Toronto Police Service
History
Creation to 1859 reforms
The Toronto Police Service, was founded in 1834 when the city of Toronto was first created from the town of York. (Prior to that, local able-bodied male citizens were required to report for night duty as special constables for a fixed number of nights a year on the pain of fine or imprisonment in a system known as "watch and ward".)
The Toronto Police is one of the English-speaking world oldest modern municipal police departments; older than, for example, the legendary New York City Police Department which was formed in 1845 or the Boston Police Department which was established in 1839. The London Metropolitan Police of 1829 is generally recognized as the first modern municipal department. In 1835, Toronto retained five fulltime constables ratio of about one officer for every 1, 850 citizens. Their daily pay was set at 5 shillings for day duty and 7 shillings, 6 pence, for night duty. In 1837 the constables annual pay was fixed at 75 per annum, a lucrative city position when compared to the mayor annual pay of 250 at the time.
Toronto constables circa 1880
From 1834 to 1859, the Toronto Police was a corrupt and notoriously political force with its constables loyal to the local aldermen who personally appointed police officers in their own wards for the duration of their incumbency. Toronto constables on numerous occasions suppressed opposition candidate meetings and took sides during bitter sectarian violence between Orange Order and Irish Catholic radical factions in the city. A provincial government report in 1841 described the Toronto Police as "formidable engines of oppression". Although constables were issued uniforms in 1837, one contemporary recalled that the Toronto Police was "without uniformity, except in one respecthey were uniformly slovenly." After an excessive outbreak of street violence involving Toronto Police misconduct, including an episode where constables brawled with Toronto's firemen in one incident, and stood by doing nothing in another incident while enraged firemen burned down a visiting circus when its clowns jumped a lineup at a local brothel, the entire Toronto Police force, along with its chief, were fired in 1859.
1859 to 1900
The new force was removed from Toronto City Council jurisdiction (except for the setting of the annual budget and manpower levels) and placed under the control of a provincially mandated Board of Police Commissioners. Under its new Chief, William Stratton Prince, a former infantry captain, standardized training, hiring practices and new strict rules of discipline and professional conduct were introduced. Today's Toronto Police Service directly traces its ethos, constitutional lineage and Police Commission regulatory structure to the 1859 reforms.
In the 19th century, the Toronto Police mostly focused on the suppression of rebellion in the cityarticularly during the Fenian threats of 1860 to 1870. The Toronto Police were probably Canada's first security intelligence agency when they established a network of spies and informants throughout Canada West in 1864 to combat US Army recruiting agents attempting to induce British Army soldiers stationed in Canada to desert to serve in the Union Army in the Civil War. The Toronto Police operatives later turned to spying on the activities of the Fenians and filed reports to the Chief from as far as Buffalo, Detroit, Chicago and New York City. When in December 1864, the Canada West secret frontier police was established under Stipendiary Magistrate Gilbert McMicken, some of the Toronto Police agents were reassigned to this new agency.
In 1863, the Toronto Police were also used as "Indian fighters" during the Manitoulin Island Incident when some fifty natives armed with knives forced the fishery inspector William Gibbard and a fishery operation to withdraw from unceded tribal lands on Lake Huron. Thirteen armed Toronto police officers, along with constables from Barrie, were dispatched to Manitoulin Island to assist the government in retaking the fishery operation, but were forced back when the natives advanced now armed with rifles. The police withdrew but were later reinforced and eventually arrested the entire band but not before William Gibbard was killed by unknown parties. (Sidney L. Harring White Man's Law: Native People in Nineteenth-Century Canadian Jurisprudence Toronto: Osgood Society-University of Toronto Press, 1998. pp. 152-153)
In the 1870s, as the Fenian threat began to gradually wane and the Victorian moral reform movement gained momentum, Toronto police primarily functioned in the role of "urban missionaries" whose function it was to regulate unruly and immoral behaviour among the "lower classes". They were almost entirely focused on arresting drunks, prostitutes, disorderlies, and violators of Toronto ultra-strict Sunday "blue law".
In the days before public social services, the force functioned as a social services mega-agency. Prior the creation of the Toronto Humane Society in 1887 and the Children Aid Society in 1891, the police oversaw animal and child welfare, including the enforcement of child support payments. They operated the city's ambulance service and acted as the Board of Health. Police stations at the time were designed with space for the housing of homeless, as no other public agency in Toronto dealt with this problem. Shortly before the Great Depression, in 1925, the Toronto Police housed 16, 500 homeless people that year.
Plainclothes officers circa 1919
The Toronto Police regulated street-level business: cab drivers, street vendors, corner grocers, tradesmen, rag men, junk dealers, laundry operators. Under public order provisions, the Toronto Police was responsible for the licensing and regulation of dance halls, pool halls, theatres, and later movie houses. It was responsible for censoring the content of not only theatrical performances and movies, but of all literature in the city ranging from books and magazines to posters and advertising.
