Toronto’s police chief has responded to a Special Investigations Unit report that claimed an officer acted “improperly” by accessing a video that was part of the evidence in the Andrew Loku case.
Chief Mark Saunders issued a statement on Monday saying the police officer did not violate any rules and was within his right to try and secure the piece of evidence.
“Our officers have a legal onus to fulfil this responsibility. This includes the necessity to secure video evidence,” Saunders said in the statement. “Because of this, my officers attempted to locate and secure the video. Due to technical difficulties, they were unable to. They did not review the video, nor did they download the video. An officer was posted to security the scene until technical assistance could be contacted.”
“The SIU, in fact,” Saunders continued, “downloaded the video at a later time. The SIU’s forensic examination states that no tampering took place.”
Saunders also noted that SIU investigators were at the scene and “At no point did they question, contradict or prevent my officers from carrying out this responsibility.”
Tony Loparco, director of the SIU, concluded in the report that the unnamed officer “saw fit to attempt to review and download the video recordings captured by cameras…I have not as yet heard an adequate explanation for the officer’s conduct.”
Loparco went on to say how this type of conduct “detracts from community confidence.”
The report did note that the video was not tampered with.
Ontario’s Attorney General released nine pages of the 34-page report on Friday, sparking outrage from community groups like Black Lives Matter who have pushed for the entire uncensored report to be released as well as the video.
They argue that police were unjustified in killing Loku. However, the SIU concluded the officer who fired the bullet conducted themselves fairly.
Loku, a 45-year-old man who suffered from mental health issues, came face-to-face with police in a narrow hallway and as he walked towards them, he lifted a hammer above his head and said, “What you gonna do, come on, shoot me.”
Police were called to the area after someone reported that a woman was being threatened by a man with a hammer.
Loparco found that the officers acted reasonably to save their lives.
Members of Black Lives Matter have also called for a review of the SIU, something the Attorney General announced Friday afternoon. He said the independent review of the SIU and two other police oversight agencies would take about a year to complete.
Saunders said in the statement that the Toronto Police Service “strongly supports” the Attoney General’s motion to review the regulations that surround and administer the SIU.
