Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police / Association canadienne des chefs de police 300 Terry Fox Drive, Unit 100, Kanata, ON K2K 0E3 Tel./Tél. (613) 595-1101 - Fax/Téléc. (613) 383-0372 www.cacp.ca MEDIA RELEASE (August 16, 2016 Directeur Mario Harel Becomes New CACP President, Discusses Key Priorities, Resolutions Adopted by the CACP; IACP President Speaks to Challenges of Collecting Electronic Evidence Ottawa, On The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP) is pleased to announce that Gatineau Police Service Directeur Mario Harel has been elected to serve as its new President. Directeur Harel was unanimously supported by the membership of the CACP during its Annual General Meeting in Ottawa, Ontario. Directeur Harel is a highly-decorated officer with 32 years of policing experience and an impressive history of contribution to the CACP having served on the Board of Director s and as Vice-President. He was awarded the honour of Officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces. (please see bio attached). Saskatoon Police Service Chief Clive Weighill has now completed his 2-year term as President. Stated Directeur Harel, On behalf of the membership, I would like to thank Chief Weighill for his outstanding leadership and dedication as President. During his term he has actively engaged the new government on our respective priorities, established a strong commitment towards our indigenous peoples and focused on mental health - both in terms of police responses and the mental health of our own officers. Directeur Harel recognized the valuable efforts of the CACP Executive, Board of Directors and the 20 specialized committees. These leaders work on the cutting edge of public safety and security issues in Canada. They are dedicated towards continuously improving Canadian policing and its role within the criminal justice system and they do so on top of their duties within their home police agencies. Their efforts are invaluable.
Directeur Harel Discusses Key Issues Moving Forward We Must All Work Together: We must all recognize that policing alone cannot ensure the safety and well-being of our communities here in Canada. It has often been stated that encounters with police represent the failures of our society overall. We need to challenge all peoples, all cultures and professionals from all disciplines to work together to find smart solutions to complex problems affecting our communities. We need to challenge those within our own profession to speak honestly and openly about what works and what does not and further develop the trust and confidence of those we serve. Police leaders are committed to just that. On National Security: Canadian security agencies have increased their national security awareness so they can identify potential terrorism threats at the earliest possible stage. Early intervention, education and public participation is vital to prevent radicalization and extremism. We cannot ensure public safety on our own. Public participation is vital. Again, we must all work together towards mitigating risk. On Legalization of Marijuana: The CACP is committed to work with the government in implementing a legalized, regulated and restricted platform for the legalization of marijuana in Canada. Our role is to look at the public safety impact and provide consultative advice to help mitigate the impact of such legislation. We favour a regulatory framework to control the growth, cultivation, and sale of marijuana and its derivatives. We also favour licensed, government-approved producers as suppliers to ensure a safe product with known THC levels, free from pesticides or other drugs. CACP committees have been extensively studying the potential impacts on public safety and communicating with the Federal Task Force. Ensuring our ability to combat impaired driving is a primary concern for all Canadians. We need to define impairment, ensure there are roadside testing tools available to officers, and train and invest in more Drug Recognition Experts. On Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls: Our hearts go out to victims and family members who have suffered such enormous tragedy. The CACP is absolutely committed to working with all facets of the national inquiry and to help provide closure to families affected. If a particular event requires review or clarification, we will assist the commissioners and the family involved. I echo the comments of Chief Clive Weighill whom I have asked to remain involved in the inquiry moving forward. Policing has changed dramatically in the last decade. Procedures involving missing persons, cultural awareness amongst officers, community outreach and education have become priorities of policing services in Canada. We need to focus on examining the root causes of why these women and girls are the targets of violence. If we don't solve the issues of poverty, poor housing, disadvantage we're still going to continue to have women violently assaulted, murdered or missing.
On First Nations Policing: Indigenous people in First Nations communities deserve the same quality of policing as people living in municipalities. The First Nations Policing Program (FNPP) requires a complete renewal to ensure adequate and consistent funding and no longer be considered a program but rather reflective of the essential services that First Nation policing provides. IACP President Chief Terrence Cunningham on Going Dark and Challenges of Collecting Electronic Evidence Chief Terrence Cunningham, President of the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) spoke to journalists on this issue of Going Dark and the Challenges of Collecting Electronic Evidence. The increasing inability of law enforcement with lawful authority to access electronic communications is a global problem that transcends all boundaries, said IACP President Terrence M. Cunningham, Chief of the Wellesley, Massachusetts, Police Department. The proliferation of electronic communications has enabled criminals, even unsophisticated ones, to take advantage of encrypted communications. A backgrounder can be found at: http://www.theiacp.org/portals/0/documents/pdfs/iacpsummitreportgoingdark.pdf Resolutions Adopted at the CACP AGM (detailed backgrounders on each resolution can be found at www.cacp.ca) Four resolutions were passed at the CACP AGM: Resolution for the Support of a Competency-based Human Resource Framework for Canadian Police Services (CBMF) - the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police calls on the Government of Canada (Public Safety Canada) to provide the necessary funding for the on-going accessibility and updating of the CBMF. Child Physical Abuse Imagery - The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police urge the Government of Canada to protect children by amending the Criminal Code to prohibit the making and posting of child abuse imagery as well as mandating the removal and deletion of such images from the Internet. Reasonable Law to Address the Impact of Encrypted and Password-protected Electronic Devices - the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police urges the Government of Canada, for the purpose of community safety, to identify a legislative means for public safety agencies inclusive of law enforcement, through judicial authorization, to compel the holder of an encryption key or password to reveal it to law enforcement.
