PROVINCIAL GOVERNMENT REVISITS POLICE SERVICES ACT

For the first time since 1990 the Ontario government are reexamining the Police Act with an eye to making changes. These proposed changes include strengthening police board governance, delegating some police duties to civilians, mandating co-operation with other agencies and improving third party oversight of police. Also there is a suggestion that processes and penalties for police officer misconduct should be simplified and brought more in line with general labour practices in the province. Frankly I find that disingenuous as there is no such thing as general labour practices within the province. There are unionized environments with written contractual obligations and penalties and then there are all the rest non unionized positions where employers do as they bloody well please. The provincial Ministry of Labour is a toothless tiger in those instances.

Yes improvements are needed but why do I think the governing Liberals haven't got a clue much less any real zeal for reform? The Waterloo region record article is titled "Police chiefs need power to suspend with no pay:survey".