Adequacy Standards
Hostage Rescue

Policy No: 02/00-54

Legislative/Regulatory Requirements

Section 21 of the Adequacy Standards Regulation requires a police service to provide, within a reasonable response time, the services of a hostage rescue team.

Additionally, Section 21 of the regulation permits a police service to deliver the services of a hostage rescue team by contracting with another police service, or entering into arrangements to provide this service on a combined, regional or cooperative basis.

Section 23 requires every hostage rescue team to consist of a minimum of twelve full-time tactical officers, including the supervisor and that a hostage rescue team shall be able to perform the following functions:

  • containment; 

  • apprehension of an armed barricaded person; and 

  • hostage rescue.

Section 24(1) requires, when a board has entered into an agreement to provide the services of a hostage rescue team or has entered into arrangements to provide hostage rescue on a combined, regional or cooperative basis, the police service to:

  • enter into agreement with the same police service to obtain the services of its major incident commanders and crisis negotiators who have trained with that hostage rescue team; or
  • require the Chief of Police to ensure that at least one of the police service’s major incident commanders and crisis negotiators train with the other police service’s hostage rescue team.

Section 24(2) requires the Chief of Police to ensure that no person is to be a member of a hostage rescue team unless that person has successfully completed the required Ministry accredited training or acquired the Ministry approved equivalent competencies.  Section 29 requires a police services board to have a policy in respect of required accredited training and equivalent competencies for members of a hostage rescue team. 

Section 29 requires a board to have a policy concerning the deployment of a hostage rescue team.  Also, section 25(2)(a) requires the Chief of Police to establish procedures that set out the circumstances in which a hostage rescue team will be deployed.

Furthermore, section 29 requires a board to have a policy on the delegation to the tactical supervisor or major incident commander of responsibility for determining how many tactical officers are required to be deployed to a hostage rescue incident.  Section 25(2)(b) requires the Chief of Police to establish procedures that delegates to the tactical supervisor or major incident commander the responsibility for determining how many tactical officers are required to be deployed to a hostage rescue incident.

Finally, section 29 requires a board to have a policy requiring that all members of a hostage rescue team have access to a procedures manual.  Section 25(3) requires the Chief of Police to ensure that the police service’s procedures for a hostage rescue team are contained in a manual that is available to each member providing that service.

Note: The functions of a tactical unit and hostage rescue team may be provided by one unit or team that is capable of performing the functions of both a tactical unit and a hostage rescue team.  Also, it is implicit that a hostage rescue team must have the capability to undertake explosive forced entry.

Board Policy

It is the policy of the Regional Municipality of York Police Services Board with respect the services of a hostage rescue team that:

  1. the York Regional Police will provide the services of a hostage rescue team;

  2. the services will be available 24 hours a day and within a reasonable response time;

  3. the team will consist of a minimum of 12 full-time tactical officers, including the supervisor, who are dedicated to the team but who, when not training or undertaking tactical or hostage rescue activities, may undertake community patrol; and

  4. the Chief of Police will:

    1. establish procedures that set out the circumstances in which the services of the hostage rescue team will be deployed, including the process for obtaining the services and reporting relationships;

    2. ensure that the hostage rescue team can undertake containment, the apprehension of an armed barricaded person, and hostage rescue;

    3. develop and maintain a manual on hostage rescue team services that is available to each member providing this service;

    4. establish a selection process for members of the team, including ensuring that members who provide this service meet the requirements of the Adequacy Standards Regulation;

    5. ensure the ongoing training of members who provide this service; and

    6. ensure that appropriate equipment, in accordance with the Ministry’s designated equipment and facilities list, is used/available to the members who provide this service.

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