Toronto police training should place more emphasis on dealing with mentally disturbed residents and non-violent conflict resolution, a coroner's jury recommended at the inquest of a man shot dead by police.

After listening to details of the incident that claimed the life of 26-year-old O'Brien Christopher-Reid, the jury also recommended:

  • Expanding mobile crisis intervention teams;
  • Officers wait for crisis teams or emergency task force officials to deal with distraught individuals; and;
  • Better advertising for the mental health and justice access phone lines.

Christopher-Reid, who was suffering from mental health issues, died after being shot by police in Edwards Gardens on June 13, 2004.

Several witnesses had called police to report a shirtless man walking through the midtown park brandishing a knife.

When three officers approached, Christopher-Reid threatened them, and he was shot in the upper body four times at close range, the inquest heard. He was pronounced dead in hospital.

The province's Special Investigations Unit later cleared the officers, saying their actions were justified.

The ordeal was trying for Christopher-Reid's mother, who testified at the inquest.

"I can't get my son back but some recommendations have been given. It's been a long process for my family and myself, and I just give God thanks that this is over now and we can move on," Jackie Christopher told reporters.

"I got answers as to how my son really died and I'm really happy that he was not the guy that they were making him out to be."

Christopher, a Jamaican-Canadian, has suggested her son's skin colour played a role in the incident. A lawyer for the police officers vehemently denied the allegation.

George Cowley, who represented the police service, believes many of the recommendations will be adopted.

"I think you'll see a lot of them coming into effect because they mirror, to a large extent, the recommendations which the chief and the board put forward in our proposals for recommendations," Cowley said.

With a report from CTV's Roger Petersen