BackOntario Ombudsman André Marin today announced he has appointed two prominent former police chiefs as special advisors to his ongoing investigation into the direction provided by the province to police for de-escalating conflict situations.
The advisors are Hon. Vern White, former chief of the Ottawa and Durham police services and former Assistant Commissioner of the RCMP, and Mike Boyd, former chief of the Edmonton Police Service and former deputy chief of the Toronto Police Service. They will share their expertise with the Ombudsman during the investigation.
“I am honored that these two professionals with decades of experience have agreed to assist my office in this important work as we review the use of force by police in Ontario and determine where improvements are needed,” Mr. Marin said. “Former chiefs Boyd and White are well-respected across Canada by police and the public alike. They are committed to increasing public confidence in police, and I welcome their input.”
The investigation is reviewing, among other things, the training provided to police through the Ontario Police College, as well as how the province has responded to relevant recommendations from numerous inquests into police-involved deaths. To date, the Ombudsman has received 164 complaints and submissions relating to this case, and Mr. Marin has met with several family members of Ontarians who were killed by police in recent years. For more details, please visit the website of the Ontario Ombudsman.
Source: Office of the Ontario Ombudsman, Canada
