Bill 115 2003

An Act to enhance
community safety and
crime prevention by supporting
existing auto-dialer crime alert programs
and encouraging the establishment of
new auto-dialer crime alert programs
in communities across Ontario

Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, enacts as follows:

Purpose

1. The purpose of this Act is to prevent crime and enhance public safety and security in communities across Ontario.

Definition

2. In this Act,

"auto-dialer crime alert program" means a program that permits police forces to use an automated voice or e-mail message system to transmit telephone or e-mail messages relating to crime and public safety and security to members of the community.

Duty of Minister

3. (1) The Minister of Public Safety and Security shall take all measures necessary to support auto-dialer crime alert programs presently operating in Ontario, to encourage their expansion and to promote and support the development and use of such programs throughout the province for the enhancement of public safety and security.

Stakeholder committee

(2) For the purpose of subsection (1), the Minister shall establish a stakeholder committee, made up of police and community representatives appointed by the Minister, to provide advice regarding auto-dialer crime alert programs, their establishment, operation and management.

Community input

(3) The stakeholder committee shall seek the co-operation and input of local municipalities, police service boards, private sector partners and community crime prevention groups in developing and formulating advice for the Minister.

Written advice

(4) Within six months of the coming into force of this Act, the stakeholder committee shall provide for the Minister's consideration a written report providing advice and recommendations regarding auto-dialer crime alert programs, and the Minister shall consider the report and recommendations.

Guidelines

(5) After considering the report and recommendations, the Minister shall prepare and publish comprehensive guidelines with respect to all aspects of auto-dialer crime alert programs, including their establishment, operation and management, and make them available to communities across the province.

Commencement

4. This Act comes into force on the day it receives Royal Assent.

Short title

5. The short title of this Act is the Auto-Dialer Crime Alert Act, 2003.

EXPLANATORY NOTE

The Bill proposes measures to enhance and support auto-dialer crime alert programs operating in Ontario communities and to encourage the establishment and operation of such programs throughout the province. Auto-dialer crime alert programs permit the transmission of voice and e-mail messages related to criminal activity and public safety to members of the public who wish to receive them. The Minister of Public Safety and Security shall seek advice from a stakeholder committee set up for the purpose of preparing a report on these programs. The stakeholder committee shall seek co-operation and input from local municipalities, police service boards, private sector partners and community crime prevention groups. The report and its recommendations are to be made available to the Minister no later than six months after the coming into force of the Bill. Based on the report, the Minister shall publish guidelines relating to such programs and make them available to communities across the province so that they may take them into account when considering the establishment of such programs.