Ombudsperson to investigate fairness of Toronto police practices
Toronto’s ombudsman has reached a "landmark" agreement with the Toronto police, granting the impartial official authority to independently investigate the fairness of the force’s policies, procedures and practices.
“This is a breakthrough for local accountability of municipal police forces in Ontario,” Ombudsman Kwame Addo said in a statement on Friday.
“If, as expected, the Toronto Police Services Board approves the Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) next week, Ombudsman Toronto will be able to review the policies, practices and procedures of the TPS and investigate the fairness of their implementation.”
As a first step towards this “breakthrough,” on April 8, 2021, Toronto city council unanimously asked the ombudsperson to develop the MOU with the Toronto Police Services Board and the Toronto Police Service.
At the time, the ombudsperson called it “the biggest change in police oversight” in the city’s recent history.
It came at a “critically-important time” when public trust in policing reached a low point, now former ombudsperson Susan Opler said at the time.
A Toronto police review released a year later revealed people of colour were 1.2 to 1.6 times more likely to face violence when interacting with Toronto police in 2020, and Black residents were more likely to have a police officer point a firearm at them when they appeared to be unarmed than white people.
Soon, Toronto’s ombudsperson will announce their first topic of investigation. TPS’s Criminal Record Checks and online reporting or Victim Services could be potential programs of focus, Addo said.
“Our work will be fully independent of the Toronto police. We will have full discretion and control over what we investigate.”
Addo will not be able to probe complaints against individual officers or matters under review by other oversight agencies.
“This is the beginning of a new chapter in local police oversight,” Addo said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Man convicted of involuntary manslaughter in father's drowning, told police he was baptizing him
A Massachusetts man who told police he was exorcising a demon and performing a baptism when he shoved his father's head under water multiple times has been convicted of involuntary manslaughter in his death.
New Norad commander calls Canada's defence policy update 'very encouraging'
American troops will be spending more time training in the Far North, the new commander of Norad says, a strategy that fits 'hand-in-glove' with Canada's renewed focus on Arctic defence.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Are Canadians getting sick from expired food?
A new survey by Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab asked Canadians about their food consumption habits amid rising prices.
Documents reveal Ottawa's efforts to get Loblaw, Walmart on board with grocery code
It was evident to the federal government as early as last fall that Loblaw and Walmart might be holdouts to the grocery code of conduct, jeopardizing the project's success.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.