Should Police Get More Time to Complete Mental Health Crisis Training?
Official title: Description of Proposed Amendments to Ontario Regulation 87/24 under the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019, regarding the Mental Health Crisis Response (MHCR) Education and Applied Training Program
Ontario wants to push back the deadline for police officers to complete mental health crisis training. Right now, all officers must finish by April 2026. The new plan? Officers on community patrol would have until October 2026, while desk-based officers get until October 2027. Toronto Metropolitan University is also being dropped as a training provider.
Why This Matters
Ever called 911 for someone in a mental health crisis? How police respond can make the difference between de-escalation and tragedy. This training teaches officers to handle these situations safely. Delaying it means some officers won't have these skills for another year or two.
What Could Change
Community patrol officers would have until October 2026 instead of April 2026 to complete the training. Officers in non-patrol roles get until October 2027. Toronto Metropolitan University would no longer be an approved training provider.
Key Issues
- Should the deadline for mental health crisis training be extended by 6-18 months?
- Is it appropriate to prioritize community patrol officers for earlier training completion?
- Should Toronto Metropolitan University be removed as a training provider?
How to Participate
- Review the proposal details on this consultation page.
- Submit your feedback using the Comment on this proposal form by the deadline.