Shutting The Barn Door......

.....after the cow has gone seems to be the norm when it comes to running the City of Toronto and the use of force training for Toronto officers is just another example. In order to meet the requirements of the Act we have to increase the police budget to hire more officers so that the number of officers on the streets is not effected. We know that right now the police are pushed to the limit but it would be interesting to see how much of a police officer's day is dealing with non-crime fighting details; ie; paperwork, training, etc. As far as Pam McConnell goes she has been on the board for three years and hasn't been able to find her "road map." Possible because she has been nothing more than a stooge for the mayor.

Training falls short, auditor tells police
Review slams use-of-force instruction, despite high-profile Reodica, Vass cases
January 23, 2007
John Duncanson
staff reporter

The Toronto police force is ignoring the law by not properly training its officers in the use of force, a massive audit of the service's training regime has found.

In what is being described as the first major review of training involving a big city police service in Canada, city auditor general Jeffrey Griffiths takes the police brass to task for not ensuring the training of the force's more than 5,000 officers is done by the book.

"For the needs of the police service and the public of the city of Toronto to be met, it is essential that police officers are appropriately, effectively and efficiently trained," said Griffiths.

Last year, the use of force by Toronto officers was an issue at inquests into the deaths of Jeffrey Reodica, who was shot by police in 2004, and Otto Vass, who died after struggling with four officers who were arresting him in 2000.

Police Chief Bill Blair generally agrees with Griffiths that the problems cited in his report need to be fixed. He said he is willing to implement the recommendations, although some could take some time to achieve.

Blair will not comment further until after Griffiths officially presents his findings to the board on Thursday. Griffiths said he will save his comments until after the board meeting.

Looking for a road map.......