Who is watching the watchers? A snapshot of Canadian police services board member capacity

Abstract Recurring high‐profile incidents of police misconduct in Canada have led to claims that Police Services Boards (PSBs) are often ineffective in carrying out their governance responsibilities and require significant reform. Incidents such as the Freedom Convoy occupation in Ottawa demonstrate the consequences that can arise when police oversight fails to meet expectations. Although concerns about police oversight are not new, PSBs continue to suffer from challenges related to their structure and composition. In this study, we use publicly available data to examine the PSB competencies to better understand if these boards are currently equipped to carry out their roles.