Governance
Education and Event Attendance

Policy No: 02/25

Date Approved: June 25, 2025

Dates Amended: N/A

Legislative Authority: s. 35(2) Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c. 1, Sched. 1

1. POLICY STATEMENT

The York Regional Police Service Board recognizes the importance of:

  • Pursuing excellence in governance through a commitment to continual training and education; and
  • Being engaged in events and activities that enriches the Board’s understanding of policing and the work of YRP.

Section 35 of the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 requires that all members of the Board and its committees complete any training that the Minister may prescribe. The Board has adopted this policy to establish criteria that will cultivate a greater understanding of police governance and policing through engagement in events, activities and continual training and education that supports the Board in being actively engaged and well informed to perform its duties and responsibilities.

2. PURPOSE

This policy ensures that Board Members, Board Staff and Committee Members comply with the training requirements of the section 35(2) of the CSPA and participate in a series of events, training and education opportunities throughout their tenure, are well informed, effective, and aligned with the principles of human rights, systemic racism awareness, and the diverse, multiracial, and multicultural character of Ontario society, as well as the rights and cultures of Indigenous Peoples.  

3. APPLICATION

3.1 This policy shall apply to:

  1. York Regional Police Service Board Members
  2. York Regional Police Service Board Staff
  3. York Regional Police Service Board Committee Members

4. DEFINITIONS

Act: Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, S.O. 2019, c. 1, Sched. 1, its successor legislation and regulations.

Board: The Regional Municipality of York Police Service Board whom employs members of the York Region Police Service, the Chief, Deputy Chiefs and Board Staff, and is responsible for the provision of adequate and effective policing within York Region.

Board Chair: The Board Member, elected at the first meeting in January of each year to lead the Board and ensure effective governance.

Board Member: Any member of the York Regional Police Service Board duly appointed and in compliance with sections 33, 34, and 35 of the Act.

Board Member Code of Conduct: O. Reg. 408/23 of the Community Safety and Policing Act - Code of Conduct for Police Service Board Members.

Board Office: The business office of the Board through which all day-to-day business, events and governance activity is administered.

Board Staff: Employees of the Board, who are not members of a police association, employed by the Board under the direction of the Board and its Executive Director

Chief of Police: The Chief of Police for York Regional Police.

Committee Member: A person appointed to a Board committee or working group that is not a Board Member or Board Staff, but may include members of YRP or York Region municipal staff that have been invited to advise the Board

CSPA: The Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 and its regulations as amended.

Education: Includes conferences, seminars, webinars, micro-courses and programs and other such modes of learning directly related to the Board’s duties and responsibilities to provide governance and civilian oversight of YRP and ensuring the provision of adequate and effective policing as established under the CSPA.

Event: Opportunities that allow the Board to engage with YRP and the policing and police governance community outside of formal learning forums and may include ceremonies, receptions, meetings and community events.

Mandatory Training: training set out in s. 35(2) of the CSPA for Board Members and Committee Members.

York Region: The Regional Municipality of York, the Board’s geographic area for which the Board has policing responsibility.

York Regional Police: The police service established by the Board, under the direction of the Chief of Police

5. RESPONSIBILITIES

5.1 York Regional Police Service Board:

  1. The Board Office shall be responsible for notifying Board Members and Committee Members of Event and Education opportunities and will manage registration or in the case of Events, facilitate coordinating attendance with the host organization.
  2. Orientation: The Board, in consultation with the Chief has established its own orientation requirements for Board Members, will be scheduled by the Board Office to attend:
  1. An orientation session provided by the Executive Director, on the roles and responsibilities of Board members and current matters;
  2. An orientation session from the Chief of Police on the operational policing environment which may include briefing from the members of the Executive Leadership Team on their respective areas of responsibility; and
  3. Attend an introductory meeting with a representative(s) of the York Regional Police Association

     c.  Mandatory Training: All Board Members and Committee Members must successfully complete mandatory training. This mandatory training includes the following topics;

  1. Role and Responsibilities: The role of the police service board, individual member responsibilities, governance, oversight, and strategic planning. 
  2. Human Rights and Systemic Racism Training: understanding human rights legislation, recognizing systemic racism, and strategies for promoting equity and inclusion within the police service and the community.
  3. Diversity and Cultural Awareness Training: recognizing and respecting the diverse, multiracial, and multicultural character of Ontario society, and the rights and cultures of First Nation, Inuit, and Métis Peoples.
  1. The Board Office will ensure Board Members and Committee Members are informed of any additional training that may be prescribed by the Minister, and where necessary will arrange for registration and enrollment.
  2. In accordance with s.35(3) of the CSPA, any Board Member or Committee Member that does not successfully complete the mandatory training shall not exercise their powers or duties until confirmation of successful completion has been received by the Board Office.
  3. The Board Office shall notify the Board Chair and Executive Director of any Board Members or Committee Members that have not completed this mandatory training prior to a scheduled meeting of the Board or its committees.

