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Toronto Police Service introduces Missing and Missed Implementation Team

Nov. 17, 2021, Toronto, Ont. – The Toronto Police Service has implemented one of the key recommendations from Judge Epstein’s Report by launching its Missing and Missed Implementation Team. Seven Community Representatives were selected from over 148 applicants bringing forward expertise, lived experiences and years of community advocacy. They are joined by four volunteers, all members of Judge Epstein’s Community Advisory Group, who will continue to provide the same advice and support as they did for the initial Review.

Since Judge Epstein delivered her report in April 2021, the Service has created a dedicated team of 16 TPS members who work full time on the implementation of all 151 recommendations. To ensure TPS efforts honour the intent of the Judge’s review and reflect the best interests of the communities most impacted by the review, the Community Representatives will advise the Service throughout the process.

“We cannot do this work alone and we recognize that how we implement these recommendations will affect how successful we are at earning the community’s trust,” said Chief of Police James Ramer. “The recommendations also seek to build public confidence in the Toronto Police Service, and to continue to build bridges with members of all the communities we serve. We are lucky to have a group of dedicated Community Representatives who have come forward to help us.”

The Implementation Team is a joint effort of community and TPS members who meet regularly and publicly report on their efforts to the Toronto Police Services Board. The group also includes police representatives from Peel Regional Police Service and the Ontario Provincial Police. It will be co-chaired by a Community Representative and Staff Superintendent Pauline Gray, who has been appointed by Chief Ramer to lead the Service’s implementation.

“The Board views Judge Epstein’s Report as establishing a renewed approach to working with communities, and acknowledging and working to address systemic discrimination in its many manifestations,” said Chair of the Toronto Police Services Board Jim Hart. “To be effective and successful in our efforts in this critical area, we must see the public as a valued partner, with information, perspectives, knowledge and insight that the police may not always have, combining this with our professional expertise so that we can do our best to serve and protect every single member of the public.”

The first substantial deliverable of the Implementation Team will be a comprehensive plan outlining the road map and associated milestones of each of the 151 recommendations. Since coming together in September, the Team determined more time was needed in order to fully understand and prepare this critical next step. As a result, at the request of the Team, the TPS sought, and was granted, approval by Judge Epstein to extend the reporting deadline of October 30, 2021 to December 31, 2021. The Implementation Plan will be posted on the website at that time.