NPA School Board Trustee Candidates Concerned With Need to Provide Personal Information
Posted: Aug 17, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 17, 2011
NPA School Board Trustee Candidates Concerned With Need to Provide Personal Information
NPA School Board Trustee Ken Denike and Mental Health Clinician and NPA School Board candidate Sophia Woo are expressing concern with Police procedures when people report an incident to police.
Denike says school staff are regularly required to report incidents to the police and that those people are recorded as having a 'police encounter'. These 'police encounters' may show up whenever a potential employer does a police check.
"Why do police need your birth date when you report an incident?" ask Denike. "What purpose is served by requesting this personal information? It is an infringement of privacy." Denike also says staff are concerned that if they decline to provide personal information they will we be considered uncooperative.
Trustee Candidate Woo adds: "In extreme cases, public safety is being reduced because people may be reluctant to report an incident or call in to provide information because they fear they will be on a police report attached to the incident."
Mental health workers are often required to call police to escort patients. These workers are asked to provide personal information which may show up in reports. Some workers may not be aware that police staff have some discretion in getting birthdates.
Another reason for reviewing policy is that non-violent mental health related interactions show up in police record checks. These include police transport to health facilities/hospitals. This information on an individual's record is misleading and leaves a black mark on an individual's record. Potential employers seeing this are negatively influenced when considering the individual for employment. The Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police issued new guidelines limiting the information on the mentally ill going into reports.
Denike and Woo are urging Mayor Gregor Robertson to use his position of Chair of the Police Board and Chief of Police Jim Chu to review the policy requiring birth dates.
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Ken Denike, Sophia Woo and other concerned citizens will be available to media at the Kerkis Greek Taverna at 3605 West 4 Ave at 12:30 pm Wednesday August 17th 2011.
Ken Denike, current School Board Trustee and Professor Emeritus at UBC.
Sophia Woo, Mental Health Clinician and Community Leader.
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