Police-Encounters-With-People-In-Crisis

are investigated, and report up the chain of command any unusual occurrences during
their shifts. 16
2. Coach officers
17. Coach officers provide field training to new police recruits who are transitioning
from training to full duties as a fourth class constable. 17 Officers in this role act as
mentors, teachers, and supervisors for new constables. The Review heard about the
critical role coach officers can play in a new constable’s development, and the
importance of selecting officers best suited to this role in order to reinforce the training
and culture intended by the TPS senior management.
18. Coach officers are certified by completing a training course, which is offered by
institutions such as the OPC and internally at the TPC. Coach officers must conform to
the Service’s core values of honesty, integrity, fairness, respect, reliability, team work,
and positive attitude. 18
19. The TPS Uniform Coach Officer course includes training on ethics, integrity and
diversity. In particular, the course addresses the importance of ethical and professional
behaviour and integrity and fairness when working with and reviewing new recruits.
Further, issues of personal bias as well as integrity and motivation in a leadership
context are discussed during the course. TPS coach officer training is an introduction to
the fundamentals of supervision and management. 19
20. Coach officers are taught how to conduct performance evaluations, basic
counselling methodologies, solving problems related to personnel management, and the
discipline process, among other skills. 20
21. Coach officers have the following responsibilities toward their trainees:
facilitating diverse and meaningful learning experiences, explaining TPS procedures,
reviewing the responsibilities of various members of the Service, providing feedback,
and ensuring that new officers have the necessary orientation to perform their duties.
They must also monitor and report on the progress of trainees, advising platoon
supervisors of any issues that arise regarding specific trainees. 21
22. The OPC Coach Officer Manual outlines the requisite performance indicators
used to evaluate trainees. 22 These performance indicators include many of the critical
skills identified in other chapters of this Report:
16
Toronto Police Service, Service Governance Standards of Conduct (Toronto, ON: Toronto Police Service, 23 December 2013), s.
2.2.1.
17
Ontario Police College, “Police Trainee Field Training Manual” (Aylmer, ON: The Ontario Police College, 2009) at 6 [OPC,
Manual].
18
Toronto Police Service, Course Training Standard, TM0027 “Community Policing Section, Uniform Coach Officer” (January
2013) at 6.
19
Id. at 3-5.
20
Id. at 15-16.
21
OPC, Manual, supra note 17 at 10.
22
Ibid.
Police Encounters With People in Crisis |162