Information for Housing Program Providers: Interacting with York Regional Police

When officers attend housing programs (on-going investigations/investigation within a housing program)

Except in exigent circumstances, whenever a police officer attends a shelter they must contact the housing program provider by telephone and give reasonable notice of their visit. By providing reasonable notice, officers will give program staff the opportunity to ensure the health, safety and security of staff and service recipients.

If there is any doubt as to the identity of the officer, the housing program staff can:

• Obtain the name, badge number, and extension number where the officer can be reached
• Telephone York Regional Police switchboard at 905‐773‐1221 and request the extension number provided by the officer to confirm their identity
• Prior to the arrival of the police officer(s), the staff member can advise any service recipients, who for whatever reason do not want to be seen by the police, to clear from the reception area

Upon the arrival of the officer, the housing program staff member may allow the officer(s) entry into an area appropriate for the nature of the visit. At times private space may not be available, and it may be necessary to facilitate the investigation outside the housing program or offsite.

Communications with housing programs and community programs

• All inquiries about service recipients at emergency housing should be made with York Region Emergency Housing Central Intake. All other inquiries should be made with housing program staff
• When attempting to communicate with a service recipient and/or confirm their presence at the program, members will speak with the program staff and ask that a message be delivered to the service recipients if they are present
• Program staff members are not required to confirm or refute the presence of a service recipient
• When officers leave a message for a service recipient, program staff are under no obligation to ensure the message is returned

In the event that the above are not resolved by program staff, a program manager will be contacted for a follow-up at a later time.

9-1-1 calls

Service providers can expect the following response from police regarding 9-1-1 calls initiated from within their program:

1. Police communications will call back the number from where the 9-1-1 call came from to verify and confirm the 9-1-1 call
2. Uniformed officers will respond to the program site to investigate the 9-1-1 call. Police will articulate clearly to the first contact at the program that they are responding to a 9-1-1 call and provide as many details as they can
3. Police will request entry and ask the staff to escort the officer(s) through the program site to attend to the emergency. If it is not safe for the program staff to attend with the officer(s), they will stand by in a safe place
4. Once the situation is under control, the officer(s) will obtain sufficient information to complete a report and leave the premises

If in the event program staff refuses police entry, then officers will take the steps necessary to gain entry and deal with the emergency.

If a 9-1-1 call is placed, the program staff may expect a three-tiered response (police, fire, ambulance). In medical emergencies, this includes supporting paramedics and in their absence provisioning of emergency response, including First Aid/CPR or administration of NARCAN. 

Arrest on an outstanding warrant

Where circumstances allow, police are to call ahead if they intend to execute a warrant. This will allow program staff to call in extra staff as required and make childcare arrangements if necessary.

The program staff must return an officer’s call to advise whether the service recipient is in fact at their program at that time. If the person named on the warrant is not a service recipient, police will be advised. If the person named is a service recipient, but has since departed, the program personnel will immediately provide police with the most recent known address (if applicable).

If the subject is not in the program, but program staff know their whereabouts, program staff will not contact the subject to warn them of the outstanding warrant.

Apprehensions under the Mental Health Act

Police may attend a housing program to execute one of the following Mental Health Act (MHA) Forms if the subject of the form is believed to be at the location.  These forms authorize the police to apprehend an individual for the purposes of receiving treatment and or assessment in a mental health facility: 

• Form 2, MHA: Also referred to as an “Order for Examination”, the Form 2 is an order issued by a justice of the peace authorizing police to bring the person named in the order to a mental health facility.
• Form 9, MHA: Also referred to as an “Order for Return”, the Form 9 is issued by the person in charge of a mental health facility that has authority over a detained person who has left the facility without leave. The form authorizes police to apprehend and return the person.
• Form 47, MHA: A Form 47 or “Order for Examination” is issued for violation of the terms of a Community Treatment Order and authorizes police to apprehend a person and return them to the mental health facility.

Police will contact the service provider and advise the staff that the police are on their way with the order if appropriate.