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Police Reference Check Program
Suppression of Mental Health Apprehension Records Policy

An individual who has authorized a Vulnerable Sector Screening Program – Police Reference Check may seek to have information relating to their prior contact with the Service under the Mental Health Act excluded from the results of a reference check so that this information is not disclosed.
Such a request must be made by the individual in writing and submitted to:

Manager
Information Access, Records Management Services
Toronto Police Service
40 College Street
Toronto, Ontario
Canada
M5G 2J3

In considering whether suppression of any information is appropriate, the Service will assume that an individual is applying for a position with an agency that involves unsupervised contact with the most vulnerable.

All of the following information will be considered by the Service in processing a request for the suppression of records resulting from an individual’s contact under the Mental Health Act with the Service.

1. All of the records about the individual available to the Service.



2. How long ago the incident that the individual seeks to have suppressed occurred.



3. The details of the incident that the individual seeks to have suppressed, including:
1. any information provided by the individual to explain the incident, including medical information provided by the individual and supporting medical documentation regarding any assessment with a medical professional related to their mental health;
2. the details on the occurrence report;
3. information provided by the officers who had contact with the individual at the time of that incident, if available; and
4. information provided by officers who have had contact with the individual on other occasions.
For example, among other things, the Service will consider whether the incident involved actual harm to the individual or others, and whether there were subsequent charges that arose as a result of the individual’s contact with the Service on that occasion.

4. The age of the person at the time of the incident that the individual seeks to have suppressed.



5. Any other information provided by the individual.

The individual will be informed in writing of the decision of the Service in response to his or her request for suppression of information. The Service will not provide reasons for the decision.

If the individual is dissatisfied with the response provided, the individual may seek reconsideration of their request by the Manager, Records Management Services, within 30 days. The individual may provide additional information to address the factors under consideration as set out above at the time that they request reconsideration of the original decision.

An individual may submit a new request seeking the suppression of information regarding his or her contact with the Service under the Mental Health Act no more than once every 12 months.