Implementation Update: Auditor General Recommendations on 9-1-1 Operations and Responses to Calls for Service by the Toronto Police Service

Of these, 16 involved the City Manager's Office and relevant City Divisions, including Toronto Paramedic Services (PS), Toronto Fire Services (TFS), Social Development, Finance and Administration (SDFA), Municipal Licensing and Standards (MLS), Customer Experience Division (CXD, formerly 311), and others. In July 2023, TPS presented a comprehensive update to the Toronto Police Services Board (TPSB) on the status of all 51 Auditor General recommendations. Building on the July 2023 Toronto Police Service update, this report provides an update on the 16 Auditor General recommendations directed to the City Manager's Office and other City Divisions. A detailed status update for each of the 16 Auditor General recommendations can be found in Appendix 1. As of October 2023, 14/16 (88%) of the Auditor General recommendations are actively in progress, one is implemented and ongoing, and one has not yet started. The status of these recommendations is subject to verification by the Auditor General. Progress on the Auditor General recommendations reflects a year of positive collaboration among police and City staff to modernize the Toronto Police Service, enhance their operations, and support community safety for Toronto residents. Key milestones include the launch and evaluation of the Toronto Community Crisis Service (TCCS) and 9-1-1 Crisis Call Diversion (CCD) pilots, which yielded 78% and 65% successful diversion rates for calls received, respectively. These programs represent promising alternative responses to support mental health and community safety while enabling police to refocus on emergency matters within their mandate. The revived 9-1-1 Committee has enabled Toronto Police Service, Toronto Fire Service, and Paramedic Services to meet quarterly, with discussions focused on improving 9-1-1 operations. This partnership among the tri-services has set the stage for the successful rollout and transfer of operations to Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1), expected no later than March 2025, which will further improve interconnectivity, data sharing, and the efficiency of call transfers. Ongoing partnership and knowledge exchange among the tri-services has supported Toronto Fire Service and Paramedic Services to reduce call transfer times (the time it takes for police to transfer a call to Toronto Fire Service or Paramedic Services dispatchers) and maintain national standards. Toronto Fire Service Call Answering performance has consistently remained within the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) standard of 15 seconds 90% of the time. Paramedic Services has undertaken significant recruitment and training efforts to improve call transfer times, with a 53% reduction in average call transfer time in August 2023, when compared to July 2022. Areas for action and next steps include ongoing coordination among Toronto Police Service, Customer Experience Division, and Municipal Licensing and Standards to receive and respond to non-emergency service requests, particularly noise complaints. Criteria and guidance for where to direct noise complaints need to be reinforced internally and more broadly communicated to the public. Continued partnership among Toronto Police Service, Customer Experience Division, and Municipal Licensing and Standards, alongside a new awareness campaign slated for launch mid-to-late October 2023, will help minimize confusion and ensure Torontonians can 'make the right call' when it comes to non-emergency issues like noise. Overall, this report demonstrates a strong, collaborative foundation for the City and Toronto Police Service to continue driving Auditor General recommendations to completion. The Deputy City Manager, Community and Social Services, will continue to facilitate this collaboration and provide updates on the success of City staff and Toronto Police Service in implementing Auditor General recommendations. The next status update on AU13.5 and AU13.6 will be provided to City Council in the first quarter of 2025, ahead of the successful rollout and transfer of operations to NG9-1-1.