Police-Encounters-With-People-In-Crisis

(a) Batons
5. Provincial guidelines dictate that batons are the only impact weapons that police
may use on members of the public. The batons must be rigid at all times, including when
expanded, and have a minimum length of 16 inches. Officers are required to re-qualify
annually on the use of a baton, including at least one hour of training, and to
demonstrate competency in the appropriate context for use of a baton, stances, control
techniques, blocking and striking techniques, and retaining the officer’s baton when
engaging with a member of the public. 5
(b) OC spray
6. The Ontario guidelines provide that OC spray is a legitimate use-of-force option
only when alternative force options create a risk of injury to a subject or police officers. 6
Provincial guidelines also require that OC aerosol canisters be labelled with an
individual serial number, be equipped with a safety device to prevent accidental
discharge, and be fastened to the officer’s belt. Aerosol weapons must be replaced at
least every two years. When an individual is sprayed, police must make all reasonable
efforts to decontaminate the person at the earliest safe or practicable opportunity, and
the Service is encouraged to consider equipping officers with aerosol water mist
decontamination devices. 7
7. Officers are required to re-qualify annually on the use of OC spray, which
includes at least one hour of training regarding technical data on the product. This
training includes education on the active ingredients and propellant, the effects of being
sprayed, use-of-force legislation and case law, and the TPS procedure on aerosol
weapons, as well as recent case studies of the use of OC spray. Officers must
demonstrate competency in the proper application of OC spray and decontamination
procedures to complete the training. 8
(c) Firearms
8. Regulations made under the Police Services Act mandate the types of firearms
and ammunition to be issued to police officers. 9 The TPS has implemented a procedure
to govern the use, handling, display, transportation, and storage of Service-issued
firearms by officers. 10 A separate TPS procedure applies to the use of firearms during
tactical training. 11 No member of the Service is issued a handgun until he or she has
5
MCSCS, Use of Force Guidelines, supra note 1, ss. 10-11.
6
Id., ss. 12-14.
7
Id., s. 13.
8
Id., s. 14.
9
See Reg, 926, supra note 1; See also MCSCS, Use of Force Guidelines, supra note 1, ss. 20-25.
10
Toronto Police Service, Use of Force and Equipment, Procedure 15-04 “Service Firearms” (Toronto, ON: Toronto Police Service,
2013) [TPS, “Procedure 15-04”].
11
Toronto Police Service, Use of Force and Equipment, Procedure 15-06 “Tactical Training with Firearms” (Toronto, ON: Toronto
Police Service, 2007).
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