Police Services Boards are the primary governor of police service and are provided specific legislated powers enabling them to fulfill their role as an instrument of public oversight of the police.  Civilian governance ensures to the degree possible that the police remain sufficiently independent in their responsibility for operational matters, while being suitably accountable to representative civilian authorities.

 Police Services Boards are responsible for the provision of adequate and effective police services within the municipality and as such their role in the provision of that service requires that they:

(1)  Have a thorough and comprehensive understanding of their legislated responsibilities and ministry expectations in fulfilling those responsibilities;

(2)  Have appropriate policies and processes in place to fulfill those responsibilities;

(3)  Have a quality assurance process in place relating to the delivery of adequate and effective police services;

(4) Have ministry support mechanisms/tools in place that provide direction and advice in fulfilling their responsibilities;

(5) Are part of the regular ministry inspection process to ensure compliance with prescribed standards of service;

 The roles and responsibilities for municipal police services boards are set out in section 31 (1) of the PSA, and specific roles and responsibilities for police services boards for OPP contract locations are set out in section 10 (9) of the PSA