The Toronto Police also suppressed labour movements which were perceived as anarchist threats. The establishment of the mounted unit is directly related to the four-month Toronto streetcar strike of 1886, when authorities called on the Governor General's Horse Guard Regiment to assist in suppressing the strike.
20th century
A yellow former Metro Toronto Police car makes an appearance during a parade.
As for serious criminal investigations, the Toronto Police frequently (but not always) contracted with private investigators from the Pinkerton Detective Agency until the 20th century when it developed its own internal investigation and intelligence capacity.
During the 1930s and 1940s, the Toronto Police under Chief Dennis "Deny" Draper, a retired Brigadier General and former Conservative candidate, returned to its function as an agency to suppress political dissent. Its notorious "Red Squad" brutally dispersed demonstrations by labour unions and by unemployed and homeless people during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Suspicious of "foreigners", the police lobbied the city of Toronto to pass legislation banning public speeches in languages other than English, curtailing union organization among Toronto's vast immigrant populations working in sweat shops.
After several scandals, including a call by Chief Draper to have reporters "shot" and his being arrested driving drunk, the city appointed in 1948 a new Police Chief from its own ranks for the first time in the department's history: John Chisholm, a very able senior police inspector. In 1955, the Metropolitan Toronto Board of Police Commissioners was formed in preparation for the amalgamation of the 13 police forces in the municipality Metropolitan Toronto into a unified police force with Chisholm as chief of the unified force. Unfortunately Chisholm was not up to the politics of the Chief's office, especially in facing off with Fred "Big Daddy" Gardiner who engineered almost single-handedly the formation of Metropolitan Toronto in the 1950s. As the Toronto City Police absorbed the surrounding police departments and grew in size and complexity, Chisholm found himself unable to manage the huge agency and its Byzantine politics. In 1958, after a number of conflicts with Gardiner and members of the newly expanded Metropolitan Toronto Board of Police Commissioners, Chief Chisholm drove to High Park on the city's west end, parked his car and committed suicide with his service revolver. The late Staff Superintendent Jack Webster, one of the officers who arrived at the scene of the Chief's death and who would upon his retirement in the 1990s become the Force Historian at the Toronto Police Museum, would later write, "Suicide is a constant partner in every police car."
With the creation of Metro Toronto in 1954, the Toronto Police was eventually merged on January 1, 1957, with the other municipal forces to form the Metropolitan Toronto Police Force:
Former Police Force
Current Community
Field
Division(s)
Scarborough Police Department
Scarborough
Area
41, 42, 43
Etobicoke Police Department
Etobicoke
Area
22, 23
North York Police Department
North York
Area; parts of Central
31, 32, 33; parts of 12, 13, 53
East York Police Department
East York
Central
54
Mimico Police Department
Etobicoke (Mimico)
Area
22
Weston Police Department
York (Weston, Ontario)
Area and Central
12, 31
Forest Hill Police Department
Toronto (Forest Hill, Ontario)
Central
53
Town of Leaside Police Department
East York (Leaside, Ontario)
Central
53, 54
York Township Police Department
York
Central
13
New Toronto Police Department
Etobicoke (New Toronto, Ontario)
Area
22
Swansea Police Department
Toronto (Swansea, Ontario)
Central
11
Long Branch Police Department
Etobicoke (Long Branch, Ontario)
Area
22
In November 1995, the agency was renamed the Metropolitan Toronto Police Service which in turn, in 1998, became the Toronto Police Service after the amalgamation of the former municipalities of metropolitan Toronto.
21st century
ETF Vehicle on Queen Street during an attempted bank robbery and bomb scare
A Toronto Police marine patrol at the Canadian National Exhibition.
Today, the Toronto Police Service is responsible for overall local police service in Toronto and works with the other emergency services (Toronto EMS (TEMS) and Toronto Fire Services (TFS)) and other police forces in the GTA including:
York Regional Police
Peel Regional Police
Durham Regional Police Service
Ontario Provincial Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
For most of 2005, the police union and the Toronto Police Services Board (the civilian governing body) were involved in lengthy contract negotiations. The rank and file had been without a contract since the end of 2004, and conducted a work-to-rule campaign in the fall of 2005. The police force is an essential public service and are legally prohibited from striking.
Controversies and allegations of misconduct
A mandatory Coroner's Inquest took place into the police killing of 17-year-old Jeffrey Reodica. Although accounts differ, it is generally accepted that Reodica was part of a group of Filipino teenagers pursuing a group of white teenagers on May 21, 2004, following altercations between the two groups. Plainclothes Toronto police officer Det.-Const. Dan Belanger and his partner Det. Allen Love were in the process of arresting Reodica when he was shot by the officers, the teen died in hospital three days later. Belanger and his partner, Det. Allen Love, were eventually cleared by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) who accepted their story that Reodica lunged at them with a knife.
