Toronto city council is debating the future of its police service, including the possibility of a 10 per cent budget reduction and the creation of a new non-police mental health response team.
Toronto city council is debating the future of its police service, including the possibility of a 10 per cent budget reduction and the creation of a new non-police mental health response team.
Council is meeting virtually on Monday and Tuesday, starting at 9:30 a.m. ET. You can see the agenda here and watch the entire meeting online.
Councillors Josh Matlow and Kristyn Wong-Tam revealed a member motion in early June to cut 10 per cent of the police budget. They argue the money could be put to better use by investing in community programs.
Mayor John Tory, meanwhile, laid out his own plan to reform the force while avoiding an outright budget cut.
Tory’s proposal includes several initiatives intended to eliminate systemic racism in policing and would stop police from responding to mental health calls that do not involve weapons or violence.
Demands for that change come after the death of Regis Korchinski-Paquet, who fell from her balcony after police responded to a call at her home. Police in Peel Region are also facing scrutiny after the death of Ejaz Choudry, who was fatally shot by officers while experiencing a mental health crisis.
When asked about relinquishing responsibility for responding to people in crisis, police chief Mark Saunders warned that no other organization appears ready to take on that complex task.
“We’d all be naive if we said that this is not a glaring issue,” he said of mental health calls. “But the question is, who’s stepping up to the plate other than law en