January 6, 1999
TO:Toronto Emergency & Protective Services Committee
FROM:Norman Gardner, Chairman
Toronto Police Services Board
SUBJECT:TORONTO POLICE SERVICE HUMAN RESOURCE
STRATEGY FOR THE YEARS 1999 - 2003
Recommendation:
It is recommended that:
1.The Emergency & Protective Services Committee receive the following report for
information and forward it to the next meeting of Council for information during
consideration of the Toronto Police Service 1999 Operating Budget.
Council Reference/Background History:
At its meeting on December 15, 1998, the Toronto Police Services Board was in receipt of the
following report NOVEMBER 30, 1998 from David J. Boothby, Chief of Police:
"SUBJECT:HUMAN RESOURCE STRATEGY - 1999 TO 2003
RECOMMENDATION:THAT the Board adopt this report;
THAT the Board request through the Minister of the Solicitor General that the Ontario Police
College continue to deliver the Basic Constable Training program to all police recruits if the
OMERS 75 Factor is implemented;
THAT the Director, Human Resources continue to explore more detailed arrangements to
respond to the impact of an OMERS 75 Factor, and if it is implemented, submit a further
report to update the Board accordingly, and;
THAT the appropriate revised Strategy, based on an OMERS 80 Factor, or an OMERS 75
Factor if implemented, be forwarded to Toronto City Council for its information during the
deliberations of the 1999 Operating Budget.
BACKGROUND:
The Board at its meeting on September 18, 1997, received a report on the Human Resources
Strategy for the years 1998 to 2002 (Minute No. 374 refers). This Strategy was subsequently
amended to increase the target establishment for front-line officers pursuant to a
recommendation by Toronto City Council (Minute No. 214/98 refers). The following is an
update on our experience to the end of October this year, and our projections for the next
five-year period through to the year 2003.
This year, it has been necessary to develop two Strategy scenarios to account for the
possibility that OMERS may introduce new pension factors as a way of reducing an "excess
surplus" in the pension fund. Proposals currently under discussion at OMERS include the
introduction of a 75 Factor for uniform personnel and an 80 Factor for civilian personnel for
the period of January 1, 1999 to December 31, 2001. Should the new factor come into effect
for the uniform personnel, it could have a considerable impact on our number of uniform
separations, and hence on our hiring and training requirements. The Board has written to the
Province advising of the potential consequences for our organization and requesting that a
number of issues be considered in their deliberations. However, as of the date of this report,
there appears to be a possibility that this Factor will be implemented and this Strategy
highlights the actions being considered to address the Service's concerns.
The two Strategy scenarios are identified in this report as the "Current Plan", utilizing
projections based on the present 80/85 Factors, and the "OMERS 75 Factor Plan" ("OMERS
80 Factor Plan" for civilians), utilizing projections based on the proposed new factors.
UNIFORM STAFFING
Target Establishment
The Strategy submitted to the Board in September 1997 identified a target establishment of
4,990 uniform personnel for the end of 1998. At its meeting on April 23, 1998, the Board
received a report responding to a recommendation of the City of Toronto Budget Committee
that the Service increase the number of front-line officers to the December, 1994 levels of
4,009 constables and 915 sergeants/detectives. The report advised that to reach this level, it
would be necessary to hire an additional 193 officers. The report also noted that a further
seventy-five (75) positions would have to be returned to the uniform establishment, as the
civilianization of seventy-four (74) positions for the Repository for Integrated Computer
Imaging (RICI) project and the 24-Hour Bail Court, and the Health and Safety Co-ordinator
position, were not being proceeded with as previously anticipated. Accordingly, the
establishment for 1998 was adjusted to restore the seventy-five (75) positions and to add the
193 positions, resulting in a new target of 5,258.
