Section 132 of the Police Services Act provides that property which comes into the possession of a Police Service as a result of being stolen or abandoned or has been seized by a police officer and no court order exists regarding its disposition may be sold at the discretion of the Chief of Police.
In addition, section 132 sets out the right of a Police Services Board to retain the use of the proceeds of such sale, as well as money that comes into the possession of a Police Service in accordance with section 133 of the Act, for any purpose that it considers in the public interest. This policy sets out the circumstances under which such funds will be maintained, expended and recorded.
Excerpts from Section 15 of the Board’s Financial Policy:
Designated Uses, Section 15.4:
a) The Board shall direct the use of auction funds according to the Vision and Mission Statement in the current Business Plan. Possible uses include:
i) Community Policing Consultations, problem solving initiatives and promotion;
ii) Awards and recognition programs
iii) Conferences, special Board and volunteer functions
iv) Rewards for major crimes; and
v) Appropriate funeral and related expenses, to a maximum of $40,000.00, not covered by any other benefit plan for a member of the Peterborough Police Service killed while carrying out his/her duties.
vi) Initiatives benefiting vulnerable persons, children and/or youth and/or their families. Initiatives should involve members of the Peterborough Police Service and reduce the need for policing intervention or strengthen the relationship between the Service and the community.
vii) Initiatives addressing violence prevention or the root causes of violence. Projects should involve members of the Peterborough Police Service.
viii) Groups requesting funding must be locally based in Peterborough, Lakefield or Cavan Monaghan.
ix) For any other purpose it considers to be in the public interest with preference for items that have an economic benefit to the community.
Grants are not made:
- To support ongoing police operating funds
- To establish endowment funds
- To relieve normal capital costs
Rules for Dealing with Requests
a) Expenditures approved by the Board in any calendar year shall not normally exceed the revenue received in the immediately preceding year.
b) The Board may identify specific additional criteria in any year or decide not to consider any external grants in a given year.
c) Financial assistance to any one organization may be approved on a decreasing basis annually, which will not exceed three (3) years of grants.
Procedure:
a) All requests for funding from the Auction Fund must be received by the Board’s Executive Assistant no later than 14 days prior to the regularly scheduled Board meeting. The Executive Assistant must prepare a detailed report for the Board.
b) Agencies or individuals requesting use of these funds must include the following in their submission:
i) Project mandate.
ii) Specific amount of the request.
iii) A detailed financial breakdown of how the funds will be used.
iv) Total budget of the project, event or item.
v) What other agencies have been asked to donate or sponsor the event?
vi) Timeline of the event, when the funds are needed and the expected completion date.
vii) How does the project, event or item fit with the Board’s Auction Fund criteria and designated uses as set out in section 15.4?
viii) One or more letters of endorsement
ix) Applications for use of auction funds will be received by the Board in closed session. The Board may request a presentation to gather additional information. All groups requesting funds will receive a written response.
c) Grants will be announced in the next open session as well as correspondence with the applicants.
d) Groups receiving grants must submit a full report to the Board’s Executive Assistant showing the Board how the grant money was used. This report should include a financial statement and be submitted within ninety (90) days following the conclusion of their project.