Policing Standards being implemented Island-wide

The Government of Prince Edward Island is implementing the province’s first ever Policing Standards, which provide a comprehensive framework for governing police services on PEI.

The new PEI Policing Standards aim to modernize policing services, ensure that all agencies are consistent in their practices, and ultimately improve accountability and responsiveness for the benefit of residents throughout the province.

The provincial government, through the Department of Justice and Public Safety, will work with all police agencies across PEI on the implementation of the PEI Policing Standards. Beginning immediately, police agencies will have ninety (90) days to submit an implementation plan to the Department of Justice and Public Safety, and twenty-four (24) months to operationalize their respective plan. 

The launch of the PEI Policing Standards is a result of a mandate commitment to further benefit Islanders by continuing to implement recommendations of the Midpoint Evaluation of 2017 Crime Prevention and Policing review, striving to make PEI the safest place to live, enjoy and raise a family. For more information, visit PEI Policing Standards.

“Having consistent standards, guidelines, and protocols are important for any professionally designated industry. There has been a lot of work that has gone into making these standards a reality, and I want to thank everyone who contributed, from our public consultations to our stakeholder meetings - these standards will promote unity and help continue to build trust, making our communities safer for everyone.”

• Hon. Bloyce Thompson, Deputy Premier and Minister of Justice and Public Safety of PEI

“Police standards are a critically important model for our officers and for our communities. These new standards are an exciting development for our officers who stay on PEI, and will help guide our training facilities as we all work together to make our Island the safest place it can be.”

• Executive Director Jeffrey Minten, Atlantic Police Academy

“Implementing a robust set of standards benefits both our residents and the officers that serve our community. I know that our police services will embrace these standards moving forward and continue to work together to ensure the best for our municipality.”

• Chief Jennifer McCarron, Charlottetown Police Services

“Safety, accountability, and responsibility are key pillars for any policing agency and having these standards in place will truly benefit Kensington and all that we serve. We really appreciate the collaboration that has went into making these standards a reality.”

• Chief Landon Yuill, Kensington Police Department

“We were very pleased to be a part of the process for creating our province’s first set of police standards. Having a guiding document that benefits both our police services as well as the communities that we serve is great for everyone moving forward. It’s been a team effort between the Province and all police agencies, and I look forward to that continuing.”

• Chief Jason Blacquiere, Summerside Police Services

“The collaborative approach taken by PEI Justice & Public Safety — engaging communities, police services, and stakeholders — has produced standards that will enhance both public confidence in policing and operational effectiveness. As the provincial police service, the RCMP is proud to work with our partners to strengthen policing on PEI, making the island safer for all islanders.”

• Chief Superintendent Kevin Lewis, L Division RCMP

Backgrounder:

In 2016, a review of crime prevention strategies and the PEI police services model took place.  Since then, a series of committees implemented prioritized recommendations. As part of government’s commitment to continuous improvement, a decision was made to undertake a midpoint evaluation of the 2016 Police Services Review. 

ADGA Group Consultants were hired to complete an evaluation and presented their report to the Government of PEI which outlined the progress since the 2016 review and provided recommendations to strengthen and improve policing in PEI, more commonly known as the ADGA’s Midpoint Evaluation of 2017 Crime Prevention and Police Services Model Review. 

ADGA Group Consultants, along with Justice and Public Safety presented the project report and recommendations to the Chiefs from Charlottetown, Kensington, and Summerside Police Services, RCMP, Atlantic Police Academy and the University of Prince Edward Island on February 7, 2022 and released the report to the public on February 9, 2022. Read the report and full list of recommendations at ADGA’s Midpoint Evaluation of 2017 Crime Prevention and Police Services Model Review.

The implementation of the PEI Policing Standards is a direct recommendation from the ADGA’s Midpoint Evaluation of 2017 Crime Prevention and Police Services Model Review. These new standards will introduce comprehensive requirements covering a wide range of areas to further improve safety of those on the front lines, as well as the safety of communities and municipalities across the province. These include:

• Roles and Responsibilities: Defining clear roles and accountability, ensuring alignment with legislative frameworks and shared services with other agencies.
• Organizational Management: Emphasizing community engagement, annual policing plans, financial accountability, and quality assurance. Police services will work with communities to identify safety priorities and ensure transparency through consultative committees and surveys.
• Personnel: Focusing on fair recruitment, training, and performance evaluation, ensuring transparent processes and professional standards, and addressing officer welfare and community needs.
• Operations: Covering crime prevention, unbiased policing, specialized areas including intimate partner violence, mental health crises, and use of force protocols, while ensuring operational effectiveness and public trust through evidence-based and trauma-informed responses.
• Specialized Policing and Support Services: Ensuring effective support for victims and witnesses, maintaining high standards in specialized areas such as crime analysis, forensic services, and managing people in police custody.

Media contact:
Kip Ready 
Senior Communications Officer 
Department of Justice and Public Safety
kjready@gov.pe.ca