Preliminary Perimeter Control And Containment

Legislative/Regulatory Requirements

Section 29 of the Adequacy Standards Regulation requires a police services board to have a policy on preliminary perimeter control and containment.  In addition, section 22(1) requires the Chief of Police to establish procedures on preliminary perimeter control and containment.  If a police service maintains its own containment team, section 22(2) requires the Chief of Police to develop procedures for it.

Section 22(3) requires that police officers who are not members of a tactical unit and who are deployed in a containment function, including members of a containment team, shall not, prior to the arrival of a tactical response, employ offensive tactics unless the officers believe, on reasonable grounds, that to do so is necessary to protect against the loss of life or serious bodily harm.

Section 24(2) requires the Chief of Police to ensure that no person is to be a member of a containment team unless that person has successfully completed the required Ministry accredited training or acquired the Ministry approved equivalent competencies.  Section 29 requires a police services board to have a policy in respect of required accredited training and equivalent competencies for members of a containment team.  

Furthermore, section 29 requires a board to have a policy concerning the deployment of a containment team.  Also, section 25(2)(a) requires the Chief of Police to establish procedures that set out the circumstances in which the containment team will be deployed.

Finally, section 29 requires a board to have a policy requiring that all members of a containment team have access to a procedures manual.  Section 25(3) requires the Chief of Police to ensure that the police service’s procedures for containment are contained in a manual that is available to each member providing that service.

Board Policy

It is the policy of the Regional Municipality of York Police Services Board with respect to preliminary perimeter control and containment that:

1. containment will be provided by the York Regional Police; 
2. the Chief of Police will establish procedures that address:
   1. the circumstances in which preliminary perimeter control and containment will be established;
   2. operational responsibility for an incident where preliminary perimeter control and containment is being established; 
   3. the deployment of other emergency response services, including receiving assistance from other agencies; 
   4. the duties of an officer involved in the establishment of preliminary perimeter control and containment, including compliance with the requirement of section 22(3) of  the Adequacy Standards Regulation, pending the deployment of a tactical unit; and
   5. the training of officers in preliminary perimeter control and containment; and
3. the Chief of Police will, if the police service establishes its own containment team, or has officers who are members of a joint containment team, develop and maintain a manual on containment team services that addresses:
   1. the selection process for members of the team, including ensuring that members who provide this service meet the requirements of the Adequacy Standards Regulation;
   2. the equipment to be used/available to the members of the team in accordance with the Ministry’s designated equipment and facilities list; and
   3. the ongoing training of members of the team.