Toronto police chief rips officers accused of corruption. Here’s what he said

Chief Myron Demkiw ripped into several Toronto police officers accused of corruption Thursday, saying they do not represent what the service stands for.

Demkiw made the comments during a news conference in York Region Thursday where charges against seven current police officers and one retired member were announced.

The charges they’re facing in a York Regional Police organized crime and corruption investigation include bribery, conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking.

Here’s a full transcript of Demkiw’s remarks:

“Good morning. This is a painful and unsettling moment. It needs to be addressed openly, and it needs to be addressed honestly. The allegations against seven Toronto police members and one retired member are deeply disappointing. I understand this news will be distressing for Torontonians and our police service members. No corner of society is immune from the reach of organized crime, but when organized crime penetrates the Toronto Police Service, the harm goes far beyond the immediate wrongdoing.

As [York Regional Police] Chief [Jim] McSween said, and I will repeat, corruption has no place in policing. It strikes at the trust people place in us, and as such, in our quest to tackle these types of allegations, we are committed to leaving no stone unturned. So let me start at the beginning. The moment I became aware of these allegations, my highest priority became doing everything in my ability to respond in a way that preserves the trust of Torontonians.

Two key principles have guided my actions and ultimately those of the Toronto Police Service. One: the pursuit of justice without fear or favour from or towards anyone, letting the evidence lead where it leads. And two: that the measure of our response will leave no doubt that we understand the harm this represents.

Let me speak first to the pursuit of justice. From Day 1, our priority was to ensure the independence of this investigation to ensure it was conducted with great care, diligence and professionalism and to seek justice no matter how difficult that pursuit may be. The charges are proof of this commitment, and our hope is the integrity of this investigation is the first step in helping Torontonians feel confident in the trust they place in us.

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Let me take a moment to say how grateful I am for our policing partners at the York Regional Police service for leading this investigation. Their expertise and independence have been vital. They conducted a deeply thorough and professional investigation. I thank Chief Jim McSween and Deputy Chief Ryan Hogan and their members for their exceptional work. I also want to recognize the many members of the Toronto Police Service who worked tirelessly supporting this investigation, in particular our professional standards unit, who worked hand-in-hand with the York Regional Police throughout this investigation. Their contribution was critical. My sincere thanks to everyone who supported this difficult but very necessary work.

First, to those charged today: you will answer for your actions in a court of law. We will do everything we need to do to support the York Regional Police and the court process, and all necessary disciplinary processes will be followed. The seven members who have been arrested have been suspended and where appropriate, I will be seeking suspension without pay.

And to our over 8,000 members, the allegations against these individuals do not represent the Toronto Police Service. They do not represent who you are. They do not represent what our organization is and stands for. These arrests are a necessary step in ensuring that those who face allegations that bring disrepute are held to account. We will not let the actions of a few define the reputation of the many.

As this matter becomes public today, our priority remains the safety of our communities. I know our members will remain focused on the professional delivery of service that Torontonians rely on. Continue to take pride in who you are, take pride in your oath of office and take pride in the uniform you wear.

And to Torontonians, as Chief McSween and I committed, we have left no stone unturned. Our unflinching efforts in this investigation to hold members to account who are alleged to have committed serious criminal offences supports the trust you place in the service.

Organized crime is corrosive. That it infected our service is unacceptable. But these allegations are not representative of over 8,000 members. I’m always grateful, always grateful, for the women and men who continue to serve with courage and integrity, and I will always support their hard work.

Character. Character can best be judged by how people respond in moments of great challenge and the Toronto Police Service members will rise to meet the challenge of this day. And I can assure Torontonians that with this news, our incredible members will be provided all the tools and resources they need to succeed.

The reality remains. We have a long road ahead of us. Our top responsibility is to undertake the hard work of honest examination to look critically at how this occurred, to identify the weaknesses and to address them in a way that holds the trust placed in the Toronto police. These events underscored the need for constant vigilance and modern oversight. To that end, the chair of the Toronto Police Service Board and I have requested the Inspector General of Policing to immediately launch an independent external inspection. We have written directly to the inspector general of policing, Ryan Teschner, and outlined five priority areas I believe should be part of his review.

I trust the inspector general to determine the appropriate scope and ultimately to entrust the work to an independent authority. I can assure Torontonians the inspector general will have the full support of the command and the entire Toronto Police Service, and we look forward to the recommendations that ultimately emerge. We will publicly release the letter we have sent to Mr. Teschner today.

In addition, in the coming days and weeks, we will get to work examining our internal processes and controls to allow for immediate actions where required. I began my remarks by acknowledging the harm created by these types of allegations. That is because the effectiveness of the Toronto Police Service ultimately rests on the trust that exists between our members and the public we serve.

In closing, restoring trust requires more than words. It requires sustained effort, openness to scrutiny, and the humility to change. That is the work ahead and it is the work our service is committed to performing. Thank you.”

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