Toronto police allege detective refused to help victim amid series of racist, homophobic tirades

A Toronto police detective is facing discipline after allegedly making derogatory remarks about “certain races” and sexual orientations, some within days of an apology by the former police chief for disproportionately targeting the city’s Black community.

Detective Jeffrey La Fosse was accused in the Toronto Police Service’s tribunal of committing misconduct several times on June 2022 for a range of remarks and for not helping a victim of domestic violence, saying he would “not help these low lives” and “degenerates.”

Some of these remarks were caught on body-worn cameras, according to a Notice of Hearing obtained by CTV News. That notice starts a formal discipline process against the officer in the tribunal.

“In so doing, you committed misconduct in that you did act in a disorderly manner or in a manner prejudicial to discipline or likely to bring discredit upon the reputation of the Toronto Police Service,” the document reads.

Between June 2, 2022, and June 23, 2022, La Fosse made derogatory comments regarding LGBTQ2S training, members of a “certain race,” “stereotypical assumptions about a victim of crime,” and sexual orientation generally, the Notice of Hearing alleges.

In another incident that month, a young man was arrested and brought to 43 division.

“You made comments including asking the accused if he did not have data on his cell phone because he was poor and advising the victim she would never get money because the accused was poor. You also made comments about the colour of the accused skin as well as several other derogatory comments,” the Notice of Hearing says.

On June 21, a victim of domestic violence called 43 Division seeking assistance and asked why she hadn’t been notified that the accused in the case was released from custody. La Fosse read her the bail conditions over the phone but didn’t give her a copy, even though another officer reminded him he could make arrangements for it to be done.

“Once you were off the phone, you made a disparaging remark about how you were ‘not helping these low lives’ as well as saying ‘screw her’ about the victim. You made other remarks about ‘not helping these degenerates,’” the document says.

La Fosse attended a murder scene in Scarborough where officers were trying to save the victim’s life, surrounded by a clearly upset crowd, the documents say.

“A review of Body Worn Camera from that evening shows your interactions with members of the public at the event. You can be heard making uncivil, sarcastic, and condescending comments to members in the crowd. The footage also shows your behaviour was unprofessional,” including calling some members of the crowd a profanity “to their faces,” the document says.

On June 15, 2022, then-Toronto Police Chief James Ramer made an apology from the city’s police service to the Black community, saying the force’s own data indicated Black people are over-policed and more likely to face force.

Nigel Barriffe of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations said despite that apology, the allegations against La Fosse are a sign that some attitudes are not changing.

“It’s quite disappointing but not surprising,” he said. “Here we are seeing this come from veteran police officers. It’s unacceptable.

“To add insult to injury, the city decides to give $50 million more to an already bloated police budget instead of taking care of homelessness, housing, and all of the other crucial emergencies that are facing our city right now,” he said.

In a statement, the Toronto Police Association said it will not be commenting on the allegations as they are before the tribunal.

“The Toronto Police Association will ensure the member is treated fairly throughout the process,” the statement reads.