In response to the recommendations of the Coroner's Inquest jury, Chief Blair recommended that all plainclothes police officers be issued arm bands and raid jackets bearing the word 'Police' in an effort to increase their visibility in critical situations. Unmarked cars, which are already equipped with a plug-in police light, will also be supplied with additional emergency equipment, including a siren package. The proposals will be phased in over three years beginning in 2008. Undercover officers will also have to wear, carry or have access to standard police use-of-force options such as pepper spray and batons.
In 2004, eight people were shot by Toronto Police, and six of them died from their wounds. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) investigated each shooting, but found all of them to be justified.
In 2005, the police force was faced with a spike in shootings across Toronto and increased concern among residents. Police Chief William Blair and Mayor David Miller asked for additional resources and asked for diligence from residents to contend with this issue. Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty promised to work with Toronto to fight crime.
In July 2007, Toronto Police were involved in an international incident in which their members pepper-sprayed, tasered, and handcuffed members of the Chilean national soccer team in an attempt to keep control of crowds after their semi-final match in the 2007 FIFA Under-20 World Cup. A police spokesman explained on CBC Radio on the programme Here and Now that police took action against individual members of the Chilean team when they "displayed aggressive behaviour" by vandalizing a bus and arguing with fans. The actions of the police were criticised by the TV and print media in Chile, and initially also in Canada, but following a news conference and more detailed description of behaviour by the Chilean team the criticism (outside of Chile) was withdrawn. FIFA president Sepp Blatter later apologized to the Toronto mayor for the incident, and instigated disciplinary action against the officials and players of the Chilean team.
Funding
As a division of the municipal government of Toronto, the Toronto Police Service's annual funding level is established by a vote of the Toronto City Council in favour of the year's proposed budget. Provided below are historical gross and net funding levels of the TPS as a part of the city's operating budgets.
Toronto Police Service funding as per municipal operating budgets
Year
Gross Amount
% of Year's Gross Budget
Net Amount
% of Year's Net Budget
1999
$540, 978, 000
9.7%
$522, 900, 000
20.3%
2004
$707, 573, 000
10.6%
$679, 112, 000
23.3%
Chiefs of Police
The chief of police is the highest-ranking officer of the Toronto Police Service (until the 1960s the position was known as chief constable). Most chiefs have been chosen amongst the ranks of Toronto force and promoted from the ranks of deputy chief.
Toronto Police Department
William Higgins 1834
George Kingsmill 1835
James Stitt 1836
George Kingsmill 1837-1846
George Allen 1847-1852
Samuel Sherwood 1852-1858
William Stratton Prince 1859-1873
Frank C. Draper 1874-1886
H.J. Grasett 1886-1920
Samuel J. Dickson 1920-1928
Dennis Draper 1928-1946
John Chisholm 1946-1956
Metro Toronto Police (up to 1995), Metro Toronto Police Service (up to 1998) and Toronto Police Service (1998 onwards)
John Chisholm 1957-1958 (died 1958 from suicide)
James Page Mackey 1958-1970 (died 2009)
Harold Adamson 1970-1980 (died 2001)
Jack W. Ackroyd 1980-1984 (died 1992)
Jack Marks 1984-1989 (died 2007)
William J. McCormack 1989-1995
David Boothby 1995-2000
Julian Fantino 2000-2005
Mike Boyd 2005
Bill Blair 2005-present
The Special Investigations Unit
The actions of the Toronto Police are examined by the Special Investigations Unit, a civilian agency responsible for investigating circumstances involving police and civilians that have resulted in a death, serious injury, or allegations of sexual assault. The SIU is dedicated to maintaining one law, ensuring equal justice before the law among both the police and the public. They assure that the criminal law is applied appropriately to police conduct, as determined through independent investigations, increasing public confidence in the police services. Complaints involving police conduct that do not result in a serious injury or death must be referred to the appropriate police service or to another oversight agency, such as the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services.
Operations
Toronto Police Headquarters
Toronto Police Headquarters is on College Street near Bay Street in the downtown area. The former HQ at Jarvis Street was turned into a museum (and since re-located to current HQ). The current site was once home to the Toronto YMCA. The current sign in over the main entrance still reads "Metropolitan Toronto Police Headquarters" and still has the seal of Metropolitan Toronto, and since 2007 has the current Toronto Police Service crest.
The Toronto Police Service is divided into two field areas and 17 divisions (police stations or precincts):
Central Field Command encompasses the central portion of the city of Toronto
11 Division, 209 Mavety St.
12 Division, 200 Trethewey Dr.
13 Division, 1435 Eglinton Av. W.
14 Division, 150 Harrison St.
51 Division, 51 Parliament St.
52 Division, 255 Dundas St. W.
53 Division, 75 Eglinton Av. W.
54 Division, 41 Cranfield Rd.
55 Division, 101 Coxwell Avenue.
Toronto Police 41 Division in Scarborough.
Area Command encompasses the former cities of North York, Scarborough and Etobicoke. It also includes portions of the cities of Toronto and York, and the Borough of East York (excluding Leaside).
