Mississauga Musings

As regular readers know, MISSISSAUGAWATCH does just that. OK, MISSISSAUGAWATCH tries to do just that.

About this time last year, I got my first Freedom of Information (FOI) back. It's time that Dog Owners saw thess FOI results because they have special relevance to the new Mississauga's (DRAFT) "Owner Visitation Procedures".

Here's an optical scan (checked for accuracy) of Mississauga Freedom of Information Request: 2007-0020.

"February 19, 2007

Re: FOI Request: 2007-0020

I am writing in response to your access request under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (the Act) for the following information regarding City of Mississauga Law Enforcement Officers (Corporate Security):

1. Code of Conduct

There is no written formal code of conduct specifically for Corporate Security Officers. I am enclosing, however, copies of the following:

• Corporate Policy 01-03-07 (Employee Conduct - Standard of Behaviour)

• Corporate Policy O 1-03-02 (Employee Conduct - Conflict of Interest)"

Citizens should know that just because there's a policy in place --on paper, doesn't mean that Mississauga employees know about it, let alone follow it. I can't go into details just yet, please trust me on this for now. To continue:

"2. Public Complaints Procedures against Corporate Security Officers

There is no written formal public complaints procedure regarding corporate security officers."

Since then, I've learned that there's no formal public complaints procedure regarding Mississauga Enforcement (the people proposed to do your photo radar) or Animal Services.

Check out this email I recently received from Mississauga Director of Enforcement, Elaine Buckstein.

"From: "Elaine Buckstein"
To: mississauga_watch@yahoo.com
CC: "Elaine Buckstein"
Subject: Complaint form request

Good morning,

Thank you for your e-mail dated March 24, 2008 regarding registering a complaint against a Municipal Law Enforcement Officer.

Any complaints concerning officer conduct are received in writing, in the form of a letter from the complainant which outlines the details of the circumstances of concern. It should be sent to the officer's direct manager. Once received, the matter is dealt with following the Corporate Policy and Procedure for Employee Conduct, Standard of Behaviour."

Look at the date --March 2008. This means that the public complaints "procedure" for Animal Services (Enforcement) is the same as it was for Mississauga Corporate Security all these years.

It also means that a Staff Department gets to investigate itself.

Even this new "formal" Mississauga Corporate Security public complaints process rubber-stamped by the Audit Committee and Council (without anyone even seeing the actual complaint form) is no different from the old "Any complaints concerning officer conduct are received in writing" -"It should be sent to the officer's direct manager." Mississauga Corporate Security continues to investigate itself. So does Animal Services. So does Enforcement.

Should you, as a citizen, not like the "result" and seek Mayor and Councillors for assistance, all that happens is the Mayor and Councillors will thank you for raising the issue, tell you the City takes accountability seriously, and then refers your complaint right back to same "appropriate" Staff to deal with "appropriately".

Around this time last year, Mr. Antonio Batista was due up for trial because the poem (yes, poem) he wrote on Pot Holes was interpreted by Mississauga Councillor Pat Saito as a death threat.

I submit that 75 year old Mr. Batista wouldn't have gotten so-pushed-beyond-his-limit-mega-frustrated had Mississauga Mayor and Councillors cared enough to protect their citizens with a legitimate public complaints process.

Once Batista's letter to Mayor McCallion asking for help was blown off --not even replied to --he had no place to go. End of story.

As regular readers know, I've also documented Donald Barber's private hell as he too was buffeted around by City Security's bedside manner.

I'm telling you, Dog Owners --a visit to see your incarcerated dog at Mississauga Animal Services could lead to a protracted, stressful Their-Word-Against-Yours-Parade through the court system. You better know that going in. You can really "PAY" for a peek at your pooch.,

Returning to Freedom of Information:

"3. Expectations of Managers to ensure compliance to to ensure compliance by junior staff.

This would normally be handled through the Employee Performance Management performance reviews."

