Police Service Board

The Police Service Board’s most important responsibility, as the governing body of your local police service, is to ensure that the citizens of Owen Sound are provided with adequate and effective policing, delivered in the most cost-efficient manner possible.

In accordance with Section 9(4) of the Community Safety and Policing Act, 2019 (CSPA), the Board is required to publish an Annual Report online. This report provides a transparent overview of the Board’s activities, priorities, and progress each year.

The Board's Strategic Priorities, incorporated into the Board’s 2023-2026 Operations Plan, include:

Community Safety
Community Wellbeing
Our Members
Sustainability

The Owen Sound Police Service leadership team has devised goals and actions aimed at addressing these pivotal priorities.

The Owen Sound Police Service Board comprises five Civilian members, including two appointed by the Province, two appointed by the Municipal Council, and one Community Member appointed by the Council.

John Thomson - Chair/Community Representative

Mr. Thomson was appointed to serve as the community representative on the Owen Sound Police Service Board by City Council in 2018 and was reappointed in 2022. In 2020 he was elected chair of the Police Service Board and has served as chair since that time. He also serves as a director on the Ontario Association of Police Service Boards. Previous to the board appointments, Mr. Thomson was with Interac Corporation for 16 years as their Director of Regulations Compliance and Enforcement, and for a number of years was chair of their Regulations and Business Group as well as chair of their Security and Technology Group. During that time he also served on the International Payment Card Industry - Security Standard Council and their Security Working Group. Prior to Interac he spent over 20 years in the financial payments industry.

Brian O'Leary - Vice Chair/Provincial Appointee

Brian is currently serving his third term on the Police Services Board, his first as a provincial appointee, following previous terms as a representative of City Council, including time as Deputy Mayor. A lifelong resident of Owen Sound, Brian has maintained a strong commitment to his community through both public service and sports leadership. Deeply rooted in local athletics, he has spent many years coaching and mentoring young athletes, including roles with the Owen Sound Attack, Platers, and Greys.

Carol Merton - Elected Member of City Council

Carol Merton is a second term Owen Sound City Councillor and a health care professional in private practice. Carol has held a variety of leadership positions in hospital and home health care and been a Practice Coach and Quality Management Assessor for the College of Physiotherapists of Ontario.Carol is a Board member of the Owen Sound Municipal Non Profit Housing Corporation, the Owen Sound Housing Company and a member the Institute of Southern Georgian Bay housing working group. Carol is also a Rogers TV host and co-producer of Health Link, a program designed to connect home, community and health care and two special Rogers TV documentaries including We All Belong: Stories of Lived Experiences and We All Belong: Our Neighbours - Our Community.

Carol continues to have a keen interest on initiatives related to housing, community safety, well being and accessibility.

Marion Koepke- Elected Member of City Council

Effective September 8th, 2025

Responsibilities of a Police Service Board (Section 37 (1) of Community Safety and Policing Act of Ontario))

Municipal police service boards are responsible for:

Generally determine, after consultation with the chief of police, objectives and priorities with respect to police services in the municipality,
Establish policies for the effective management of the police force,
Recruit and appoint the chief of police and any deputy chief of police, and annually determine their remuneration and working conditions, taking their submissions into account,
Direct the chief of police and monitor his or her performance,
Establish policies respecting the disclosure by chiefs of police of personal information about individuals,
Receive regular reports from the chief of police on disclosures and decisions made under section 49 (secondary activities),
Establish guidelines with respect to the indemnification of members of the police force for legal costs under section 50,
Establish guidelines for dealing with complaints made under Part V,
Review the chief of police's administration of the complaints system under Part V and receive regular reports from the chief of police on his or her administration of the complaints system.

Any questions or comments for the Owen Sound Police Service Board can be emailed to owensoundpsb@gmail.com

Community Safety

Community Wellbeing

Our Members

Sustainability

Responsibilities of a Police Service Board (Section 37 (1) of Community Safety and Policing Act of Ontario))