The September 1997 Strategy report also advised that thirty-five positions would be added to
the establishment starting in 1999, to cover our average number of on-going vacancies that
result from absences due to maternity/parental and central sick bank leaves. The same
circumstances also apply to secondments, which involve an average of about ten members per
year. Accordingly, a new target establishment of 5,303, which will cover these "permanent"
absences, has been set for 1999 and the remaining years of this Strategy period.
Separations
Current Plan
By the end of October of this year, separations totalled 119, including 89 resignations, 27
retirements, and 3 deaths. Forty-nine of the resignations were members who left to join other
police services, primarily for "quality of life" reasons, such as shorter commute times, lower
house prices, etc. While it may not be possible to fully counteract such basic influences, these
statistics are being monitored very closely to assess whether any steps may be feasible to
improve our retention experience. Retirements have largely been driven by the OMERS 80
Factor, particularly for those who are also eligible for medi-pak under the Collective
Agreement. The OMERS 80 Factor has been in effect since November 1st, 1997 and barring
implementation of the 75 Factor, is due to continue until December 31st, 2002. Overall, this
separation experience, even before year end, is appreciably higher than the ninety-five
separations projected for 1998.
If the 80 Factor remains in place, it is anticipated that a higher proportion of those eligible to
retire with this factor will do so in the final year of the program, that is, 2002. By that time,
members will have had the opportunity to make alternative plans, and will be facing the
deadline to formalize their decision. Keeping this in mind, and our experience with the trends
in resignations, the revised Strategy for uniform separations is reflected in Appendix "A".
OMERS 75 Factor Plan
If OMERS introduces the 75 Factor, it will dramatically increase the number of members
eligible for retirement. In 1999 alone, for example, it will rise from 279 under the 80 Factor,
to 841 under the 75 Factor. Although not everyone who is eligible to retire will do so,
retirements are expected to be much higher, but should fall into a pattern similar to that which
has been anticipated for the 80 Factor program, i.e. the number of retirements will be
tempered by eligibility for medi-pak (which is determined by the Collective Agreement and
not by the OMERS plan), and they will unfold on a gradually increasing basis leading up to
potentially major losses in the program's final year, 2001.
The 75 Factor will also likely compound our problem of officers resigning to join other police
services. These services too will be experiencing significant retirements due to this factor, and
will be seeking to replace their losses with serving members who will not require lengthy
training and certification to qualify.
These considerations have led to a 75 Factor Staffing Forecast, which is attached as Appendix
"B".
Police Benefit Fund
There are currently 128 members remaining in the Police Benefit Fund. It is expected that all
of these members will retire during this Strategy period, and their separations have been
included in the calculations of both the 75 Factor and 80 Factor Strategies.
Uniform Hiring
Current Plan
For the years 1999 and 2000, hiring has been set at 306 and 322 new recruits respectively, to
coincide with the number of training spaces allotted for our recruits by the Ontario Police
College (O.P.C.) in Aylmer. This hiring includes additional officers pursuant to the
recommendation by City Council. The hiring phases shown in Appendix "A" for these years
have been scheduled in accordance with the dates of the recruit courses at Aylmer.
The O.P.C. has increased its number of recruit training classes in 1999 and 2000 to
accommodate an anticipated increase in police hiring throughout the Province due to the
government's Community Policing Partnerships grant program. Under this program, the
Province offered a maximum of $150 million to support police services hiring additional
officers above their June 15, 1998 strength for community-based policing purposes. This is a
cost-sharing initiative, with the local municipal or regional government being required to enter
into a five year agreement with the Province to share 50 percent of the cost of the newly hired
officers. The Service submitted its application to the Ministry of the Solicitor General and
included the requisite funding in its Operating Budget calculations. On November 24th, 1998,
the Ministry announced its allocations for this program, and the Toronto Police Service has
been allotted $30 million to hire 250 officers over the five year period. Our application stated
that the officers hired will be deployed to address issues identified by the community and the
Service, including the following (not listed in any priority):
- community partnership programs focusing on crime prevention and community relations;
- enhancing community response;
- increasing police visibility in targeted areas identified by communities and the Service,
such as plaza patrols, drug problems, prostitution, etc.