6. Education

6.1 Board Members:

  1. During their first year of appointment, each Board Member shall attend, in-person, 1 conference of the following organizations:

    1. Ontario Association of Police Service Boards (OAPSB)
    2. OAPSB Zone 3
    3. Canadian Association of Police Governance (CAPG);
  2. Throughout their term on the Board, every Board Member shall make an effort to represent the Board at least once at each of the following:
    1. OAPSB AGM and Annual conference;
    2. CAPG AGM and Annual conference;
    3. Meeting of OAPSB Zone 3 boards
    4. CACOLE (Canadian Association for Civilian Oversight of Law Enforcement) Annual Conference
    5. CACP (Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police) Annual Conference
  3. Every year Board Members shall:
    1. Participate in at least one ride-along with YRP officers in one of the five policing districts.
    2. Participate in the annual employee appreciation event in at least one of the five policing districts and at YRP Headquarters
  4. Having satisfied the requirements set out above, and provided sufficient funds remain in the Board’s budget, Board Members are encouraged to attend other Education opportunities as approved by the Board in January of each year

 

6.2 Board Staff

  1. Within the first year of starting employment with the Board each Board Staff member shall attend the following:
    1. Mandatory Training as set out in the CSPA.
    2. Any anti-bias and anti-racism training offered by YRP as part of on-going professional development.
    3. Any training required to be compliant with Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) customer service standards.
    4. All orientation sessions for new hires organized by the Executive Director.
    5. At least one ride-along with YRP officers in one of the five policing districts.
  2. Board Staff, shall also attend any of the Education and Events as set out in sections 6 and 7 of this bylaw. Attendance will be determined by the Executive Director or their designate.
  3. Within the first two years from the date of hire each staff members shall be required to successfully complete AMCTO’s Parliamentary Protocol Course.
  4. Education related to the Board Staff roles will be agreed upon between the Executive Director and Board Staff. This should include any areas mentioned in the performance evaluation where skills were listed as needing improvement, as well as any courses deemed necessary by the Executive Director. 

 

6.3 Non-Board Staff

a)The Board is provided with expertise support from YRP Members, particularly in the areas of employment and labour relations and finance, and York Region Legal Staff (non-staff).

b)The Executive Director shall have the discretion to extend an invitation to a non-staff position to ensure that these individuals are also advancing their knowledge of and participating in current police governance discussions to ensure the Board is properly supported in it duties and responsibilities.

c)Such an invitation will be extended where the content of a governance conference or governance sector event is relevant to the role and there are funds available in the Board’s budget.

 

6.4 Training Compliance and Completion

  1. Board Members shall provide proof of successful completion of the required training to the Board. The Board Office shall be responsible for coordinating the training sessions, tracking completion, and maintaining records.
  2. Staff shall provide proof of enrollment and successful completion of any education program approved by the Executive Director.

7. EVENTS

  1. The Board Office shall facilitate notification of events and confirmation of attendance for Events.
  2. Board Members shall provide written confirmation of attendance in accordance with the timelines set by the host.
  3. Every year throughout their term on the Board, every Board Member shall represent the Board at least once at any of the following events:
    1. An event hosted by the York Region Police Service which;
  • Recruit Graduation
  • Celebrates the retirement of civilian and sworn members;
  • Memorial events
    • Any other similar event that recognizes the accolades of service members.
  • Media event and press conferences.
  • Community Heritage events hosted by YRP 
  • If invited, a charitable event for an organization funded through the Board’s Public Relations Fund

8. EXPENSES

Expenses associated with this policy will be reimbursed in accordance with the Board’s Expense Reimbursement Policy No. 02/25.

9. COMPLIANCE

To ensure compliance with the Act and regulations, the Board will review this policy at least every 5 years commencing from the date of adoption.

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