30 years since oversight bodies, police accountability remains an issue

 By Susan Rabichuk and Lisa Deveau We have been indoctrinated not to question the police. Adequate police oversight and accountability is long overdue. Officers swear an Oath to uphold fundamental human rights and equal respect, but what happens when officers, including the chief, abuse their power, or, in the case of the

Book review: Crisis in Canada’s policing

 John Sewell knows a thing or two about policing. The 81-year-old former mayor of Toronto (1978-1980) has been involved in social justice efforts since the mid-1960s. His latest book “Crisis in Canada’s Policing: Why real change is so hard, and how we can get real reform in our police forces”

Ottawa Life Magazine responds to defamation suit filed by ‘private citizen’ Peter Sloly

 On June 11, 2021, Ottawa Police Chief Peter Sloly filed a defamation lawsuit against Ottawa Life Magazine (OLM), me and Carleton University Criminology Professor Darryl Davies because he was offended by an article OLM published about the Ottawa Police Service in March 2021 titled Rapes and Lies — the Cancerous

Ottawa Police Service incompetence results in tragic death of Bane the puppy

 Bane, a nine-month-old puppy, succumbed on 20 January to the indifference of the Ottawa Police Service (OPS). On three separate occasions neighbours frantically called the 911 operator to report the puppy’s distress and to offer recordings of the screams as supporting evidence of animal cruelty. The OPS dispatched officers to

Is it time to reinvent policing? Edmonton Chief of Police Dale McFee thinks so.

 The numbers tell the story. A report published in August 2020 by the Ontario Human Rights Commission (OHRC) found that while Black people comprise 8.8 per cent of Toronto’s overall population, they represent almost 32 per cent of people charged by Toronto police. The numbers are based on the Toronto

There’s something rotten in Lethbridge

 Above: Shannon Phillips was the former NDP MLA from Lethbridge, Alberta and a member of Rachel Notley's cabinet.  (PHOTO: via CBC, The National) Folks outside of Alberta likely haven’t heard much about this story. But they really should. You see, the MLA (that’s like an MPP for Ontario peeps) for Lethbridge

The Ottawa Sun’s preposterous ‘editorial on police’ is proof that stupid exists

 The September 27, 2020 editorial by the Ottawa Sun titled ‘Let police keep their pay when under suspension’ defies logic. Three-quarters of their editorial focuses on the fact that we have rampant and widespread police misconduct in the Ottawa Police Service. As they say ten police officers have been suspended this year.

A lack of police accountability and oversight is the sole reason for public anger

 This past weekend demonstrations across Canada by various groups and individuals demanding that governments defund police result from the lack of police accountability in Canada. Police violence has reached such an unacceptable level in this country that it has undermined people’s trust and confidence in our criminal justice system. Although the term

Former Regina Police officer Heather Gray — “An open letter to the citizens I’ve served”

 by Heather Gray In this era of civil unrest and disillusionment about police and the abuses of power, authority and the horrors that we’ve all witnessed I draw your attention to the dichotomy of the honor and humility I’ve felt in my 20 years of serving my community. It is unfathomable

Reforming police leadership, the time is now

 By Brian A. Grosman Q.C. Police leadership is faced with the complexity of today’s society combined with a rising universal demand for police accountability for their actions. Over the last 35 years, if not more, police have accumulated enormous power and discretion supported by the courts. Police unions have placed

Carleton “Professors” cancel culture solution for Police is farcical

 Anyone following articles about the serious and systemic problems with police misconduct due to lax police oversight in Canada recognize that we need to rethink the role of police in society.  Whether it means carrying out substantive reforms around police recruitment and training or making significant amendments to the law

It’s time for brain over brawn in policing

 As a result of some very disturbing incidents involving the use of force by the RCMP Bill Blair, the Minister of Public Safety, has been tasked with examining the standards and protocols involving police and the use of force. Part of the dilemma is that police officers are inadequately trained when

Police investigating police result in no consequences

 There is no doubt that one of the major catalysts behind the calls to defund the police has to do with the blatant ineffectiveness of police oversight agencies in this province and across Canada. If these agencies actually did what they are supposed to do and that is conduct unbiased