Increase Measures to Further Restrict the Availability and Use of Reactive Targets in Canada - the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police urges the federal, provincial and territorial governments to prevent the misuse and criminal and terrorist use of reactive targets (exploding targets) by increasing measures to further restrict their availability and use in Canada. For further information, please contact: - 30 - Timothy M. Smith Government Relations and Strategic Communications Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police Mobile: 613-601-0692 E: timsmith2000@rogers.com Ottawa Police Service Media Relations Ottawa Police Service 613-236-1222 ext. 5366 E: Media.relations@ottawapolice.ca The Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police was established in 1905 and represents approximately 1,000 police leaders from across Canada. The Association is dedicated to the support and promotion of efficient law enforcement and to the protection and security of the people of Canada. Through its member police chiefs and other senior police executives, the CACP represents in excess of 90% of the police community in Canada which include federal, First Nations, provincial, regional and municipal, transportation and military police leaders.
Mario Harel, Chief of Police, O.O.M. Mario Harel, who has served the public for more than 32 years, was sworn into the highest position in the Gatineau Police on February 4, 2009. Committed to his career, Mario Harel acquired solid experience through important positions in a range of jurisdictions, in particular the bureau of criminal investigations, and in units dedicated to road safety, special events and crime prevention. His operational and administrative expertise, his involvement at the regional, provincial and national levels, as well as his proven management skills in an important police organization, are among the key assets that lend him a better overall perspective on the challenges faced by a leader in the field of public safety. Committed to giving back to the community, Mario Harel has been involved in several social causes over the years. He chaired the municipal affairs division of the 2015 United Way campaign, and was the campaign director for Ville de Gatineau in 2010 and 2011. Mario Harel is a member of the Board of Directors of the Missing Children Society of Canada. In addition, he was delighted to support projects proposed by teens and to address their original challenges, particularly in regard to violence prevention in schools. Mario Harel was appointed officer of the Order of Merit of the Police Forces on January 11, 2013. He is the Vice-President of the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police (CACP), and was a board member of the Association des Directeurs de Police du Québec (ADPQ). Mario Harel is a graduate of the executive management program at the HEC Montréal.
Mario Harel, Directeur, O.O.M. Fort de plus de 32 années au service de la population, le directeur Mario Harel a prêté serment pour la plus haute fonction du Service de police de la Ville de Gatineau le 4 février 2009. Menant sa carrière de front, Mario Harel a acquis une solide expérience en occupant des postes de grande responsabilité dans une multitude de juridictions, notamment au sein du bureau des enquêtes criminelles et des sections dédiées à la sécurité routière, aux événements spéciaux et à la prévention du crime. Son expertise opérationnelle et administrative, son implication à l'échelle régionale, provinciale et nationale, de même que ses compétences avérées en gestion au sein d une importante organisation policière, sont des atouts importants qui lui confèrent une meilleure perspective globale des défis à relever en tant que leader en sécurité publique. Convaincu de l importance de redonner à la communauté, Mario Harel s est impliqué auprès de plusieurs causes sociales au fil des années. Il a notamment présidé la Division des affaires municipales de la campagne Centraide 2015 et agit à titre de directeur de campagne pour la Ville de Gatineau en 2010 et 2011. Monsieur Harel est membre du conseil d administration de l organisme Missing Children Society of Canada. C est aussi avec grand plaisir qu il a appuyé des projets proposés par des adolescents et relevé leurs défis originaux, notamment en prévention de la violence dans les écoles. Monsieur Harel a été nommé Officier de l Ordre du mérite des corps policiers le 11 janvier 2013. Il est vice-président de l'association canadienne des chefs de la police et a été membre du conseil d administration de l'association des directeurs de polices du Québec pendant 9 ans. Mario Harel est diplômé d un programme de gestion pour cadres supérieurs de HEC Montréal.