Mukherjee won’t be reprimanded over controversial Facebook posts

Board members of the Toronto Police Services Board have decided at a meeting that the chair will not be reprimanded over controversial posts made on social media.

The police union called for Alok Mukherjee’s resignation, after he shared a Facebook post comparing the number of Americans killed by ISIL, Ebola and U.S. police officers. A second Facebook post came to light last week that appeared to make a joke about spousal abuse.

Mukherjee, whose Facebook page has since been deactivated, presented a letter to the board on Monday explaining the posts and reassuring the members that the page would not be reactivated.

In a private session during the first meeting of the new police services board, members decided that no further action was required on the issue.

Another hot topic discussed at the last meeting of the year was the controversial police policy of “carding” where officers are allowed to routinely stop people in the streets and ask for identification as a way to investigate suspected crimes.

In April, the board changed the rules around carding, adding new restrictions on the practice. But a summer survey of 400 people in the Jane and Finch area for the board suggests Toronto police aren’t following those guidelines because 60 per cent felt there was no good reason for them being stopped.

Almost two dozen deputants came out to have their say on the practice widely seen to be racial profiling – with many denouncing the policy.

Cutty Duncan, with the Campaign to Stop Police Carding, told the board that the way community policing is done needs to change.

“I understand about trying to solve some of these issues but I firmly believe police carding is not the way to do that,” said Duncan. “If we want to move forward together we need to be able to work together that doesn’t erode the community’s trust and doesn’t violate people’s human rights.”

Supt. Tony Riviere of 31 Division – located in the Jane-and-Finch area which is one of the many neighbourhoods where carding is regularly practised – said that the relationship between officers and the public needs to be one of respect and human decency.

“31 Division remains committed to deliver a service that is professional and respectful. A service that is consistent with the spirit of your board report… A service that adheres to an individual’s rights as guaranteed by the Charter,” he said.

Riviere says it’s important that police work to make the neighbourhood an environment where people “live, work and play free of crime and in a safe manner.”

He added that officers in his division live by the old adage “treat people as you want to be treated” and that the board must make sure that police don’t minimize people’s experience.

Mayor John Tory, who attended the meeting for the first time, said something has got to change.

“I think the continuation of the status quo is corrosive,” said Tory. “The impasse will only be ended, and we’ll only do better… if we do it right.”

Tory said the implementation of the policies to improve relations between police and the public have to be a co-operative effort between the board and the chief.

The final decision on carding was deferred to February.

With files from Michael Talbot

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