Equity and Inclusion

DRPS is committed to communicating and fostering better relationships with communities across Durham Region, in a spirit of collaboration and trust-building. We will keep you updated on our progress both here and on our social media channels.

DRPS is committed to creating a more equitable and inclusive police service. Our Equity and Inclusion Unit drives this pledge with collaborative community partnerships and continuous improvement.

We acknowledge that the area we serve has long been a site of meeting and exchange among the Mississaugas Peoples and is the traditional and treaty territory of the Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation. We honour, recognize and respect this nation and Indigenous Peoples as the traditional stewards of the lands and waters on which our police service operates.

Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan

After consultation with stakeholders and having listened to the wishes of community members, DRPS created a three-year Equity & Inclusion Strategic Plan. This comprehensive plan details the priorities and goals for our service.

The 2020-2022 Equity and Inclusion Strategic Plan identifies five Strategic Commitments:

Durham Regional Police Service commits to ensuring that all community members, across demographic categories (defined by gender, race, culture, religion, lifestyle, socio-economic class, age, disability, geography or any other characteristic) are equally engaged in their own security, and feel that the police are a part of, and partners in, their safety.

Goals

• Enhance safety and satisfaction rates among priority communities through collaborative initiatives and evidence-based policing.
• Engage the Diversity Advisory Committee (DAC) and Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) in: identifying community concerns, developing plans to mitigate those concerns and reviewing organizational processes.
• Enhance police engagement with all communities, through a focus on outreach, training and stakeholder consultation.

Success Indicators

• Public opinion survey results
• Number of community engagement/evaluations stemming from those engagements
• Analytics from social media platforms
• Number of funded programs
• Reports on the Citizens' Academy
• Reports on community forums and our responses
• Reports on DAC and YAC involvement and feedback
• Member attendance at community events
• Bi-Annual reports to the Police Services Board

Durham Regional Police Service commits to attracting a skilled workforce that reflects the communities we serve. Better representation is one way to help foster the delivery of effective, sensitive service in Durham Region and to build and maintain the trust and confidence of the diverse communities that call this Region, home.

Goals:

• Track and report on workplace demographics, to ensure membership reflects the communities that we serve.
• Increase applicant pools from marginalized communities.
• Identify and mitigate structural barriers inherent in the selection process.

Success Indicators:

• Establish a demographic baseline of our members
• Comparative report on demographics of applicants
• Continuous Improvement Review of the recruitment process
• Report on the number of recruiting strategies specific to marginalized communities
• Monitor results of the new hires questionnaire
• Bi-Annual reports to the Police Services Board

Durham Regional Police Service commits to building a leadership team that reflects the communities we serve. Delivering effective service and fostering trust requires that decision-making and decisions are borne of the needs and expectations of the communities that comprise the Region.

Goals

• Track and report on demographics of the leadership team, to ensure the team is reflective of the communities that we serve.
• Develop strategies to ensure all members at DRPS have opportunities to build leadership competency
• Identify and mitigate structural barriers inherent in the promotional process.

Success Indicators

• Comparative report on demographics of applicants in the promotional process
• Year over year comparison of YIP
• Establish a demographic baseline of our leadership
• Continuous Improvement Review of the promotional process
• Number of development, mentorship and leadership opportunities
• Comparative report on the demographics of participants in those opportunities
• Bi-Annual reports to the Police Services Board

Durham Regional Police Service commits to ensuring that its members work towards developing an equitable and inclusive workplace, and employ the skills required therein, in their interactions with the external community. Improving diversity competence of all members will help to foster a more effective and just police service, which will contribute to safer communities.

Goals

• Develop and implement a service-wide training plan to ensure an inclusive corporate environment.
• Ensure cultural competency is part of the performance management process for all members.

Success Indicators:

• Number and description of professional development and training opportunities relating to DEI for members
• Evaluation of the development and training opportunities
• Report on the number of participants in these training opportunities
• Ensure diversity related competencies are assessed in PMPs
• Bi-Annual reports to the Police Services Board

Durham Regional Police Service commits to developing and maintaining a secure and supportive workplace for all members. In order to attract, retain, and have a fully engaged workforce, all members need to feel that the workplace is safe and supportive.

Goals

• Improve internal survey results related to job satisfaction and member wellness through a variety of initiatives
• Implement strategies designed to provide personal and professional development opportunities to all members
• Improve member awareness of, and engagement with, supports for mental wellness.

Success Indicators

• Internal survey results
• Track the number of development opportunities available and the number who participate
• Track the use of mental health services
• Look at analytics of social media, especially those related to mental health
• Bi-Annual reports to the Police Services Board

Addressing Systemic Barriers

In addition to our Equity & Inclusion Strategic Plan, DRPS has made a commitment to addressing systemic barriers, with four initiatives brought forward by the Chief.

To learn more, click here.