Broader Approaches to Community and Officer Safety and Well-Being

• Author: Kent Roach
• Pages: 113-126

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Broader Approaches to Community

and Ocer Safety and Well-Being

INTRODUCTION

Canada has the potential to be a global leader in situating policing into a

broader approach to public safety and well-being. Both Liberal and Con-

servative governments in Ontario have required local councils to produce

community safety and well-being plans with input from ocials from health,

education, community, social, and youth services, in addition to represent-

atives of the police and the police board. e advisory committees for the

creation of the plans are required to consult with youth, racialized and

Indigenous groups, and community organizations before preparing the plan.

e plans should develop strategies with “measurable outcomes” to address

“risk factors” such as “systemic discrimination and other social factors that

contribute to crime, victimization, addiction, drug overdose and suicide.” e

local council should then monitor the plan’s success and revise the plan in

subsequent years.

e plans recognize that the erosion of the welfare state and lack of treat-

ment of addiction and mental health are large factors in many crimes. e

plans were inspired by hubs or situation tables, which bring together multiple

agencies to discuss what should be done with respect to those individuals

identied as “high-risk.” e police bring the majority of such people to the

attention of the hub or situation table, but generally end up being primarily

responsible for only a small minority of the cases going forward. e lead

agencies for most individuals are health, family, or social service agencies.

Trial judges who see the end result of police arrests have also moved in this

direction by creating specialized drug, domestic violence, mental health, and