I dropped down another Freedom of Information requesting the Mississauga Employee Performance Management performance review process. Not only does a portion of the "review process" allow the employee to review himself, the procedure is the same one used for security guards, "The Manager" of those guards --and even such personnel, as caretaker-custodians.

Read on:

"4. Qualification requirements of Mississauga Enforcement Managers (Corporate Security)

I am enclosing a copy of job postings/descriptions for 2 positions in the corporate security area:

• Manager, Security & Civic Centre Operations
• Supervisor, Security & Operations"

Allow me to show readers the "JOB SPECIFICATIONS (Requirements) of "The Manager", Security & Civic Center Operations" secured through FOI.

"JOB SPECIFICATIONS: (Requirements)

A degree in Engineering or Business Administration, or a graduate of a Community College program in a discipline related to Hotel/Building Management or the equivalent; with a minimum of 10 years experience and capability in managing the operations of a large building complex; dealing with tenants and the public, controlling labour, material and maintenance costs; planning, organizing, controlling and scheduling in-house and contract staff; preparing and presenting comprehensive computer reports; determining equipment and personnel requirements and training. Must have strong business and relational knowledge and skills, and an ability to communicate effective both orally and in writing."

One year two months later, I'm still trying to find evidence of "preparing and presenting comprehensive computer reports" through Freedom of Information. After all, it's only through "comprehensive computer reports" that a city as large as Mississauga can analyze trends, assess performance/deficiencies and direct training accordingly.

Back to Freedom of Information.

"5. Internal Audits (Checks-in-place) to monitor the entire Enforcement Branch regarding ethics and conduct.

There have been no audits of Corporate Security conducted by our Internal Audit Division."

A later FOI dredged up this result.

"4. Records of any committee/entity monitoring of assessing (Mississauga) corporate security.

There are no responsive records."

Ain't no one watchin' The Watchers!

Stay with me, Dog People.

From a recent FOI: email --Mississauga Corporate Security input into the revisions of what I now call "The Ban, Trespass, Arrest and Other" Policy (Bolded words appear in the original)

"Middle Page 5 change: ... the individual will be charged under the Trespass to Property Act. Following this same line on page 5 please add the following new paragraph:

Corporate Security will continue the common practise to issue a banning notice at their own discretion, and/or effect a trespass arrest if required. This is done at the time of an incident and is thus necessarily independent of any control or oversight from the Violence and Vandalism Committee. Corporate Security will proceed under all existing guidelines and laws."

All someone need do then is check out the "Guidelines for Using Video Surveillance Cameras in Public Places" and then watch this.

(Click here to go directly to the clip on YouTube or Google Video)

There's a whole pile more as you can imagine.

When I dropped down an FOI requesting if anyone/any entity had done an analysis of bans/arrests issued by Mississauga Corporate Security, this is what I got back.

"Item 3

The Director, Facilities and Property Management (aka: Director, Corporate Security) has indicated that there is no record of any reports analysing the efficacy of bans/arrests from 1995 to the present. Therefore our decision is that there are no responsive records for Item 3."

Repeat -Ain't no one watchin' The Watchers! (Dog Owner-Visitors, this applies to you)

Now, finally, you're prepped enough for a sneak preview of Mississauga's... "CORPORATE REPORT: Animal Services -Visitation of Long Term Retention Dogs" due to be tabled at Council tomorrow.

Pay specific attention to Page 3, paragraph 4:

"Visits must be scheduled in advance, limited to thirty (30) minutes each, only one visitor at a time and restricted to the owner and immediate family, over the age of eighteen years. Visitors must be accompanied by a City staff member and at no time may the animal be removed from the building or the area designated for the visit. At the discretional [sic] of the supervisor, visitations may be denied or Corporate Security may be required to be present during the visit where staff believes a confrontation is possible or where the visitor is known to police."

Read again: "Corporate Security may be required to be present during the visit where staff believes a confrontation is possible or where the visitor is known to police."

Last thing for today because it's important. I've scanned the "DRAFT Owner Visitation Procedures MISSISSAUGA ANIMAL SERVICES" and am posting it right here. On the Net --where it's searchable, instead of tucked in some Corporate binder never to see the light of day.