- enhancing public education programs delivered by the Service;
- enhancing radar enforcement, red light offences, road rage enforcement, and other traffic
enforcement;
- enhancing school programs;
- enhancing the Mounted and Police Dog Unit to support Divisional needs and
neighbourhood policing issues, particularly in the parks.
The hiring targets for the Strategy period have been set to maintain the Service at
approximately its target establishment level. This assumes that the O.P.C. will continue to
fully accommodate our recruit training needs.
OMERS 75 Factor Plan
Implementation of the 75 Factor would change our existing projections significantly, and the
actions required to address the resulting concerns have been identified.
Appendix "B" indicates that over the three-year window of the 75 Factor, a total projected
hiring of 1,551 officers would be required. To optimize the benefits achievable under the
Community Partnerships Program, this hiring would be averaged over the three year period,
for a total of 517 hires per year. This level of hiring will require an increase in the number
officers assigned to recruiting, interviewing, and background investigations, as well as
civilians for administrative support.
Hard costs for recruiting have been projected for advertising, community events, Internet
operations, promotional materials, and the preparation of a recruitment video. It will be
proposed in a separate report to the Board that this Service become a Model One agency under
the Constable Selection System, meaning that we will carry out the testing on-site. Costs
associated with the increased hiring have been estimated for printed materials, scoring of the
General Aptitude Test Battery and Written Communication Tests, psychological testing, and
the introduction of a new video simulation assessment called B-PAD (Behavioural Personnel
Assessment Device). Additional space required to process the applicants has been identified at
the C.O. Bick College, additional testing days will be scheduled, and the Human Resource
Services Unit will be re-organized to function as a two-shift operation.
While much of the increased hard costs for the additional hiring will be addressed by the
applicant fee, the primary consequence in the short term will be the re-deployment of officers
from other units to the employment function. This concern should gradually ease as the new
recruits become available for street duties.
Uniform Training
Current Plan
As noted above, arrangements have been made to secure the training of 306 recruits in 1999
and 322 in 2000. The Ontario Police College has increased its number of intake courses to
allow for the higher number of recruits to be trained, and the Training and Education Unit
(T&E) has shortened its "post-Aylmer" program to accommodate the higher volume. The
post-Aylmer course is a twenty-day program that includes additional firearms training and
instruction on topics unique to the Service, such as our methods of occurrence processing, the
use of our radio and computer equipment, and knowledge of the Service's Rules and
Directives.
Obtaining the necessary training spaces at Aylmer to cover our projected hiring levels for the
balance of the Strategy period will be the subject of continuing discussion with the Ontario
Police College.
OMERS 75 Factor Plan
Given the expected increase in hiring resulting from the OMERS 75 Factor, the limited
capacity of the Ontario Police College to simultaneously handle a greater number of recruits
from our Service and other police services, is a serious concern. The O.P.C. has scheduled a
total of seven intakes for the next two years, and if we were to hire 517 recruits in each of
those years, this would require the O.P.C. to allot us 1,034 spaces for that period, when they
would also be facing requests for additional spaces from other Ontario police services. This
volume of hiring would also affect the capacity of the T& E Unit to deliver its post-Aylmer
program and other training courses unless additional personnel and facilities were made
available.
Three options have been reviewed in this regard, as follows:
(a) That the Ontario Police College continue to deliver the Basic Constable Training program
to all recruits.
This is clearly the best option for the Service and it is recommended that the Board request,
through the Solicitor General, that the O.P.C. continue to fulfill its responsibility for the
recruit training. Although we would still have to process a higher number of recruits through
the post-Aylmer course, the impact on our ability to deliver that program and our other
training would be minimal.
This approach would depend on the willingness and ability of the O.P.C. to find additional
facilities, trainers, etc. to meet our needs and those of the other services.
