Quality Assurance

Ministry Reviews, Inspections and Audits

The Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services has a statutory mandate to inspect and review municipal police services throughout Ontario to ensure adequate and effective police services.

Ministry inspections are an administrative rather than investigative process (investigations of police services are within the authority of the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services.) Inspections examine policies, procedures and processes and considers them in the context of applicable legislation and regulations.

The Policing Services Division's Quality Assurance Unit conducts regular high-level reviews, inspections and audits of municipal police services. These reviews ensure compliance with legislation and prescribed standards, including Major Case Management and the Police Services Act and its' regulations.

The Qualtiy Assurance Unit also oversees the Ontario operations of the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) - a computer-based data system used to store and access operational information. Located in Ottawa at the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, CPIC contains such information as wanted and missing persons and stolen vehicles and property.

The CPIC system is handled through four administrative functions:

• developing the system itself by establishing and writing provincial CPIC policy and contributing to national policy, investigating possible breaches of CPIC security in Ontario and advising, assisting and training on CPIC and related systems;
• identifying requirements for new or additional terminals and terminal site inspections;
• administering the CPIC audit program; and
• administering related enforcement programs such as the Police Automated Registration Information System (PARIS).

In 2001 the Policing Service Division conducted a series of on-site reviews of municipal police services. The purpose was to assess the level of compliance with the Adequacy and Effectiveness of Police Services Regulation, O.Reg. 3/99. The only municipal police services not reviewed are those currently undergoing OPP costing processes or awaiting a disbandment hearing before the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services.