What We Stand For
Police Governance Ontario speaks for strong, accountable, community-focused police governance across Ontario. Our advocacy supports boards, strengthens the policing ecosystem, and reflects the values and concerns of the communities we serve.
This section highlights the issues, causes, and priorities that guide our advocacy work. It also explains how we use our voice to support good governance, fair and sustainable systems, and trusted relationships between police services and the public.
Causes We Care About
These are the causes and community priorities that PGO supports and amplifies through our partnerships, communications, and member engagement.
Inclusive and representative governance
We support partners who advance the participation, safety, and visibility of women and gender diverse people in policing and governance, as well as the culturally diverse and otherwise underrepresented members of our communities. This includes groups such as OWLE, 30Forward and AWIP that work to build healthy and inclusive workplaces across the policing sector. Our support reflects a broader commitment to representation in all its forms, including race, culture, age, language, ability, lived experience and the voices of Indigenous, rural and northern communities.
Indigenous awareness and reconciliation
We recognize and support initiatives that honour Indigenous communities, promote understanding, and advance reconciliation. This includes Every Child Matters, National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, and other awareness events that remind us of our shared responsibilities.
Community remembrance and honour
We support national and provincial remembrance activities, including Police and Peace Officers Memorial Day, Remembrance Day, and other events that honour public safety workers and acknowledge the impact of loss on families and communities.
Community safety awareness
We promote public awareness events that support safe and informed communities, such as Crime Prevention Week, Police Week, and other sector-wide education efforts that help build trust and strengthen local relationships.
These causes reflect our belief that police governance does not stand alone. Strong oversight is connected to social issues, community values, and the people who live and work across Ontario.
Our Advocacy Approach
PGO’s advocacy aligns with the four categories defined in our Strategic Plan. Each category reflects a different part of our mandate and the unique pressures facing boards and the policing system today.
Advocacy for Our Membership
We speak to issues that affect a board’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities under legislation and to operate effectively. This includes clear governance standards, access to timely information, training, capacity building, and support to meet community expectations.
We also advocate for fair and sustainable funding models that help boards carry out their work, develop the skills they need, and navigate increasing governance demands.
Advocacy for Our Sector
We contribute to the broader public safety conversation. This includes issues that influence the delivery of adequate and effective policing, such as the adoption of new technologies, pressures on police services, and community impacts that reach beyond governance alone.
We support collaborative efforts that bring boards, police services, communities, and partners together to address shared challenges in thoughtful and practical ways. This work ranges from strengthening responses to mental illness, to supporting the wellness of our police services, to attracting and retaining a healthy and representative workforce.
Advocacy for Our Organization
We work to strengthen awareness of PGO’s role, value, and impact. Many partners and community members are still learning about police governance and why it matters. Advocacy in this category helps ensure that PGO is recognized as a trusted source of guidance, education, and leadership.
This includes advocating for sustainable funding and operational resources that allow us to support the entire province and to deliver high-quality training, events, and governance tools.
Advocacy for Our Communities
Good governance is connected to community well-being. Our advocacy reflects the values and priorities that communities expect from modern policing. This includes fairness, transparency, responsiveness, inclusion, and the commitment to public trust.
We do this by amplifying community-focused causes and by encouraging boards to consider lived experience, diverse perspectives, and local needs in their decision-making.
Invite to Engage
We encourage members, partners, and community stakeholders to connect with us about issues important to police governance. Strong advocacy depends on shared insight, collaboration, and ongoing dialogue.