I have bolded certain portions of the policy as a citizens' heads-up.

"Owner Visitation Procedures MISSISSAUGA ANIMAL SERVICES

Visitation of DOLA animals has been implemented as of April 15, 2008. The following procedures are to be followed. There will be no visitation of animals that have been quarantined. Visitation may be denied or Corporate Security required to attend where staff believe a confrontation is possible or visitor is know [sic] to police.

Visitation is to be prearranged by the owner with the shelter supervisor. The shelter supervisor will offer time segments of one half hour per visit. Visits will be twice a month, and time may be divided if one or more persons from the family wish to see the animal. Only one person will be allowed to visit with the animal at any given time.

There will be no media permitted to any visits, and if the owner wishes to take personal photos, permission must be sought prior to proceeding.

Once the day and time have been established and the owner has arrived at the shelter they must first read and complete a Release Waiver and Indemnity form along with the Visitation of Long Term Retention Dogs form. The Shelter Officer must check that all information is correct and confirm identity with a valid drivers [sic] licence on these forms and initial, Provide the owner with a signed copy.

The visitor must sign in on the animals' personal sign in sheet. Ensure that the visitor correctly completes the sign in and the sign out when finished.

The DOLA room shall be prepared for a comfortable visit by ensuring that all dogs not being visited are placed in the outside runs. A chair is to be placed in the room along with treats that the shelter provides. Owners are not permitted to bring in any foreign food or treats for their animal to eliminate any diet issues, If the weather does not permit the other dogs staying outside for one half hour, then attemate rooms may be chosen by shelter staff to accommodate the visit.

All visitors must be escorted to and from the DOLA room, and must be supervised during the visit. The Shelter Officer is not to leave the visitation area or leave the visitor alone in the room. The Officer is to be aware of the visit at all times and must complete notes on their observations following the visitation. The Shelter Officer must then attach their notes to the animals [sic] file.

The Shelter Officer supervising the visit is not to interfere with the visit. Correction to the animals' behaviour is only acceptable if personal safety becomes an issue. Staff must refrain from personal comments as these cases are before the courts and anything that you say may jeopardize the existing case or result in you being subpoenaed to testify.

Shelter staff confronted by a visitor in the lobby, or on their way to the visitation room, are to direct any questions to the Shelter Supervisor.

Dogs are to be closely monitored in between visitations and any changes to behaviour or health must be noted in the animals file."

In my next Blog, I will translate the portions of the Owner Visitation Procedures that I've highlighted based on Freedom of Information results probing other Corporate Policies such as The Violence/Vandalism Policy, Video Surveillance Policy and yes, even the Respectful Workplace Policy that Commissioner of Corporate Services and Treasurer Brenda Breault explained... "incorporates provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code."

AND-- that's the very policy that Mississauga's City Manager will hail as a Corporate Achievement in tomorrow's Council Successes 2007 Report.

Here's MISSISSAUGAWATCH'S video report on The Corporation's "Respectful Workplace Policy" called:

HYPOCRISY-DEMOCRACY-- MISSISSAUGA

Click here to go directly to the clip on YouTube or Google Video)

Signed,
The (There's a reason why I never step onto Mississauga Corporate Property --facilities, parks, libraries --you name it, without an audio recording device) Mississauga Muse

P.S. If anyone from "Mississauga" feels that I've misrepresented facts or merely accidentally misinterpreted them, I respectfully request that you email me at mississauga_watch@yahoo.com and I'll immediately make the necessary corrections. As readers know --like my hero Edward R. Murrow, I believe that accuracy in reporting is a moral obligation.
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"We must employ every possible tactic to dissuade those who try to silence us with fear" ---The Mississauga News Editorial (2007-03-24)

QUIS CUSODIET IPSOS CUSTODES? "Who Watches the Watchers? --The Mississauga Muse

Want (or worse, need) to learn more? Link to MISSISSAUGAWATCH.CA
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