22 Division, 3699 Bloor St. W
23 Division, 5230 Finch Ave. West
31 Division, 40 Norfinch Dr.
32 Division, 30 Ellerslie Av.
33 Division, 50 Upjohn Rd.
41 Division, 2222 Eglinton Av. E.
42 Division, 242 Milner Av. E.
43 Division 4331 Lawrence Ave. E near Morningside Avenue
Note: Public Safety Unit is located at 4610 Finch Avenue East next to the former Charles O. Bick Police College
Support units in the Toronto Police Service consists of:
Specialized Operations Command
Detective Services, 40 College St.
Forensic Investigation Service, 2050 Jane Street. (FIS)
Homicide Squad, 40 College St.
Provincial ROPE Squad, 40 College St.
Drug Squad, 40 College St. - replaced Toronto Police Service's Central Field Command Drug Squad from the 1990s
Organized Crime Enforcement , 40 College St.
Fraud Squad, 40 College St.
Hold-Up Squad, 40 College St.
Intelligence Services, 40 College St.
Sex Crimes Unit, 40 College St.
Guns and Gangs Unit
replaced the Asian Crime Unit, Hate Crimes Unit
Toronto Anti-Violence Initiative Strategy (TAVIS)
Toronto Police Emergency Task Force officers on a call.
Operational Services
Communications Services, 40 College St.
911 Operations Centre, 703 Don Mills Rd.
Court Services, 40 College St.
Prisoner Transportation Unit, 9 Hanna Avenue.
Emergency Task Force, 300 Lesmill Rd.
Marine, 259 Queen's Quay W.
Mounted and Police Dog Services, 44 Beechwood Drive (1989) - Mounted Drill Unit
25 horses with 45 officers
21 officers with 17 general dogs, 4 drug dogs and 1 explosives detector dog
Parking Enforcement, 1500 Don Mills Road.
Public Safety and Emergency Management, 4610 Finch Avenue East
Traffic Services, 9 Hanna Avenue.
Transit Unit, Various TTC Locations. Supplements and assists Special Constables of the TTC Special Constable Services
Community Mobilization Unit
Auxiliary, Volunteer and Rover Program
Youth Programs
Empowered Student Partnership
Toronto Recreational Outreach Outtripping Program (TROOP)
Public Education and Crime Eradication (PEACE) project
Policing on most 400-series highways (like King's Highways 401, 400, 427, 404) are in the jurisdiction of the Ontario Provincial Police. Toronto Police Traffic Services is responsible for patrolling on local highways (Allen Road, Don Valley Parkway, F.G. Gardiner Expressway and the Toronto section of Highway 409).
Workforce
The Toronto Police Service has approximately 5, 710 uniformed officers and 2, 500 civilian employees. Its officers are among the best paid in Canada. In October 2008, the Toronto Police Service was named one of Greater Toronto's Top Employers by Mediacorp Canada Inc., which was announced by the Toronto Star newspaper.
Fleet
Police cars, also known as police cruisers are the standard equipment used by Toronto Police officers for transportation. The vehicles are numbered in regards to their division and car number. For example, 3322 represents that the vehicle is from 33 Division, and the following 22 symbolizes that the car works in Zone 2 for that Division and it is car number 2 for that zone. e.g. 5421 would be 54 Division, zone 2, car 1.
Other fleet numbering patterns include:
6XXX - Traffic Services/Transit Unit
TAVX - Toronto Anti-Violence Initiative Strategy (TAVIS)
ETFXX - Emergency Task Force
MUXX - Marine Unit
PSUXX - Public Safety Unit
PKEXX - Parking Enforcement
CRTXX - Court Services
BCUXX - Bail Compliance Unit
SROXX - School Resource Officer
RMSXX - Records Management Services/Courier
PDSXX - Police Dog Services
FISXX - Forensic Identification Services
MTDXX - Mounted Unit
COMDX - Command Post vehicle
CFCX - Central Field Command (mobile command post vehicles)
VSUXX - Video Services Unit
MotorcyclesProduct list and details
Product list and details
Make/Model
Type
Status
Origin
Chevrolet Camaro
Highway Unit
Retired
United States
Chevrolet Caprice
General police vehicle
Retired
United States
Chevrolet Cavalier
Parking Enforcement, Document Services Section
Mexico United States
Chevrolet Impala
General police vehicle
retired
Canada
Chevrolet Malibu (2001-2005)
Community Sweeper Unit car
United States
Chevrolet Malibu (2006)
Parking Enforcement Unit
United States
Dodge Charger
(marked) General police vehicle, Traffic Services, Community Sweeper Unit
Canada
Dodge Neon
Parking Enforcement, Document Services Section
United States
Smart fortwo
Parking Enforcement car
Germany
Ford Crown Victoria
(marked) - General police vehicle, Traffic Services, Community Sweeper Unit
Canada
Ford Crown Victoria- (black/blue stripe, grey/grey stripe)
Stealth Police Cruiser.
