Crisis Negotiation

Policy No:
02/00-56
Effective Date:

Legislative/Regulatory Requirements

Section 21 of the Adequacy Standards Regulation requires a police service to provide, within a reasonable response time, the services of one or more crisis negotiators.

Additionally, Section 21 of the regulation permits a police service to deliver the services of crisis negotiation by contracting with another police service, or entering into arrangements to provide this service on a combined, regional or cooperative basis.
 
Section 24(2) requires the Chief of Police to ensure that no person is to be a crisis negotiator 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 crisis negotiators.
    
Furthermore, section 29 requires a board to have a policy concerning the deployment of crisis negotiators.  Also, section 25(2)(a) requires the Chief of Police to establish procedures that set out the circumstances in which crisis negotiators will be deployed.

Finally, section 29 requires a board to have a policy requiring that all crisis negotiators have access to a procedures manual.  Section 25(3) requires the Chief of Police to ensure that the police service’s procedures for crisis negotiation 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 crisis negotiation services that:

  1. the York Regional Police  will provide the services of a crisis negotiator; 

  2. the services will be available 24 hours a day and within a reasonable response time; 

  3. a crisis negotiator will not perform any incident management role other than crisis negotiation;

  4. the Chief of Police will:

    1. develop procedures that address the circumstances in which a crisis negotiator is to be deployed;

    2. develop and maintain a manual on crisis negotiation that is available to each member providing this service; 

    3. establish a selection process for members who provide this service, including ensuring that members who provide this service meet the requirements of the Adequacy Standards Regulation;

    4. ensure the ongoing training of members who provide this service; and

    5. ensure that appropriate equipment, in accordance with the Ministry’s designated equipment and facilities list, is used/available to members who provide this service.