Speakers Corner: Citizen traffic patrols lead to police warnings

A lot of us have things that irk us in the neighbourhood where we live. Whether it’s drivers breaking the speed limit or violating traffic signs. But what power do you have to actually change it?

Alex Weaver, who lives in North York, says a lot more than you may think.

“What I’m doing is for safety.”

Every day Weaver, who’s retired, steps out his front door and uses his cellphone to catch drivers breaking the law. In his case, it’s drivers who blow through stop signs at the intersection of Park Home Avenue and Tamworth Road.

“This is a busy area as most drivers come from Yonge street,” Weaver said. “All day, drivers go right through these stop signs and it’s dangerous. I’ve almost been hit multiple times.”

Weaver, who is not a police officer and never was, decided to do something about it.

“I take my phone and I’ll put it down by my waist and record drivers who blow through these signs.”

He then sends the videos to Toronto Police, via the Citizen Online Patrol Entry, or C.O.R.E.

“Drivers can send us videos if they document someone breaking a traffic law,” said Toronto Police Constable, Sean Shapiro. He warns citizens to be responsible about it.

“It’s fine to take video, in fact we welcome it, but don’t approach the vehicle or driver, leave the rest to us.”

To date, Weaver estimates he has sent in about 100 videos using this online portal.

“In the video, you have to show the license plate, have the date and time.” Weaver said. “Still images don’t work, it needs to be video.”

So what happens to drivers who are caught this way?

“Typically we will issue a warning letter to the address registered to the vehicle,” Shapiro said. “We won’t issue a ticket.”

Weaver said he has complained about this intersection for years. In response, Toronto Police have sent out cars to ticket drivers.

But Weaver says the stop signs need blinking red lights, as they can be hard to see at night.

“I have asked for this repeatedly. I have called my councillor’s office, written letters, but little has changed.”

According to Councillor John Filion, who represents Willowdale, they have looked at this intersection.

“We’ve asked Transportation staff to look at it several times, we repainted some lines a few years ago but there doesn’t appear to be anything wrong with the intersection. The problem is the drivers who just aren’t stopping,” Filion said.

Transportation staff are still investigating but due to COVID it’s taking longer than usual. That delay has frustrated residents like Weaver. So, he plans to continue his daily citizen patrols.

“I am not doing this to be a tattler. I am doing this to prevent an accident, or worse, prevent pedestrians from being run over.”

As for residents who might be going through something similar in their neighbourhood and feel powerless?

“Go get your phone out. Take some video,” he said.

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