Canada
Ford Focus
Parking Enforcement car
United States
Ford Taurus
(Highway Patrol)
retired
United States
Plymouth Caravelle
General police vehicle
retired
United States
Volkswagen New Beetle
Safety Bug car
Mexico
Honda Civic/Civic Hybrid
Parking Enforcement car
Canada
Make/Model
Type
Status
Origin
BMW K1 (K75RT)
Motorcycle
Germany
Harley Davidson FLHTP
motorcycle
United States
Boats
Product list and details
Unit #
Make
Type
Notes
Marine Unit 1
Hyke Industry
Dive Platform & Command Vessel marine boat with Volvo Penta Turbo Chargd 350 hp (260 kW) engines
Marine Unit 2
VIP Boat - Mohogany & Oak Classic Patrol Boat
Marine Unit 3
Long Range Search and Rescue Vessel with Re-Righting Capabilities
Marine Unit 4
Hyke
patrol boat
Marine Unit 5
Hyke
wooden motor boat - patrol boat
Marine Unit 6
Hyke
patrol boat
Marine Unit 7
Hyke
patrol boat
SRV1
service vessel
Marine Unit 9-11
Zodiac
30-foot (9.1 m) Zodiac Rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RIBs) with twin 300 horsepower (220 kW) four-stroke motors
Marine Unit 12
fan boat
Marine Unit 8
Zodiac
28-foot (8.5 m) Zodiac with a Covered Wheelhouse, Twin Turbo-Disel Jet Drive Engines
1 "HUSKY"
airboat
used for operating over ice
MU00
Seadoo GTX-4
personal watercraft
Support vehicles
Product list and details
Make/Model
Type
Status
Origin
Chevrolet Express
van - Commercial Vehicle Enforcement, Collision Reconstruction
United States
GMC Savanna
vans - Radio Services and Court Services
United States
GMC C series light truck
ETF
United States
Chevrolet Suburban
SUV - ETF, Marine Unit, Police Dog Service, Public Safety Unit, Radio Services
United States
Ford F350
pickup truck with horses trailer - Mounted Unit
United States
Armet Armoured Vehicles Incorporated/Ford Trooper - using F-550 chassis
tactical vehicle - ETF
United States/ Canada
Ford Van
Explosive Disposal Unit, Forensic Identification Service
United States
Ford F-series or GMC Vandura trucks
Prisoner Transportation Services Court Wagons
Canada
Freightliner Trucks FL mobile
mobile command unit
United States
Ford F-series truck chassis
tow truck
United States
Ford Van
van RIDE
United States
GMC Safari
SUV Parking Enforcement
United States
Jeep Cherokee
SUV
United States
Northrop Grumman Remotec Andros MK V1A and Andros F6B
bomb unit robots
United States
General Motors Diesel Division T6H -5307 series
Metro Police Auxiliary AUX1 and AUX 2 bus - ex-Toronto Transit Commission 7960
Canada
Motor Coach Industries MCI 102A
2 recruitmen buses
Canada
Motor Coach Industries MCI-9
bus
Canada
Orion Bus Industries Orion I
bus
Canada
Community Relations trailer - community donated
Canada
Bikes
Product list and details
Make/Model
Type
Status
Origin
Norco Bicycles Cross Country
mountain bikes
Canada
Aquila Scandium
mountain bikes - Community Action Policing
Specialized operations
Members of the Toronto Police mounted unit
Emergency Task Force
Main article: Emergency Task Force (TPS)
The Emergency Task Force (ETF) is the tactical unit of the Toronto Police Service. It is mandated to deal with high-risk situations like gun calls, hostage taking, barricaded persons, emotionally disturbed persons, high risk arrests and warrant service, and protection details. The unit was created in 1965. An earlier non-SWAT Riot and Emergency Squad emerged in 1961. Part of its role is now undertaken by the ETF, Public Safety and Emergency Management and the Mounted Unit.
Mounted unit
The horse unit was formed in 1886 to provide crowd control and now stationed at the Horse Palace at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE). The unit has been based at Casa Loma, Toronto Zoo, Sunnybrook Stables and at various division in Scarborough, Ontario, and North York, Ontario. The unit has a strength of 27 horses and 40 officers.
Police horses Honest Ed and Spencer were invited to the swearing in of United States President Barack Obama by Michigan Multi- Jurisdictional Mounted Police Drill Team and Color Guard.
Horses
Honest Ed (2004); named for Ed Mirvish
Samson
Lady
General
Harry
Keith
Dragoon
Spencer
Winston
Royal
Dundas; named after Dundas Street
Lincoln; named after former Lieutenant Governor of Ontario Lincoln Alexander
Boot ; named after former chief David Boothby
Simcoe
Blue Moon
Sabre
Elvis; named for Mount Unit officer killed on duty
Dorothy
Thor
Stuart
Champ
Viscount
Toby
Duke
Champ
Trooper
Blue Moon
Charger
Juno Beach
Major
Justice
Horses killed while on duty:
Brigadier (born 1998 near Listowel, Ontario) - 2006 - motor vehicle collision
Lancer - 2002 - motor vehicle collision
Police dog services
The Toronto Police K-9 unit was created in 1989 and is deployed to search for suspects, missing persons and other duties:
The service has 17 general purpose dogs. Nero and Rony are dogs attached to this unit. There are 4 drug enforcement dogs and 1 explosives detector dog (Mic).
