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Ontario's solicitor general says he will look at the province's policing laws to determine if changes are in order after Toronto's police chief said officers charged abroad could only be suspended with pay. Michael Kerzner told reporters at Queen's Park on Wednesday he has spoken with Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw and will consider his request to review the laws. "All options are on the table," Kerzner said. "He's as frustrated as I am. When a person violates the code of conduct, on or off duty, there has to be consequences." The comments come after three Toronto police officers were suspended with pay after they were arrested in Spain earlier this month, sparking public outrage. Spanish police said two of the officers are facing allegations of sexual assault and the third is accused of attacking an agent of authority. The first interaction happened in a taxi in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona and involved a sex worker, they said. Demkiw told CBC Radio's on Wednesday many people do not know or understand that the Community Safety and Policing Act dictates when an officer can be suspended with or without pay — and that it restricts how chiefs of police make their decisions. He said the act does not allow him to suspend officers without pay if an allegation took place outside of Canada. "It is something that frustrates me," he said. "The law is written in such a way that it does not give me that authority."  Demkiw said the public reaction has made it clear that chiefs of police are expected to take appropriate action "when it's the right thing to do." Suspensions need to meet specific conditions: expertSuspension without pay for police officers has only been an option since 2024 after an overhaul of Ontario's policing laws. Ontario was the last province to have the option, and police chiefs in the province had been pushing for the change for over a decade. For a police officer to be suspended without pay there are very specific conditions that must be met under the Community Safety and Policing Act, said Mark Baxter, president of the Police Association of Ontario, a policing advocacy group. “Because everyone is presumed innocent until it's been proven otherwise, suspension without pay really should only occur in exceptional circumstances,” Baxter told CBC’s last week.
The three officers' suspension could be changed to without pay depending on their release conditions and if they interfere in their ability to do police work, he said. He said officers suspended with pay may still be allowed to do non-public-facing police work under the law, if approved by the police chief. Police badge, uniform 'not a shield': chiefWhile he did not share details on the investigation in Spain, Demkiw addressed allegations that the three officers produced their Toronto police badges to Spanish authorities. "The badge we carry, the uniform we wear is not a shield," he said, adding officers should not abuse their position to conceal inappropriate or wrongful conduct. The purpose of a police officer's badge and uniform is to represent their oath, said Demkiw. He said over 8,000 other officers uphold that expected behaviour and represent a "long legacy of courage." He said it will be "very concerning" if those allegations are substantiated by Spanish police and that he'll do anything to hold members accountable.  Recent concerns with Toronto police officers also extend to arrests from Project South, an ongoing police corruption and organized crime investigation. Demkiw said changes are already being enacted within the force to address concerns, such as more intensive background screening for officers entering the force. They will now have to undergo home visits and thorough investigations before receiving a conditional employment offer, he said. That's a policy that was in practice when he joined the force and has now been brought back for upcoming new hires, said Demkiw. 来源链接：https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/demkiw-solicitor-general-suspension-pay-9.7213680 |
