Ontario policing inspector announces provincewide look at how police, boards can protect against corruption

Ontario’s inspector general of policing will conduct a provincewide independent review of police in the wake of a corruption scandal involving more than half a dozen Toronto police officers.

Ryan Teschner said incidents of corruption “understandably shake public trust” and a thorough independent investigation is needed to answer the public’s questions.

“People most often encounter police at moments of crisis, when they are frightened, injured, grieving or in immediate danger,” he said. “In those moments, public trust is not abstract. It determines whether people will seek help, whether they will cooperate, tell the truth and accept protection.”

Teschner said said once the review is done, the findings will be made public online.

“I understand that the public is watching. I understand that these issues need to be dealt with and addressed swiftly, but I’m also committed to doing so properly, ” Teschner said.

All 45 police services in the province and their boards, including the Ontario Provincial Police, will be reviewed by an external investigator, he said.

“Although this issue originated with the Toronto Police Service, we have since learned that other organizations may be impacted,” Teschner said.

Teschner said he would appoint an external person to lead the work, who will have the same statutory authorities as he does to obtain information relevant to the inspection.

The external inspector will report back to Teschner, he said, who will review to determine if there is any non-compliance with policing legislation.

Teschner said he was briefed with his team “fairly recently” about the investigation, prior to the official request from Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw.

“The policing oversight system in Ontario ensures independence and ensures oversight in a variety of circumstances including when a chief of police decides to give a criminal investigation and refer it to another police service,” he said.

Teschner confirmed Toronto police made a referral to York police, as part of the lengthy corruption probe.

Toronto police scandal at root of corruption inquiry

Seven TPS officers were arrested after a months-long investigation by York Region police and officials have voiced concerns about the scandal undermining public trust in police. Since then, Peel police has suspended three of its own officers in connection with the case, although no charges have been filed.

News of the charges broke last Wednesday and more details were given by York Regional Police (YRP) at a news conference Thursday. 

The officers are accused of having been involved in serious criminal activity including conspiracy to commit murder, shootings, extortion, robbery and drug trafficking, York police Deputy Chief Ryan Hogan said Thursday. 

Hogan said the investigation started last summer after police uncovered a conspiracy to kill a corrections officer at an Ontario detention centre.

The list of charges includes bribery, obstruction of justice, drug trafficking, theft of personal property, breach of trust and the unauthorized access and distribution of confidential information. Nineteen civilians have also been charged.

In a letter last week, Demkiw asked the inspector general to conduct an independent review of the service and said the service will leave “no stone unturned.”

Demkiw’s letter asked for five specific areas of the force to be reviewed, including:

• Supervision and control.
• Screening and vetting of officers at recruitment and onwards.
• Access to information and security clearance. 
• Evidence management.
• Substance abuse. 

The five specified areas will be the focus of the provincial investigation, confirmed Teschner, who previously served as the executive director and chief of staff of the Toronto police board, according to the Inspectorate of Policing website.

Following the investigation’s announcement, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow released a statement backing the decision.

“I want answers on how corruption could occur and continue undetected, and the systemic changes the Toronto Police Service must make to prevent this from happening again,” Chow said.