21 officers and dogs are assigned to this unit and based at 44 Beechwood Drive in East York, Ontario.
Court Services
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In the early 1980s, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) initiated the hiring of civilian personnel to fill the position of Court Officer. Court Officers are primarily responsible for the safety and security of the public within Toronto's busy court locations, as well as the transportation, security, and safety of over 400 prisoners attending court each day. Prior to 1980 this function was performed by uniformed Police Officers under the supervision of a Police Sergeant at each court location. In 1980 the first class of twenty civilian employees were appointed by the Police Services Board to replace the uniformed Police Officers at the court locations. These Court Officers were sworn in as Special Constables, pursuant to the provisions of the Police Services Act, which conferred onto them the powers of Police Officers for the performance of their duties.
As the city policing needs expanded, so did the continued civilianization of Court Services. In 1984 the first civilian supervisors were trained to replace the Police Sergeants. These supervisors reported to a Detective Sergeant who was responsible for managing all the TPS personnel assigned to a particular court location.
In the mid 1980, the Summons Bureau became a part of Court Services and the Civilian Summons Servers and support staff took on an expanded role under the newly created Document Services Section. The title Summons Server was changed to Document Server to reflect the expanded responsibilities. Document Servers are responsible for serving summonses, subpoenas and other court documents on individuals required to attend Toronto courts.
Court Services later took on the responsibility of overseeing the Matrons, now referred to as Custodial Officers, which is a small but dedicated group of employees tasked with managing female prisoners at a central location.
By 1990 Court Officers had taken over the responsibility of transporting prisoners in specialized wagons between the court locations, divisions and correctional facilities; a task previously performed only by uniformed Police Officers. This centralized service became known as the Prisoner Transportation Section. By 1995 Court Services promoted its first civilian to the position of Location Administrator, replacing the Detective Sergeants who were formerly in charge of the court locations. Today all sections within Court Services are managed by civilian Location Administrators. These Location Administrators report to one of two Staff Inspectors, who in turn report to the Superintendent of Court Services.
The role of the Special Constable within Court Services has developed significantly beyond its original mandate. As new laws were introduced by Parliament, and the City law enforcement needs became increasingly complex, Court Services evolved to assist the TPS in meeting those demands.
Court Services now employs over 700 of the Service 2500 civilian employees. It comprises several subunits including Prisoner Transportation, Document Services, the Training Section, and the Computer Assisted Scheduling of Courts (CASC). The role of the Special Constables within these subunits includes the service of legal documents; the execution of warrants; the collection DNA samples from convicted offenders; assisting the TPS Public Order Unit in maintaining order during public demonstrations; and being involved in all aspects of the Court Officer hiring and training process. In addition, members of Court Service are often utilized by the TPS for other specialized community outreach initiatives, such as the TPS Aboriginal Peacekeeping Unit; the TPS United Way fund raising initiative; and the Toronto Drug Treatment Court.
The growth in size of the Court Services Unit necessitated the creation of several specialized functions. A centralized Risk Management Section was created, tasked with the responsibility of investigating any complaints and disciplinary issues involving Court Services personnel. It is staffed by a team of detectives, under the supervision of a Detective Sergeant. The position of Crown Police Liaison Officer was also created allowing for a Detective Sergeant at each criminal court location who is dedicated to assisting the Crown Office with the processing of court cases.
As the City demand for additional court rooms increases, so does the responsibility of Court Services. There are currently 16 court locations across Toronto, with a total of 257 court rooms. In 2008 approximately 106, 000 in-custody accused appeared in these court rooms. Also in that year, the Prisoner Transportation Section transported approximately 186, 000 prisoners between police divisions and to and from detention centres. This required a professional staff of clerks, Police Officers and Special Constables, all working collaboratively in an impressive demonstration of excellence through people and partnerships.
Toronto Parking Enforcement
Parking enforcement on all roads and public property are the responsibility of Toronto Police.
Uniforms
TPE officers are provincial offences officers able to issue parking tickets under part II of the Ontario Provincial Offences Act. They do not carry any use of force items and are unarmed, but are issued kevlar vests for safety. They are peace officers pursuant to section 15 of the Police Services Act of Ontario for the purpose of enforcing Municipal By-Laws.
Their uniform consists of a blue shirt, black cargo pants with blue stripe, a black vest and a cap with blue stripe. Boots are similar to front line TPS officers. In winter months TPE officers have a blue jacket with reflective trim. Patches on the jackets and shirts are similar to the TPS, but with a white back ground the blue wording "Parking Enforcement".
