Police-Encounters-With-People-In-Crisis

25. When recruits return from the Basic Constable Training Program at OPC, they
receive further training at the TPC in several areas, including ethics, professional
standards and “emotionally disturbed persons.” Training on occupational health and
safety includes education on critical incident stress, a subject discussed in Chapter 9
(The Mental Health of Police Personnel). New members also participate in practical
scenarios that address issues such as responding to a person in crisis, assessing threats
and using proportionate force, and employing appropriate communications skills.
Participants then debrief the encounters and discuss any concerns that arose. 24
2. In-service training
26. As noted in Chapter 12 (Equipment), officers are required to re-qualify annually
on their use of all issued equipment, including batons, OC spray, firearms, and, where
applicable, CEWs. Officers receive additional classroom and scenario training during the
annual in-service sessions, as well as through e-learning platforms, in areas such as
legislation, human rights, and mental illness, although they are not required to requalify
on communication or negotiation skills. 25
27. In-service training builds on officers’ skills in exercising judgment,
communication, self-control and professionalism. The practical scenarios require
officers to make decisions in stress-inducing environments, to demonstrate their skill in
threat perception and to respond proportionately to the threat and circumstances.
Recognizing subject behaviour, responding to people in crisis, de-escalation and
containment options are all addressed as part of judgment training. 26
3. Other training
28. The TPC also offers courses for newly promoted supervisors of various ranks, and
remedial training that addresses work performance issues for specific officers. For
example, before the Chief of Police may make a work performance complaint against an
officer, the officer must be offered remedial assistance that would improve his or her
performance, including training. 27 As discussed in Chapter 10 (Use of Force), Use of
Force Reports are collected and used to identify individual and group training
requirements. The unit commander of an officer who requires additional training in an
area must submit a form to the TPC unit commander detailing the issue, and the TPC
will then schedule the required training in accordance with unit-specific guidelines. 28
E. Divisional training
29. The TPS offers regular in-service training within divisions. Each division has a
sergeant responsible for training for the members of the five platoons (or shifts) within
the division. Platoons have training days every five weeks, with access to a Live Link TV
24
Toronto Police College, “Course Training Standard: Post-Aylmer Basic Constable Training Course – Community Policing Section”
(2013).
25
Toronto Police College, “Course Training Standard: In-service training course – Uniform”(2013).
26
Ibid.
27
Regulation 268/10 s. 29(3).
28
Toronto Police Service, Procedure 15-01 “Use of Force and Equipment” (Toronto, ON: Toronto Police Service, 2013).
Police Encounters With People in Crisis |150