How can that be? Every independent review of G20 policing is worse than the one that came before it. The latest report, by the province’s police complaints watchdog, identified hundreds of unlawful arrests, numerous examples of police using excessive force – code, in some cases, for an outright beating – and rampant Charter rights violations.
To all this, Blair essentially shrugged and issued a casual, things “could have been done better” statement. “If there is misconduct, we’ll deal with that,” he said.
If? How can he possibly still use a word like that? There is no if. The report makes crystal clear that some police actions during the G20 were unreasonable, unnecessary and unlawful. That includes boxing in hundreds of people who had done nothing wrong behind riot-clad police lines; using excessive force during the largest mass arrests in Canadian history; arbitrarily searching young people who happened to be wearing backpacks; and locking up more than 1,100 people in gulag-like conditions that contravened Canadian law and police policy.
There are only two questions left. One is whether there is enough evidence to convict specific officers, including those in command roles, of misconduct. Disciplinary hearings will eventually, we hope, get to the bottom of about 100 of those cases.
The other is whether Blair will stand up and apologize for what happened, and assure this city that he is finally prepared to take this with the degree of seriousness that he should have applied two years ago.
To hide behind disciplinary hearings, as he did this week, is not leadership. If he can’t lead a police force that Torontonians can have faith in, he should step down and hand over the reins to someone who can.
As the report from the Office of the Independent Police Review Director states: “Senior officers especially should not condone or distance themselves from the misconduct of subordinates or colleagues.” That must include the chief. What’s more, the report demonstrates that much of the wrong-doing by officers on the street can be traced back to a surplus of attitude by Blair and his most senior officers and inappropriate training that told officers to prepare for violence instead of facilitating peaceful protest.
The Office of the Independent Police Review Director’s report is the most comprehensive and systemic review of police actions leading up to and during the G20. It has more than proven the case that starting at the very top of the senior police command, there were bad plans, bad orders and a willingness to turn a blind eye to wrongdoing by police officers – such as taking off their name tags so protesters and bystanders could not identify them. That simply can’t be excused by having too short a time to prepare for the summit.
“Many police officers ignored the basic rights citizens have under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” states the report. “Numerous police officers used excessive force when arresting individuals,” it continues. There were “gross violations of prisoner rights.”
What more could it take for Blair to understand how badly he and his force messed up two years ago?
Public confidence in Toronto’s police was badly shaken by the events surrounding the G20 and its aftermath, when police closed ranks and refused to assist with investigations into officer misconduct.
If Blair cannot quickly show he is able to do what it takes to get that confidence back, he should make way for someone who can.
Original Article
Source: Star
Author: editorial
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