Fleet
Their vehicles have the same paint scheme as the older TPS squad cars, but they are label with Parking Enforcement' and PKE or "PKW".
Toronto School Crossing Guards
Adult crossing guards at various intersections and crosswalks are employed and paid by the TPS. They are under charge by various Division across the city.
Marine unit
TPS is one of several police forces along Lake Ontario with a marine unit.
TPS has a fleet of 15 boats based along marine unit stations in south Etobicoke (Humber Bay West Park), Toronto Harbour and Scarborough (Bluffer's Park):
TPS Marine unit works in conjunction with:
Canadian Forces Search and Rescue unit at CFB Trenton
Peel Regional Police Marine Unit
Durham Regional Police Marine Unit
Niagara Regional Police Service Marine Unit
Halton Regional Police Marine Unit
Hamilton Police Service (Ontario) Marine Unit
Uniforms
Besides wearing the reflective vest, guards are supplied with a police issue jacket. The jackets have a patch similar to the TPS, but it has a white background and identification as school crossing guards. A winter hat similar to the Ushanka are worn in cold weather.
Sidearms and weapons
Glock 22 Large frame .40 - Regular uniformed officers
Glock 23 Compact frame .40 - Detectives
Glock 17 Large frame 9 mm - Emergency Task Force (TPS)
Glock 19 Compact frame 9 mm - Emergency Task Force (TPS)
Taser - Regular uniformed supervisors and specialized units
Pepper spray (OC Spray) - Regular uniformed officers
TPS formerly used Smith & Wesson prior to switching over to the Glock.
Weapons used by the ETF include:
MP5A3 9 mm submachine gun
Remington 700 bolt-action sniper rifle
Remington 870 shotgun (Can be issued to Regular Uniformed Officers)
Mossberg M500 shotgun (Can be issued to Regular Uniformed Officers)
Diemaco C8 carbine rifle (Can also be employed by member's of PSU when doing Court Security)
Taser International M18 taser
Taser International X26 taser
Pepper spray (OC Spray)
Tear gas (CS Gas)
Rubber bullets or bean bags rounds
ARWEN 37 37 mm riot gun (and AR-1 plastic baton rounds, may also be available to crowd/riot control officers)
Uniform
Auxiliary Police.
Front line officers wear dark navy blue shirts, cargo pants (with red stripe) and boots. Winter jackets are either dark navy blue jacket design Eisenhower style, single breasted front closing, 2 patch type breast pockets, shoulder straps, gold buttons, or yellow windbreaker style with the word POLICE in reflective silver and black at the back (Generally worn by the bicycle police). All ranks shall wear dark navy blue clip on ties when wearing long-sleeve uniforms.
Auxiliary officers (shown to the right) wear light blue shirts, with the badging of auxiliary on the bottom of the crest. Originally front line officer also wore light blue shirts but changed to the current navy blue shirts in the Fall of 2000.
Hats can be styled after baseball caps, combination caps, or fur trim hats for winter. Motorcycle units have white helmets. Black or reflective yellow gloves are also provided to officers with Traffic Services. Front line officers usually wear combination caps since that is the location of their badge.
As is the case with all Ontario Law Enforcement Officers, uniformed officers wear name tags. They are in the style of "A. Example" where the first letter of the first name is written and the last name next to it. Name tags are usually stitched on with white stitching on a black background, but they also have pin-styled with black lettering on a gold plate.
Senior officers wear white shirts and a black dress jacket.
Logo
The components of the TPS logo is similar to the old Metro Toronto Police logo less the name change:
winged wheels of industry on the top part of the shield
crown commemorating the coronation year of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953
two books for education
Caduceus - Roman god of commerce
chevron for housing
beaver from the city of Toronto logo
Ranks
Rank epaulettes
The rank insignia of the Toronto Police Service is similar to that used by police services elsewhere in Canada and in the United Kingdom, except that the usual "pips" are replaced by maple leaves.
Commanding officers
Besides the Chief of Police, the other command officers are the Deputy Chiefs. They head the command units:
Divisional Policing - Kim Derry (current)
Executive - Peter Sloly (current)
Human Resources - Keith Forde (current)
Specialized Policing - Anthony Warr (current)
The Chief Administrative Officer is a civilian post, currently held by Tony Veneziano.
Police senior officers
The day-to-day and regional operations are commanded by senior officers:
Staff Superintendent
Superintendent
Staff Inspector
Inspector
Investigative non-commissioned officers
Investigations are divided into crimes against persons and crimes against property. These investigations are conducted by:
Detective Sergeant
Detective
Detective Constable
Police officers
Staff Sergeant
Sergeant
Constable - first class, second class, third class, fourth class
Sworn members
Special Constable - Court Officers, Prisoner Transportation officers, Document Servers, Custodial Officers
Ranks
Locational Administrator
Shift Supervisor
Supervisor
Officer
Unsworn members
Cadet
Rover
Parking Enforcement Officer
Station Duty Officers
Communicator Operators
Training
New and current officers of the Toronto Police Service train at the Toronto Police College on Birmingham east of Islington. The initial training is 2 weeks, followed by 12 weeks at the Ontario Police College in Aylmer, Ontario and then 6 weeks of final training at Toronto Police College. Charles O. Bick College was closed in July 2009.
