Charles O. Bick
Encyclopedia
Charles O. Bick was the first chairman of the Metropolitan Toronto Board of Police Commissioners
, the civilian body which oversaw the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force. He coined the service's slogan "To Serve and Protect".
An optometrist by profession, Bick was appointed to head the new body by Metropolitan Toronto Chairman Fred Gardiner in 1955 to oversee the amalgamation of the thirteen separate police forces that existed prior to the formation of Metropolitan Toronto
. Bick initially met resistance as he was seen as an outsider with no background in policing and he clashed with police chief John Chisholm
, particularly over questions of authority. Bick asserted that "under the Police Act, the control of the police department is in the hands of the commission," not the chief. Chisolm was unable to cope with the strain of managing the merging of thirteen separate police departments and committed suicide in High Park
in 1958.
Bick remained chairman for 21 years until his retirement in 1977.
In order to meet the criteria to hold his office under the Ontario Police Act at the time he was appointed a magistrate
and then a county court judge.
Bick advocated more training for police officers - Charles O. Bick College
, the Toronto Police training facility, is named after him.
Bick also used his position as police commission chairman to advance his ideas around law enforcement and the public good. He advocated the police sending people arrested for drunkenness to detoxification centres and calling for a public boycott of stores which sold pornography saying that they "weaken the moral fibre of society" and are "a major cause of juvenile crime." Nevertheless, he was an opponent of censorship. He also advocated stricter gun control
laws.
He was born in Cannington, Ontario
and graduated from the Ontario College of Optometry in 1932. After working for an optometry office on Yonge Street for several years, he purchased the business in 1937.
Bick entered municipal politics and was elected to the town council of the Village of Forest Hill
in 1949 succeeding Gardiner as reeve in 1953, the year it was incorporated into the new municipality of Metropolitan Toronto.
Toronto Police Services Board
The Toronto Police Services Board is the civilian oversight of the Toronto Police Service. It was called the Metropolitan Toronto Police Services Board from 1990 until 1998 and the Metropolitan Toronto Police Commission from 1955 until 1990 when the name of the body was changed as a result of...
, the civilian body which oversaw the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force. He coined the service's slogan "To Serve and Protect".
An optometrist by profession, Bick was appointed to head the new body by Metropolitan Toronto Chairman Fred Gardiner in 1955 to oversee the amalgamation of the thirteen separate police forces that existed prior to the formation of Metropolitan Toronto
Metropolitan Toronto
The Municipality of Metropolitan Toronto was a senior level of municipal government in the Toronto, Ontario, Canada area from 1954 to 1998. It was created out of York County and was a precursor to the later concept of a regional municipality, being formed of smaller municipalities but having more...
. Bick initially met resistance as he was seen as an outsider with no background in policing and he clashed with police chief John Chisholm
John Chisholm (police chief)
John C. Chisholm was the first Chief Constable of the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force until he committed suicide.Chisholm's father was a lay preacher in Dundee City Prison when John was growing up, giving him an interest in criminology.He served in World War I with the artillery in Mesopotamia ...
, particularly over questions of authority. Bick asserted that "under the Police Act, the control of the police department is in the hands of the commission," not the chief. Chisolm was unable to cope with the strain of managing the merging of thirteen separate police departments and committed suicide in High Park
High Park
High Park is a municipal park in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It spans , and is a mixed recreational and natural park, with sporting facilities, cultural facilities, educational facilities, gardens, playgrounds and a zoo. One third of the park remains in a natural state, with a rare oak savannah ecology...
in 1958.
Bick remained chairman for 21 years until his retirement in 1977.
In order to meet the criteria to hold his office under the Ontario Police Act at the time he was appointed a magistrate
Magistrate
A magistrate is an officer of the state; in modern usage the term usually refers to a judge or prosecutor. This was not always the case; in ancient Rome, a magistratus was one of the highest government officers and possessed both judicial and executive powers. Today, in common law systems, a...
and then a county court judge.
Bick advocated more training for police officers - Charles O. Bick College
Charles O. Bick College
Charles O. Bick College was a police college operated by the Training and Education unit of the Toronto Police Service to train various levels of police from new recruits to senior managers. The facility is accredited by the Ministry of Community Safety and Correctional Services to design and...
, the Toronto Police training facility, is named after him.
Bick also used his position as police commission chairman to advance his ideas around law enforcement and the public good. He advocated the police sending people arrested for drunkenness to detoxification centres and calling for a public boycott of stores which sold pornography saying that they "weaken the moral fibre of society" and are "a major cause of juvenile crime." Nevertheless, he was an opponent of censorship. He also advocated stricter gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
laws.
He was born in Cannington, Ontario
Cannington, Ontario
Cannington is a community located in Brock Township, Durham Region, Ontario, Canada.-History:Originally part of the original Brock Township, Cannington was first settled in 1833. It was originally known as McCaskill's Mills after a local mill-owning family...
and graduated from the Ontario College of Optometry in 1932. After working for an optometry office on Yonge Street for several years, he purchased the business in 1937.
Bick entered municipal politics and was elected to the town council of the Village of Forest Hill
Forest Hill, Toronto
Forest Hill is an affluent neighbourhood in central Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Along with Lawrence Park, Rosedale, and The Bridle Path, it is one of Toronto’s wealthiest neighbourhoods.-History:...
in 1949 succeeding Gardiner as reeve in 1953, the year it was incorporated into the new municipality of Metropolitan Toronto.