April 16th 2025

We’re pleased to announce two new sessions at the 36th Annual CAPG Conference designed to support both new and experienced police service board directors and commissioners.

We’re pleased to announce two new sessions at the 36th Annual CAPG Conference designed to support both new and experienced police service board directors and commissioners.

– New Police Service Board Director/Commissioner Orientation – A must-attend session for newly appointed board members and commissioners, providing a foundational understanding of governance, oversight, and best practices to set you up for success.

– Experienced Police Service Board Director/Commissioner Refresher – Designed for seasoned board members and commissioners, this session will offer advanced discussions on emerging challenges, evolving governance trends, and leadership strategies to enhance your effectiveness.

These sessions are valuable opportunities to expand your knowledge, connect with peers, and strengthen police governance across Canada. Stay tuned for further details, and be sure to mark your calendar for these impactful learning experiences!

The CAPG is pleased to announce another panel for the August Annual Conference in Victoria: Management – Labour Relationships and Win-Win Outcomes: Ottawa’s Experience building a collaborative, respectful relationship between the Board, Chief of Police, and Police Association with Chief Eric Stubbs, Chair Salim Fakirani, and Association President Matt Cox.

Detailed schedule will be available in the coming weeks!

May 5th Webinar – Police Service Board/Commission Relationships with Police Associations: The Challenges and Opportunities during Budgets Negotiations, Collective Bargaining and Public Engagement with Casey Ward and Matt Cox

May 5th Webinar – Police Service Board/Commission Relationships with Police Associations: The Challenges and Opportunities during Budgets Negotiations, Collective Bargaining and Public Engagement with Casey Ward and Matt Cox – 12pm EST

The relationship between police service boards/commissions and police associations is a crucial but often complex dynamic, especially when navigating budget negotiations, collective bargaining, and public engagement. Finding the right balance between oversight, advocacy, and operational needs can be challenging, but it also presents opportunities for collaboration and progress.

Join Casey Ward and Matt Cox as they explore the key issues that arise in these negotiations, common points of tension, and strategies for fostering productive relationships. This webinar will provide insights into best practices for effective communication, transparency, and decision-making that benefit both law enforcement and the communities they serve.

Don’t miss this important discussion on strengthening police governance and labor relations. Register today!

May 13th Webinar - Building Police Chief Performance Management Practices, Capability, and Shared Objectives to be Achieved with Melanie Fix - Partner, MNP Consulting

Melanie Fix is a Partner in Edmonton’s MNP Consulting practice and is the National People Advisory Services Leader. Bringing over 25 years of experience in HR and Organizational Development (OD) consulting, Melanie serves mid-market clients across the country including several police service boards and municipal policing and community safety organizations. Melanie leads 360 degree performance evaluation processes for Chiefs of Police, CAOs and City Mangers, and other executive C-Suite leaders. Melanie studies the modern workplace and factors impacting the workforce of the future, leading talent management practices, and disruptors to attracting, retaining and maintaining an engaged team. She integrates leading practice insights into performance management practices to support the outcomes and values that organizations seek from their key leaders. Melanie is CMHA Certified in Psychological Health and Safety in the Workplace and is Prosci Certified in Change Management. She is a proud Board Member for the Bissell Centre advocating for ending homelessness in Edmonton and is the Chair of the HR and Governance Committee.

Join us for an insightful webinar on Building Police Chief Performance Management Practices, Capability, and Shared Objectives with expert Melanie Fix. Partner, MNP Consulting

This session will explore best practices for evaluating and supporting police chiefs, strengthening leadership effectiveness, and aligning performance objectives with community and governance priorities.

Participants will gain practical strategies to:

– Develop clear and measurable performance management frameworks – Foster leadership capability and accountability – Align police chief objectives with public safety goals – Strengthen collaboration between governance bodies and law enforcement leadership

This webinar is ideal for police governance officials, municipal leaders, and law enforcement professionals looking to enhance performance management processes for effective policing leadership.

Register now to secure your spot!

June 10th Webinar - Police culture and identity and the critical role of police service boards/commissions in supporting police members and affecting culture change for more inclusive police workplaces with Dr. Joe Couto - Director of Government Relations and Communications Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police

Dr. José Luís (Joe) Couto is a veteran public policy and communications professional who brings 36 years of proven government relations and communication experience. He is currently in his 20 th year as Director of Government Relations and Communications for the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police.

Prior to serving with OACP, he was Senior Consultant with Enterprise Canada Consultants Inc., one of Ontario’s leading government relations and communications firms, where he developed expertise in several important areas of public policy, including municipal affairs, housing, energy, taxation, and fiscal policies.

In addition to his professional work, Dr. Couto is also an Associate Faculty member in Royal Roads University’s School of Humanitarian Studies and School of Communication and Culture and a part-time Professor at the University of Guelph-Humber and Humber Polytechnic in Toronto. His area of research is identity building in law enforcement, with a focus on 2SLGBTQI+ police officers and intersectionality in gender, sexual orientation, and organizational culture. Dr. Couto is the author of Covered in Blue: Police Culture and LGBT Police Officers in the Province of Ontario and Female (2014) and Gay. Cop: The Intersectionality of Gender and Sexual Orientation in Police Culture (2018), both landmark academic studies of gay police officers in Canada. His doctoral work, The Constructing of Canadian Police Officers’ Identity (2023), was published by and made available to senior Canadian police leaders by the Canadian Association of Chiefs of Police.

A native of Brazil, Dr. Couto holds a Doctor of Social Sciences from Royal Roads University. He also has a Master of Arts in Professional Communications degree from Royal Roads University and a Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) degree from Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University). Dr. Couto was awarded the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal for his contributions to policing and public safety in Canada in 2013 and the Serving With Pride Ally Award in 2016.

Atlantic Canada First Responder Mental Health Conference

Atlantic Canada First Responder Mental Health conference at the Delta hotel in Moncton, New Brunswick. Similar to Ontario, the objective of the conference is to bring together representatives from across the public safety community to share in preventative and interventional practices and to listen and learn how we, as a sector, can enhance the psychological health and safety of our First Responders and their families. June 2-3rd.

Complete conference information and registration is available from the event website: https://acfrmh.ca/