Emergency Services
TPS is part of Toronto's Emergency Services and works along side with:
Toronto Fire Services
Toronto EMS
Heavy Urban Search and Rescue
See also
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Toronto Police Service
Auxiliary Constable
Emergency Task Force
History of crime in Toronto
TTC Special Constable Services
Police Recruitment Canada
References
HISTORY OF THE TORONTO POLICE PART 4: 1875 - 1920
Police killed unarmed teen, family says
Jeffrey Michael Reodica Inquest Jury Recommendations, Office of the Chief Coroner of Ontario
Toronto Police Services Board, Minutes of the Meeting of April 26, 2007, pages 85-90
Chilean soccer team involved in melee with police
La Nacion.cl
FIFA vows action after U-20 brawl
Torontoist: Lazy Avec Le "Metro"
a b Toronto Police Service. "Toronto Police Division Boundaries and Addresses". http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/uniform.php.
http://www.torontopolice.on.ca/communications/selection.php
"Reasons for Selection, 2009 Greater Toronto's Top Employers Competition". http://www.eluta.ca/top-employer-toronto-police-service.
"Toronto police duo saddles up for Obama". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/news/world/uselection/article/572006--toronto-police-duo-saddles-up-for-obama. Retrieved 2009-01-16.
External links
Toronto Police Official Site
Toronto Police Services Board
Toronto Police History
Toronto Police history 2
22 Division Toronto Police Service Rovers
Inquest into Jeffrey Reodica shooting begins
v d e
Law enforcement agencies in Canada
Federal
Canada Border Services Agency Canadian Forces Military Police Canadian Forces National Investigation Service Correctional Service of Canada Environment Canada Enforcement Branch Royal Canadian Mounted Police Canadian Rangers
Provincial
Alberta Sheriff British Columbia Sheriff Services British Columbia Conservation Officer Service Combined Forces Special Enforcement Unit of British Columbia Ontario Provincial Police RCMP "E" Division Royal Newfoundland Constabulary Sret du Qubec
Regional and
municipal
Abbotsford Police Department Barrie Police Service Brockville Police Service Calgary Police Service Central Saanich Police Service Charlottetown Police Department Delta Police Department Durham Regional Police Service Edmonton Police Service Fredericton Police Gananoque Police Service Greater Sudbury Police Service Guelph Police Service Halifax Regional Police Halton Regional Police Service Hamilton Police Service Lethbridge Regional Police Service London Police Service Medicine Hat Police Service New Westminster Police Service Niagara Regional Police Service Ottawa Police Service Peel Regional Police Port Moody Police Department Rgie intermunicipale de police de la Rivire-du-Nord Regina Police Service Rothesay Regional Police Force Saanich Police Department Saskatoon Police Service Service de police de la Ville de Laval Service de police de Longueuil Service de police de la Ville de Montral Service de police de la Ville de Qubec Thunder Bay Police Service Timmins Police Service Toronto Police Service Vancouver Police Department Victoria Police Department Waterloo Regional Police Service West Vancouver Police Department Winnipeg Police Service York Regional Police
Specialized
Anishinabek Police Service CN Police Calgary Transit Public Safety and Enforcement Section Canadian Pacific Railway Police Service Niagara Parks Police Nishnawbe-Aski Police Service Special Investigations Unit South Coast British Columbia Transportation Authority Police Service McMaster University Security Service Treaty Three Police Service TTC Special Constable Services University of Toronto Campus Community Police Service YRT/VIVA Special Constable Services
Defunct
British Columbia Provincial Police Newfoundland Rangers Organized Crime Agency of British Columbia
Manpower
Aircraft Protective Officers Auxiliary Constables Bylaw enforcement officers Firearms Officers Peace officers Special Constables
Boards
and Commissions
Military Police Complaints Commission Police board
Lists
Aboriginal Police in Canada List of law enforcement agencies in British Columbia List of law enforcement agencies in Canada Provincial correctional services in Canada
Museums
RCMP Heritage Centre Rotary Museum of Police and Corrections Vancouver Police Museum Winnipeg Police Museum
v d e
Government and politics of Toronto
Mayor City Council Toronto Public Library Toronto District School Board Fire Services Housing Police Service Toronto Support Services Division Toronto Technical Services Division Toronto Water Toronto Shelter, Support & Housing Administration Division
Categories: Municipal government of Toronto | Toronto Police Service | Rescue agencies | Organizations established in 1834Hidden categories: Articles needing additional references from December 2009 | All articles needing additional references | All articles with unsourced statements | Articles with unsourced statements from September 2009
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