Public Commons

• 2000

Part of Police

Division: Parks and Recreation
Approved by: Parks and Recreation Directors
Date Approved: February 29, 2000
Source: Parks and Recreation
Category: Parks, Forestry and Recreation
Sub-cat: Recreation

Police Protocol (pdf)

Policy Statement

Parks and Recreation Division endeavours to maintain a good working relationship with the Toronto Police Services to create safer communities for everyone.

Procedure

All Parks and Recreation Staff will make every effort to greet Police when they come to a centre and offer their assistance.

A designated Part Time Staff will act as liaison with the police when Full Time staff are not present at the centre.

Parks and Recreation Staff will act in a courteous and respectful manner to police. Use of the telephone and office space, if available, will be offered to visiting police officers, if requested.

Should a pursuit, an arrest, or any other incident out of the ordinary occur, a Full Time or the designated Part Time Staff person in charge, using good judgement will request the police officer(s) badge number(s).   If an arrest or major incident occurs the On Call Supervisor or Supervisor of Recreation and Facilities must be notified. The Media Hot Line should be called as soon as possible.

Staff in charge must fill out appropriate forms.

Staff must report any incidents or difficulties in their relationship with the police to their Supervisor. The Supervisor will then contact the appropriate person within the police department to mutually resolve any difficulties.

Supervisor of Recreation and Facilities or Regional Manager may make individual arrangement to be notified of any community crime activity including local arrests in parks.

Staff should be familiar with the attached guidelines and form for when the Police request access to personal information.

Disclosure of Personal Information

Guidelines for the Disclosure of Personal Information in Response to a Request by a Law Enforcement Officer

Introduction

One of the key principles of the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act) is the protection of personal information.  The requirements of the Act concerning personal privacy include establishing standards for the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.

The City of Toronto creates and maintains many different types of records, many of which contain personal information.  Departments frequently receive requests for access to this information from a variety of external government law enforcement agencies, including City of Toronto Police Services (TPS), the Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).

The collection, use and disclosure of personal information is restricted to specific circumstances outlined in Part II of the Act.  Section 32(g) of the Act permits the disclosure of personal information by the City of Toronto to a law enforcement agency in Canada for the purpose of aiding an investigation undertaken with a view to a law enforcement proceeding.

The Corporate Access and Privacy Office has developed a corporate form and these guidelines to assist City staff in identifying when they are permitted to disclose personal information in response to a request received from a law enforcement agency in Canada, and specific procedures to follow when disclosing personal information in these circumstances.

Guidelines

When a law enforcement officer attends at any City facility requesting access to personal information in its custody and control, they must complete a Law Enforcement Officer's Request for Access to Personal Information form (Attached). Staff are required to ask the attending police officer for identification and ensure that their badge numbers are recorded on the form.

Staff are to complete Part I of the form, indicating whether the request is for employee or client information, the City location, the file title and a brief description of the records requested by the police.

Staff can assist the police in identifying in detail what information they require, so that only those records relevant to the investigation are disclosed.  

In the event that specific information cannot be identified, but the police are requesting to search through a large volume of records, please contact the Corporate Access and Privacy Office for further direction.

Part II of the form is to be completed by the attending police officer.  He/she must record:

• an Occurrence Report No.
• whether copies are requested or to view the original, or both
• whether the originals will be requested under subpoena

Note:  Originals records are never to be provided to an attending officer Staff must ensure that the form is dated and signed by the requesting officer and attending staff person.

Forward the completed original form in a sealed envelope, marked confidential, to the attention of Rita Reynolds, Director of Corporate Access and Privacy at Metro Hall, 7th Floor, 55 John St.

Place a copy of the completed form, along with copies of the records that were disclosed to the law enforcement officer, in the employee or client's file.

If presented with a subpoena, you will likely to be expected to attend at court with a certified copy of the original records that have been requested.  Staff must contact the department's solicitor when presented with a subpoena.

Staff must make a copy of the subpoena and the records that have been requested and place these in the employee or customer file.  A copy of the subpoena is to be forwarded, by confidential mail, to Rita Reynolds, Director of Corporate Access and Privacy at Metro Hall, 7th Floor, 55 John St.

Special Note:  There may be exceptional circumstances that arise in which staff receive a request from the police for information over the telephone.  Please refer all such calls to Corporate Access and Privacy prior to disclosing any personal information.

Copies of the form can be obtained from Corporate Access and Privacy Office by calling 392-9684.  Any questions related to these guidelines can be directed to Sarah Funston-Mills, Manager of Policy and Compliance at 392-9674

(Guidelines were Prepared by Corporate Access and Privacy January 2000)

Form

Law Enforcement Officer Request Form:  Access to Personal Information