Harm done. The tragic story of Koray Kevin Celik

 My dad Oscar was a cop, back in an era, eons ago, when the violent crime rate in Canada was not much different from what it is today. When he joined what was back then the Eastview (Vanier) police force, led by Chief Richard Mannion from Ireland, my father was

Links to City News stories about police misconduct

 Ottawa cop accused of creating racist meme found guilty, police board to hear https://ottawa.citynews.ca/police-beat/ottawa-cop-accused-of-creating-racist-meme-found-guilty-police-board-to-hear-3910008 Ottawa public school board ends police officer program https://ottawa.citynews.ca/local-news/ottawa-public-school-board-ends-police-officer-program-3906390 Violent arrest of cyclist in Vancouver caught on video https://www.citynews1130.com/2020/08/12/video-violent-arrest-cyclist-vancouver/ "It was humiliating" : Black man speaks out after violent arrest https://www.facebook.com/CityNewsYEG/videos/272568030502181/?vh=e&d=n Toronto police officers among 10

Links to Ottawa Life articles police misconduct

 Oversight and temperament problems at Ottawa Police Service https://www.ottawalife.com/article/oversight-and-temperament-problems-at-ottawa-police-service?c=13 Attorney General must investigate misogyny at Ottawa Police https://www.ottawalife.com/article/attorney-general-must-investigate-misogyny-at-ottawa-police?c=13 Halifax Police Chief Dan Kinsella is proof a fish rots from the head down https://www.ottawalife.com/article/halifax-police-chief-dan-kinsella-is-proof-a-fish-rots-from-the-head-down?c=1 A hapless response to racism from Jacques Fremont's ivory tower at UOttawa https://www.ottawalife.com/article/a-hapless-response-to-racism-from-jacques-fremonts-ivory-tower-at-uottawa Seamus O'Regan's Failure at Grassy

A list of MSN News stories about police misconduct

 Provincial watchdog probes often don't lead to charges against police  https://www.msn.com/en-ca/news/canada/provincial-watchdog-probes-often-don-t-lead-to-charges-against-police/ar-BB16hHjN?ocid=msedgdhp

Link to The Telegram stories about police misconduct

 Toronto cop part of organized crime group involved in vicious tow truck wars, chief says https://www.thetelegram.com/news/canada/toronto-cop-part-of-organized-crime-group-involved-in-vicious-tow-truck-wars-chief-says-465082/

Links to The Star stories about police misconduct

 Researchers tracked nearly 150 charges against Ontario police officers since 2005. Most ended in acquittal or withdrawn charges https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/03/16/researchers-tracked-nearly-150-charges-against-ontario-police-officers-since-2005-most-ended-in-acquittal-or-withdrawn-charges.html Team of Toronto cops conspired to lie in court under oath, judge finds https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/2021/05/06/team-of-toronto-cops-conspired-to-lie-in-court-under-oath-judge-finds.html 'Tragic, preposterous': Family of Soleiman Faqiri reacts as OPP says it won't charge jail guards in mentally ill

Vice

 Assault on 13 year old boy https://www.tiktok.com/@acab604/video/6850882990168345862?u_code=dbkdkdd8km816m&preview_pb=0&language=en&_d=dbkdkghc2584kd&share_item_id=6850882990168345862&timestamp=1595163879&utm_campaign=client_share&app=musically&utm_medium=ios&user_id=6813165400408392710&tt_from=more&utm_source=more&source=h5_m What You Should Do When You Witness Police Brutality https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/dyzxdx/what-you-should-do-when-you-witness-police-brutality Toronto cop, who has been paid $1-million on suspension, nears legal decision https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/g5pyqy/toronto-cop-who-has-been-paid-dollar1-million-on-suspension-nears-legal-decision Two Canadian police officers have been charged after killing potential witness https://www.vice.com/en_ca/article/3azb39/two-canadian-police-officers-have-been-charged-after-killing-potential-witness Halifax returned a tank: How Canadian cities are

Canada needs guardian police not warrior police

 ABOVE: Commissioner of the RCMP Brenda Lucki and Alberta Deputy Commissioner Curtis Zablocki both said that there was no racism in policing in Canada until the Prime Minister stated there was. Twenty-four hours later, both officers exclaimed that indeed there was racism. ABOVE RIGHT: Chief Allen Adam being assaulted by the Alberta