The Toronto Star is monitoring judges’ rulings that find police officers lied on a witness stand since the paper published “Police Who Lie” in 2012. As a result of that series, then Ontario Attorney General John Gerretsen ordered Crown Attorneys to report these decisions to their superiors, who would then refer them to the police force involved. Just what kind of impact this policy has had is subject to disheartening speculation.

Nonetheless, the Star continues to report incidents of probable police dishonesty, and two examples were featured in their GTA Section on succeeding days in April. “Cops deceit leads to case dismissal” on April 23 referenced two officers of the Toronto Police Service. “Cop ‘lied’ to get warrant, judge rules” ran on April 24 and spotlighted an officer with the Peel Regional Police.

turnoverarocktoday sent a brief comment to both Toronto and Peel police. They’re reprinted here. There’s nothing in particular that distinguishes the Star stories of April 23 and 24 from similar examples coming to our attention, either from the media or anecdotal, but the volume needs to be turned up occasionally.

What you’ll read here more than once over time is: You need to stand up, you need to speak up, you need to act up……..otherwise, you need to pack up!

April 25, 2015

Mark Pugash, Director,
Unit Commander, Corporate Communications,
Toronto Police Service,
40 College Street,
Toronto, ON M5G 2J3

Re: Cop’s deceit leads to case dismissal
Toronto Star, April 23, 2015

Director Pugash:

I’m going to stick out my neck, and make an assumption. Constables Juin Pinto and Kimberley Sabadics are still active employees of the TPS, aren’t they?

So, what does that say about the integrity of the force, and its perspective on discreditable conduct by some of its members?

Tell us again Director Pugash why we should see our police officers in a positive light.

Yours truly,

Charles H. Klassen

April 25, 2015

Jennifer Evans, Chief,
Peel Regional Police,
7750 Hurontario Street,
Brampton, ON L6V 3W6

Re: Cop ‘lied’ to get warrant, judge rules
Toronto Star, Friday, April 24, 2015

Chief Evans:

I’m going to make a prediction that Constable Aamer Merchant will still be employed by the Peel Regional Police a year from now.

I’m hoping you’re asked in the spring of 2016 exactly why the public should feel confident in the integrity of their police officers.

Yours truly,

Charles H. Klassen

According to a recent issue of The Economist, during 2013 in Britain, not one person was shot and killed by police!

The cover story for Toronto Life’s May, 2015 edition is Desmond Cole’s “The Skin I’m In”, a memoir about being black in Toronto. This essay is generating much attention here in Canada and elsewhere, even though it only became available on the newsstands in the last few days. This Toronto Life article is available on their web site, too, at http://www.torontolife.com.

There’s been considerable exposure in Toronto’s media over the last few years, and in particular at the Toronto Star, covering the practice of police stops and the carding of citizens. After yesterday’s posting, “Carding – Everything old is new again”, there may still be some readers who are not familiar with the subject. To fill in much of that gap, please refer to http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/senator…/toronto-carding-_b_5031324.html

The Globe and Mail ran articles on a Toronto Police Services revised carding policy….what are now being called “community engagement reports”…on March 28 and April 3. The Toronto Star published its stories on March 28 and April 2. At no point do our police question the practice; it’s a matter of how the stops are conducted. Both newspapers see the new rules as little more than a rehash of what’s gone on before.
What has always been true is a citizen’s responsibility to know what rights people have, and a willingness to stand up both individually and collectively to blunt the State’s intrusion. It’s unfortunate how difficult a lesson that is to learn on the one hand, while a general reluctance to question authority leaves open the option for abuse on the other.

April 6, 2015

Alok Mukherjee, Chair,
Toronto Police Services Board,
40 College Street,
Toronto, ON M5B 2J3

Re: Carding

Chairman Mukherjee:

Chief Bill Blair is correct that “community engagement reports” are an invaluable investigative tool. Chief Blair’s assessment is also irrelevant.

Over a period of time after I moved to Toronto in 1959 from a small rural community, I became puzzled by a general lack of understanding among people of an individual’s rights. Police officers were assumed to know the law, were assumed to hold those rights sacrosanct, and would of course ensure they were protected. How was it possible then, for instance, that so many believed we were all required by law to carry identification on our persons? Such a quaint concept in a democracy! Unfortunately, fifty-six years later, not much has changed. How can that be?

I’ve written to Chief Blair previously to say that “carding” is an abhorrent infringement by the public service on the sovereignty of the citizenry. Now, that’s relevant!

Yours truly,

Charles H. Klassen
cc Bill Blair, Chief, Toronto Police Service
John Tory, Mayor, City of Toronto