(b) That the Toronto Police Service be accredited by the Ministry of the Solicitor General as a
training site, and deliver the Basic Constable Training program to just those Service recruits
who cannot be accommodated at Aylmer.
Endeavouring to run a parallel program would be a somewhat complicated process to manage.
It would require an increase in the number of staff assigned to training, and the securing of
additional facilities for firearms instruction and to ensure that our other training initiatives
were not compromised. This approach would involve organizing and scheduling large
numbers of recruits to receive the standard three month course normally delivered at the
O.P.C., as well as handling those recruits returning from the O.P.C. to receive their
post-Aylmer training. A primary concern would be the limited number of spaces available for
firearms training at the C.O. Bick College. The range at the College can accommodate a
maximum of eighteen students at a time, and each recruit requires twelve full days of training
to meet the Provincial standard and qualify for use of the shotgun. Established standards
recommend a student-to-instructor ratio of 2:1, and the high volume of recruits at the College
combined with those returning for their post-Aylmer training, would require that additional
range facilities be secured.
A further concern with this option is the possibility of different training outcomes occurring,
based on the different opportunities available for student interaction. The recruits attending at
the O.P.C. are part of a cloistered learning environment that encourages team building and
shared problem solving. Attendees at the C.O. Bick College, unlike their colleagues at the
O.P.C., would go home every night and would not have the same synergistic learning
experiences when working on after-class assignments. This could result in a pattern of
different scores and learning outcomes emerging between the two groups and if this option
were pursued, it would be necessary to monitor the results and assess whether any
modifications should be made.
(c) That the Toronto Police Service be accredited to deliver all of its own recruit training.
This option would involve the implementation of a four-month training period at the C.O.
Bick College, representing a combination of the three month O.P.C. program and the
twenty-day post-Aylmer program. It would require careful timing between the hiring and
training processes, probably leading to a "phased" approach, with a pre-set number of recruits
being hired and sent for training each month, rather than the traditional "block" hiring of three
times per year which has been necessitated by Aylmer's training schedule.
This option would require a major re-assignment of staff to conduct the training and the need
to obtain additional training space. A critical issue is that the Service should not allow recruit
training to displace mandated training or other training that has been implemented as a result
of needs identified through inquests, inquiries, and other forums. Accordingly, off-site
training locations such as school board facilities and partnerships with other educational
institutions would have to be explored, involving the likelihood of additional hard costs.
Coach Officer Program
A large influx of new recruits resulting from a 75 Factor program would also have an impact
on our coach officer program. Under this program, experienced police constables are selected
and trained as "coach officers" to assist and evaluate new recruits on a one-on-one basis
during their first 10 weeks of field duties. A greater number of officers would be needed for
this function, requiring an increase in the coach officer training courses to meet this demand
and the attendant costs involved.
Uniform Promotions
A separate report has been prepared for the Board highlighting the results of the 1997/98
uniform promotional processes and projecting the number of vacant positions that will need to
be filled by promotion over the next two years. The current projections indicate that 18
vacancies will open for Inspector, 51 for Staff (Detective) Sergeant, and 103 for Sergeant
(Detective). Increased retirements due to an OMERS 75 Factor would raise these numbers,
and contingency estimates suggest that 24 promotions may be required to Inspector, 79 to
Staff (Detective) Sergeant, and 187 to Sergeant (Detective).
CIVILIAN STAFFING
Target Establishment
Several events have resulted in revisions to the civilian establishment targets since the report
to the Board in September 1997:
(a) The proposed civilianization in 1998 for RICI and the 24 hour Bail Court, and the Health
& Safety Co-ordinator position, were not proceeded with as City Council did not approve
these initiatives in the 1998 Operating Budget. While the RICI project remains a subject of
study and may receive budget approval at a future date, it is not being included in the Human
Resources Strategy at this time. Requests for a number of civilian positions, including a
Health & Safety Co-ordinator, are currently under review by the Command for inclusion in
the 1999 Operating Budget submission, and similarly have not been included in this Strategy.
