maximum amount of $30,000 per annum.

BACKGROUND:

The Community Policing Partnerships (CPP) Program was first introduced in December 1998. It was initially designed as a five year program to provide grant funding in support of enhancements to front-line policing which expired on March 31, 2003.

At the March 2003 Police Services Board meeting, a two year extension of the grant was approved and forwarded to Regional Council for execution of the agreement. A second two year extension was approved by the Board at their April 27, 2005 meeting.

The new agreement shall commence on April 1, 2007, and shall expire on March 31, 2009, although the funding will not be provided until all of the requirements of the agreement have been satisfied. The Ministry will reimburse the Board bi-annually, subject to receipt and approval of interim and annual CPP Program reports, outlining the officers hired, date of hire, salary paid and reimbursement request.

Through this program, the Ministry funds 1,000 front-line police officers throughout the province of Ontario. This program is a 50-50 cost-sharing partnership between the province and the municipalities to enhance community safety and increase police visibility. Salary and related overtime costs, to a maximum of $30,000 per annum per new officer, are reimbursed bi-annually to the Police Service.

When the Program began in the fall of 1998, York Regional Police was funded 50 per cent of the salaries and benefits for 16 new front-line officers. This number increased as positions were made available at the Ontario Police College and we reached our approved number of 77 officers by September 30, 2000. An additional two positions were approved in 2001, bringing our current approval to 79 front-line officers.

York Regional Police has submitted claims for $2,370,000 for the period of April 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007 covering 50 per cent of the salaries, benefits and overtime to a maximum of $30,000 per officer. Over the past eight and a half years, the Ministry has received billings totaling $16,721,128.

The original agreement was reviewed by York Region Legal Services and has been executed by the Board and the Region. The new agreement is a renewal of the existing CPP Program agreement as signed in 2003. At that time, the Ministry added a number of key provisions. Most notably, the Ministry will not provide any funding to the Board or the Municipality without a resolution by Regional Council authorizing Council to enter into this agreement.

The agreement still provides that the Ministry may, in its sole discretion, adjust the amount of grant funding to be provided to the Municipality in any fiscal year during the agreement based upon the Ministry's assessment of the current year's final audited statement.

The agreement contains the same termination provisions. The Ministry may, in its sole discretion, terminate the agreement upon 30 days notice to the Board and the Municipality, and allow the Board and the Municipality to wind down the CPP program during the notice period. In addition, the Ministry may, in its sole discretion, terminate the agreement without notice for a number of reasons, including the failure of the Municipality or the Board to comply with the terms and conditions of the agreement and/or if the Municipality or Board are unable to carry out CPP activities.

In the event of termination of the agreement, the Ministry may cancel all further grant funding installments and demand the repayment of any grant funds remaining in the possession or under the control of the Municipality and the Board that are not required by those parties to pay the cost of winding down the CPP activities.

Any funds that have not been used or accounted for by the Municipality or the Board by the end of each fiscal year during the term of the agreement are to be returned to the Ministry. Similarly, any funds not used or accounted for at the expiration or termination of the agreement must be returned to the Ministry.

The Municipality and the Board must satisfy the insurance requirements set out in the agreement as a prerequisite to receipt of any funds. Region of York Risk Management staff have confirmed that the Board and the Region meet the requirements established by the Ministry.