Toronto Police suspending John sweeps: report
Posted May 14, 2012 8:40 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Toronto police have reportedly put so-called John sweeps on hold due to uncertainty about the province’s prostitution laws.
A report in the Toronto Sun on Monday said the force has suspended its practice of having female officers pose as prostitutes to catch men who pay for sex.
An Ontario Court of Appeal ruling in March deemed the province’s prostitution laws, including living off the avails, are unconstitutional and lifted a ban on brothels and bawdy houses. The ruling claims allowing prostitutes to move indoors will improve safety because they can better screen clients and hire security.
It’s still illegal for prostitutes to solicit Johns on the street after the latest ruling, which struck down an earlier decision issued by Justice Susan Himel in 2010 — she said hookers should be allowed to communicate freely with clients on the street.
The federal government plans to challenge the March decision at the Supreme Court.
Police decided to suspend John sweeps due to “uncertainty” with prostitution laws, the Sun reported.
