Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw speaks to media at City Hall in Toronto on Feb. 9.Sammy Kogan/The Globe and Mail
Toronto’s police chief is set to launch an anti-corruption project that he says will strengthen accountability and oversight after the arrests of several officers in an organized crime investigation last month.
Myron Demkiw says the two-year project aims to “prevent, detect, and respond to potential corruption” by focusing on areas including supervision, screening and access to police databases in the wake of the investigation dubbed Project South.
York Region police announced on Feb. 5 that seven Toronto police officers and one retired officer were among 27 suspects charged in a probe that uncovered allegations of bribery, conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking, among other offences.
Three Peel Regional Police officers were also suspended pending further investigation by York police.
The anti-corruption project will be concurrent with another initiative called One TPS, which Demkiw says will reinforce “the professional culture that underpins ethical behaviour, accountability, and public trust.”
After the arrests, Ontario’s police watchdog also announced a provincewide inspection of the policing system that will encompass all 44 of Ontario’s municipal police services, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service.
Demkiw has said the investigation into misconduct allegations arising from the criminal probe of the officers will be taken over by the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency.
The chief has said he will be seeking to suspend six of the accused officers without pay, in accordance with policing legislation.
This content appears as provided to The Globe by the originating wire service. It has not been edited by Globe staff.