Independent Monitor
Frequently Asked Questions
Mediation
Why would I, as a community member, choose to Mediate?
- To be fully heard and understood.
- To hear the officer's perspective.
- To speak directly with the officer, rather
than having the complaint decided by others.
- To give the officer feedback.
- To prevent similar incidents in the future.
- To regain confidence in police services
and respect for officers.
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Why would I, as a community member, choose to mediate?
- To be fully heard and understood.
- To hear the officer's perspective.
- To speak directly with the officer, rather
than having the complaint decided byothers.
- To give officer feedback.
- To prevent similar incidents in the future.
- To regain confidence in police services,
and respect for officers.
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Why would I, as a law enforcement officer, choose to Mediate?
- To be understood- officers can't always explain their actions in the field.
- To hear the civilians' perspectives.
- To speak directly with the community member, rather than having the complaint decided by others.
- To improve relations with individual
civilians as well as whole communities.
- To resolve the complaint outside of the
disciplinary process.
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Will I have to apologize or admit wrongdoing?
No. You may not have done anything wrong. In any case, what you say is up to you. Some participants do apologize to each other- if they choose to do so.
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The incident was unpleasant the first time, won't Mediation be the same?
Not necessarily. Mediation can even work with difficult people. Mediators are trained to help people resolve issues in constructive ways.
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What if the other party just wants an opportunity to verbally attack me?
It is part of the mediator's job to prevent a mediation session from deteriorating into
verbal attacks. While some venting (on both sides) is common, neither verbal abuse nor threatening behavior are acceptable in mediation. Mediators may separate the parties and work with them individually, or terminate the mediation if necessary.
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Could something said in Mediation be used against me later?
The mediation sessions are intended to be confidential. Before the mediation session begins, all participants must sign a confidentiality agreement.
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What if I am unhappy with how the Mediation is progressing?
Either party can leave Mediation at anytime. No one is forced to reach conclusions or agreements.
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