Police-Encounters-With-People-In-Crisis

engages with a person in crisis as well as an officer’s empathy, patience, and willingness
to attempt de-escalation before resorting to using force. Some stakeholders suggested
this screening should also take place periodically throughout officers’ careers.
44. Other stakeholders emphasized that the new constable recruitment process
should be changed to recruit for specialization and individual skills. Several
stakeholders emphasized that the current system for hiring new constables as
generalists does not give sufficient preference to candidates with areas of expertise that
a police service might need, including social, technical, language or management skills,
cultural awareness, or experience and comfort in interacting with people in crisis. It was
suggested that the Service’s generalist hiring practices may not suit the various and
specialized roles that a police service is asked to fulfill in order to effectively serve a
modern and complex society. Even if the TPS does not hire individuals specifically for
certain roles, it was noted that valuing diversity of experience, education, and skills in
hiring will provide the Service with a greater depth of talent to fill more specialized roles
later in officers’ careers.
III.
Recommendations
45. I recommend that:
The hiring of new constables
RECOMMENDATION 6: The TPS change mandatory application
qualifications for new constables to require the completion of a Mental Health
First Aid course, in order to ensure familiarity and some skill with this core
aspect of police work.
RECOMMENDATION 7: The TPS give preference or significant weight to
applicants who have:
(a)
(b)
(c)
Community Service: engaged in significant community service, to
demonstrate community-mindedness and the adoption of a
community service mentality. Community service with exposure to
people in crisis should be valued;
Mental Health Involvement: past involvement related to the mental
health community, be it direct personal experience with a family
member, work in a hospital, community service, or other
contributions; and
Higher Education: completed a post-secondary university degree or
substantially equivalent education.
RECOMMENDATION 8: The TPS amend its application materials and
relevant portions of its website to ensure that applicants for new constable
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