How do Ontario police services operate and who commands them?

With demonstrations against COVID-19 measures in Ottawa setting off a ripple of protests across the province, Ontario police face a demanding balancing act of attempting to manage the protests, control crowds and ensure participants’ and residents’ safety.

But, as the occupation of Ottawa stretches into its third week, police are under intense scrutiny over how protesters were able to take over the downtown core and how they’ve maintained the demonstration for so long.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, along with Ottawa Mayor Jim Watson and Toronto Mayor John Tory, have made clear they support the police and their approach to maintaining the peace, while also repeatedly saying they cannot direct police as elected officials.

While politicians are able to set in motion laws that police officers are tasked with upholding, such as the injuctions Ottawa and Windsor have seen put in place this week or the invocation of the Emergencies Act on Monday, elected officials cannot command police services on a day-to-day basis.

Dr. Wayne Petrozzi, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Politics and Public Administration at Ryerson University, says that the separation between police and politicians is the sign of a healthy democracy.

“In most democracies, we keep a very strict boundary that separates elected officials from police offices or security services,” Petrozzi told CTV News Toronto Monday.

“This is to make sure that police do the job of policing on the basis of the task, not on the basis of political direction.”

So, if politicians don’t have a hand in policing, who directs Ontario police services?

MINISTRY OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL

Ontario’s Police Services Act underlines that it is the responsibility of the Solicitor General to monitor policing, conduct systems of inspection and review, consult with and advise boards and operate the Ontario Police College — among other responsibilities.

POLICE SERVICES BOARDS

A police services board, of which each police force has their own, oversees how policing is provided in local communities.

Local police services boards are composed of an equal number of members appointed from both the regional or municipal council and the province, along with one appointed community member.

There are two kinds of boards: Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) police services boards and municipal police boards.

OPP services boards determine objectives and priorities for their areas of command, establish local policies, advise OPP detachments, participate in selecting, consult with and receive reports from the OPP detachment commander.

Municipal police services boards are responsible for determining objectives and priorities for police services.

While both the Ministry of the Solicitor General and police services board oversee policing, they don’t command police services.

CHIEF OF POLICE

Police chiefs in Ontario are largely responsible for commanding and directing their services, with advice and consultation from police services boards.

According to the Police Services Act, the responsibilities of police chiefs include administering the service, ensuring that members carry out their duties, ensuring that the police provide community-oriented services and administering a complaint system.

Chiefs of police have the largest say in day-to-day policing activities.

CONFIDENCE IN OTTAWA POLICE

After nearly three weeks of criticism over how the Ottawa protests have been handled, Chief of Police Peter Sloly announced his resignation Tuesday. The announcement comes on day 19 of the protests.

Residents have expressed increasing outrage at the police response, with participants freely transporting fuel and other supplies to and from their encampments, showing no signs of leaving Wellington Street.

Petrozzi says the policing situation in Ottawa “defies all norms of what to expect in the way of security” and calls the services’ actions “inexplicable.”

A protester carrying an empty fuel container on a broom handle walks on Metcalfe Street past Ontario Provincial Police officers, as a protest against COVID-19 restrictions that has been marked by gridlock and the sound of truck horns continues into its second week in Ottawa on Monday, Feb. 7, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

He drew a comparison between the ongoing occupations and past protests that saw police move in a more timely manner.

“I'll remind you that it wasn't that long ago that Indigenous people blockaded rail lines and I’ll remind you, as well, how long it took for provincial and federal authorities to respond,” he said.

According to Petrozzi, any potential problems within the Ottawa Police Service wouldn’t be caused by Ontario’s current system of policing oversight, but would rather be found within the chain of command. He says events in Ottawa will likely be subject to a review by Ottawa’s Police Services Board.

“When this is done, the Police Services Board of the City of Ottawa can decide to conduct a review of what transpired and, on the basis of what comes out of that review, make what they deem to be appropriate changes to the command structure of the Ottawa police force,” he said.

With files from CTV News’ Josh Pringle.