Community Safety and Policing Act

PRINCIPLES AND INTERPRETATION OF THE COMMUNITY SAFETY AND POLICING ACT

Declaration of principles

Policing shall be provided throughout Ontario in accordance with the following principles:

1. The need to ensure the safety and security of all persons and property in Ontario, including on First Nation reserves.
2. The importance of safeguarding the fundamental rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedomsand the Human Rights Code.
3. The need for co-operation between policing providers and the communities they serve.
4. The importance of respect for victims of crime and understanding of their needs.
5. The need for sensitivity to the pluralistic, multiracial and multicultural character of Ontario society.
6. The need to be responsive to the unique histories and cultures of First Nation, Inuit and Métis communities.
7. The need to ensure that police services and police service boards are representative of the communities they serve.
8. The need to ensure that all parts of Ontario, including First Nation reserves, receive equitable levels of policing.