Equal Employment Opportunity Plan

 Equal Employment Opportunity Plan

January 2020

Introduction

The Equal Opportunity Plan for Brantford Police Service incorporates the following components:

• The recommended Statement of Principles as issued for Ontario Police Services by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services:

The Brantford Police Service believes effective workplace policies and practices are founded on the merit principle - selecting the best person for the job. The Brantford Police Service supports a fair and inclusive workplace, in which all applicants have an opportunity to fulfill their potential; in which barriers to achievement are identified, removed and prevented; and in which, as provided in the Ontario Human Rights Code, every person has a right to equal treatment with respect to employment without discrimination.

Accordingly, the Brantford Police Service affirms its support for and adherence to the following principles:

• Merit being the basis of hiring, which allows individuals to be judged on their abilities;
• Initiate steps to eliminate barriers to equal opportunity, including systemic barriers and to prevent new ones from being established;
• Value different perspectives and experiences, eliminate discrimination and harassment by effectively preventing it, and responding to it in a manner consistent with zero tolerance; and
• Ensure that all individuals are given equal opportunity for employment, regardless of race, sex, creed, colour, age, religion, national origin, or physical impairment
• The plan identifies four (4) prescribed groups:  Women, Indigenous people, members of racial minorities, and people with physical impairments.
• The Brantford Police Service advertises as an "Equal Opportunity Employer" evidenced by the recruiting section on our website, job advertisements and other notices.
• Sworn officer applicants to the Brantford Police Service have a complaints procedure detailed in this plan if a barrier is perceived in our testing process.

 

Objective

·       The objective of the plan is to ensure equal opportunities for employment and employment conditions for persons in the prescribed groups.

Actions

·       The Brantford Police Service, during the recruiting processes for sworn officers, will distribute voluntary, self-identification questionnaires to all applicants in order to identify and track systemic barriers as they apply to the recruit testing as a whole.

·       An annual review of the Service's present employment policies, practices and procedures will be conducted, including a focus on examinations, interviews and assessment tools. The Service will monitor the relevance and effective impact on the employment and utilization of the prescribed groups, ensuring that they are inclusive and bias-free.

·       The Recruiting Coordinator communicates with all unsuccessful applicants, civilian and sworn, and provides them with an opportunity to review their test results, results in an effort to assist them in improving their ability to meet the standards should they wish to re-test with the Brantford Police Service at a later date.

·       The Service will provide training to its members on race relations, diversity and Human Rights. The Service's policy on Equal Opportunity, Discrimination and Workplace Harassment will be reviewed with its members on an annual basis.

Complaints Procedure

There are different avenues available, should an applicant perceive there is a barrier or discrimination in our sworn recruiting process and wish to complain.

·       A complaint against police may be generated in accordance with the Police Services Act. Information on the public complaint process and relevant forms are available upon request at the front desk of the police station or the website of the Office of the Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD).

·       To challenge the process as discriminatory:

o   The applicant shall advise the Recruiting Coordinator, in writing, within seven (7) days of notification of failure to meet any of the recruitment standards.

o   The applicant will be notified in writing, within thirty (30) days of receipt of the complaint, of a meeting date and time with the Recruiting Coordinator and/or the Inspector i/c Administrative Support Branch. Following this meeting, if the applicant is not satisfied with the results, the complaint will be forwarded to the Inspector i/c Quality Assurance by the Recruiting Coordinator.

o   The Inspector i/c Quality Assurance will meet with the Chief of Police to adjudicate the complaint. The Inspector i/c Quality Assurance shall notify the applicant, in writing, within thirty (30) days of receiving the decision of the Chief of Police.

o   If the applicant’s concerns remain unresolved, they shall notify the Chief of Police in writing, within thirty (30) days of receipt of the Chief’s decision.  

o   The Chief of Police shall then bring the matter to the attention of the Police Services Board for their adjudication. If the complaint cannot be resolved at the Police Services Board level, the final avenue for the applicant would be a referral to the Ontario Human Rights Commission.

Plan Review

The Equal Employment Opportunity Plan will be reviewed by the Inspector i/c Administrative Support Branch and the Recruiting Coordinator on an annual basis.

Recommendations for improvements to the employment policies, practices and procedures of the Brantford Police Service shall be submitted by the Inspector i/c Administrative Support Branch to the Chief of Police.