(b) The 1997 Strategy report noted a decrease of 139 positions in 1999 due to the Occurrence
Re-engineering project in Corporate Information Services. This change has now been moved
to the beginning of the year 2001, in accordance with revisions that have been made to the
technology initiatives schedule in the Capital Program. In the interim, permanent staff who
leave the C.I.S. Unit are being replaced by temporary personnel. At the commencement of the
year 2001, if the project has proceeded on schedule, the balance of the temporary and
permanent personnel will be reduced to effect the decrease in the civilian complement.
(c) A program review of the Court Services Unit recommended that the position of part-time
Court Officer be eliminated entirely. Upon review by the Command, a partial implementation
of this recommendation was decided upon, allowing for the number of part-time Court
Officers to be reduced, and the number of full-time Court Officers to be increased, in a
manner which would not increase the overall salary budget for the Unit. This resulted in an
increase of 33 full-time Court Officers in the civilian strength. A separate report on this
subject will be submitted to the Board in the near future.
(d) In its recommendations to establish Community Response units in the police divisions, the
Beyond 2000 Report recommended that these units include a civilian member in a support
capacity. Seventeen positions have been added to the civilian establishment accordingly.
As a result of these changes, the Strategy now calls for new civilian establishment targets of
1,878 for years 1998 to 2000 inclusive, and 1,739 for the balance of the Strategy period, as set
out in Appendices "C" and "D".
Separations
Current Plan
As the uniform personnel currently have the benefit of an 80 Factor retirement program under
OMERS through to the end of 2002, the corresponding benefit for civilians is an 85 Factor.
Typically, civilians have retired at a later age than uniform members, and this pattern has held
for the fifteen civilian retirements incurred to the end of October this year. In addition, there
have been thirty-seven resignations and ten separations for other reasons, resulting in a total of
sixty-two losses. This is significantly higher than the thirty-six separations originally predicted
for 1998, and the Current Plan reflects a higher number of separations per year, rising to a
peak in 2002 when the 85 Factor program ends, and then dropping substantially in 2003.
There are only twelve civilians left in the Metropolitan Toronto Pension Plan, and their
retirement by the end of the Strategy period has been included in the projections for both the
Current Plan and the OMERS 80 Factor Plan.
OMERS 80 Factor Plan
Implementation of an 80 Factor would significantly increase the number of civilians eligible
to retire. In 1999, for example, it would rise from thirty-nine members to one hundred and
eleven members, although mere eligibility does not mean that all of these members will retire
that year.
As noted for the uniform personnel, civilian members are influenced by their medi-pak status
when considering whether to retire, and they are more likely to leave toward the end of the 80
Factor period in 2001. These considerations have been taken into account in projecting the
civilian separations in the Strategy for an 80 Factor regime.
Civilian Hiring
The 1997 Strategy Report advised that due to the Service being understrength with respect to
the civilian establishment, commencing in 1998 all civilian positions that became vacant
would be backfilled, providing there was sufficient justification. The current Strategy provides
for this practice to continue and vetting procedures are in place to ensure that staffing
decisions are appropriate. Units requesting a backfill must provide a written rationale
indicating their need for staffing the position, and what alternatives were considered. Requests
are reviewed by Budgeting and Control to verify that funds are available in the Unit's salary
account.
The 1997 Strategy Report also cited forty-four new hires that required funding, but the
necessary funds were not approved by City Council during the 1998 Operating Budget
process. As noted above, requests for a number of civilian positions have been received again
this year and they are currently under review by the Command. Given the tentative nature of
this list they have not been included in the Strategy at this time.
BUDGET IMPACT
The budget impact of the foregoing Strategy will be included in separate submissions to the
Board regarding the proposed 1999 Operating Budget."
Conclusions:
The Board approved the foregoing.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
William Gibson, Director of Human Resources, telephone no. 808-7864.
Respectfully submitted,
Norman Gardner
Chairman
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