Ontario Inspector-General launches provincewide review of corruption in policing

[Michael Jack]

Ontario’s Inspector-General of Policing is launching a provincewide inspection of police forces after the arrests of seven Toronto officers in a sweeping probe of alleged corruption and links to organized crime.

Inspector-General Ryan Teschner told reporters on Monday at Queen’s Park that he would appoint an external, independent inspector to examine the ability of all of Ontario’s police forces, and the local boards that oversee them, to “prevent, detect, respond to and fortify their organizations against corruption and ensure integrity.”

The provincewide scope, which also includes the Ontario Provincial Police, follows the revelations in Project South, the criminal probe unveiled last week that resulted in allegations against the seven officers and could extend to other police services. Three officers in neighbouring Peel Region were suspended late last week in connection with the investigation.

Mr. Teschner said a broad inspection across different services is needed to look at “system-wide” improvements and to restore public trust. The Inspector-General added that a report would be made public, and that he could use his powers to issue binding directives to police forces based on what is found.

The probe will be a test for Ontario’s new system of police oversight, which is just shy of two years old.

The inspection will look at the way officers are supervised, the screening that takes place at the recruitment stage and beyond, the safeguards around access to police databases and the way evidence is handled. The probe will also look at substance abuse by officers and the supports available to them.

Last week, Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw and the chairwoman of the city’s police services board, Shelley Carroll, jointly wrote the Inspector-General to request an investigation along these lines in the wake of the arrests.

Speaking to reporters on Monday afternoon, they both said they welcomed the inspection and that changes were already in motion inside Toronto’s police force.

Chief Demkiw said he was seeking suspensions without pay for six of the seven officers facing charges. He said the “nuances of the legislation” do not currently allow him to seek the same for the seventh officer. He did not say which accused officer he was referring to. (Ontario police chiefs were recently granted new powers to suspend officers without pay if they face serious charges that are not related to their police duties.)

Chief Demkiw also said he would not resign: “My job has been for some time and will continue to be to support the internal investigations conducted by York Regional Police and now others, and I’ll continue working in that position.”

Changes on Toronto’s force are already under way, Chief Demkiw said, including the reassignment of a number of “very high performing staff sergeants,” effective Monday morning, to 12 Division in Toronto’s west end, which is the police district at the centre of the allegations.

He also said he was “enhancing the capacity” of the force’s professional standards unit, which investigates police misconduct, and establishing a working group to review internal processes.

And Chief Demkiw said he welcomed the announcement Monday by Ontario’s independent Law Enforcement Complaints Agency, which oversees complaints against police, that it will assume direct control of the misconduct investigation connected to the officers facing charges, which is separate from the criminal probe.

Both the Ontario Association of Police Service Boards, which represents the civilian oversight bodies for the province’s local police services, and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police, which represents chiefs and senior officers, said they welcomed the Inspector-General’s initiative. In a joint statement, they called police corruption a “direct attack on public confidence.”

The provincewide inspection is the first major move by Mr. Teschner, whose role and arm’s-length agency are the result of long-delayed police reforms in Ontario that only took effect in 2024, despite legislation that had passed in 2019.

Mr. Teschner said an external inspector is needed to focus exclusively on the investigation. He hasn’t selected anyone yet and did not provide a budget or a timeline for the probe, which will cover 45 police services and likely involve a small team.

Mr. Teschner, a former executive director and chief of staff for the Toronto Police Service Board, was asked by reporters if the use of an external inspector was meant to address concerns that he was too close to the Toronto force and to Chief Demkiw. He acknowledged that the external inspector was an “important additional safeguard.”

The provincewide anti-corruption review was prompted by revelations last week, when York Regional Police investigators, called in to lead a probe into Toronto officers, said seven on that force were facing charges.

The allegations include leaking information to organized-crime figures, accepting payoffs and protecting drug trafficking networks. Investigators said some of the unlawfully accessed data was shared with gang members, who used it for extortion and shootings around Southern Ontario as part of turf wars in the tow-truck industry.

None of the allegations have been proven in court.

The probe began after an alleged plot to kill an Ontario corrections officer was uncovered – and foiled – last June. Investigators said the officer’s personal information was allegedly shared with hit men.

The reviews announced Monday will serve as a key test of the new police oversight system in Ontario and its quarterback – Mr. Teschner.

“This is definitely going to be the case that may very well make or break their reputation and their credibility,” said Kent Roach, a law professor at the University of Toronto. “And I think they know that.”

But Prof. Roach questioned why the pending reviews will look at potential police corruption across all of Ontario, given that the problems highlighted so far in the Project South probe appear centred in the Greater Toronto Area.

Mr. Teschner has a long history of involvement in police oversight, dating back to meetings he held with police leaders when he was a member of the Toronto Youth Cabinet, a program for young people, in the early 2000s.

After he became a lawyer in 2006, Mr. Teschner worked with a retired judge on the hearings into the mass detentions carried out during the G20 summit in 2010. He was appointed Inspector-General in the spring of 2023 – a year before the legislation behind his powers even took effect.

“I’m very proud of bringing the IG role to life,” Mr. Teschner said in an interview with The Globe last month, calling the post “unique and one of a kind in Canada.”

With a report from Molly Hayes

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/ ... -policing/

[Michael Jack]

Ontario's inspector general of policing will conduct a provincewide independent review of police in the wake of a corruption scandal involving more than half a dozen Toronto police officers.

Ryan Teschner said incidents of corruption “understandably shake public trust” and a thorough independent investigation is needed to answer the public’s questions.

“People most often encounter police at moments of crisis, when they are frightened, injured, grieving or in immediate danger,” he said. “In those moments, public trust is not abstract. It determines whether people will seek help, whether they will cooperate, tell the truth and accept protection."

Teschner, who previously served as the executive director and chief of staff of the Toronto police board, said he would appoint an external person to lead the work as a "safeguard." Once the review is done, the findings will be made public online, he said.

"I understand that the public is watching. I understand that these issues need to be dealt with and addressed swiftly, but I'm also committed to doing so properly, " Teschner said.

All 45 police services in the province and their boards, including the Ontario Provincial Police, will be reviewed by an external investigator, he said.

"Although this issue originated with the Toronto Police Service, we have since learned that other organizations may be impacted," Teschner said.

The inspector general's investigation will focus on five specific areas, Teschner confirmed. This includes:

How officers are supervised and how effective that supervision is.

- Screening and vetting of officers, both at recruitment and on an ongoing basis as they move through their careers.
- Access to police databases and information systems.
- Evidence and property management.
- Substance abuse and fitness for duty.

The role of inspector general of policing was created two years ago as new legislation came into effect governing policing in the province. The Community Safety and Policing Act is also what allows the inspector general to appoint external investigators when required.

External investigator to be appointed

Teschner said whoever he appoints will have the same statutory authorities as he does to obtain information relevant to the inspection. He said they must also have the right expertise, as well as ability and time to dedicate their attention to the matter.

"I think that there are some very qualified people right here in Ontario, and so I'm giving some immediate thought to who that may be,” Teschner said.

He said the external inspector will report back to him, at which point he will review to determine if there is any non-compliance with policing legislation. The external inspector's report will be published online, Teschner said.

If any non-compliance is found, it will be up to Teschner to decide next steps.

When asked about a potential timeline of the investigation, Teschner said he will make sure it’s done “as expeditiously as possible” as it’s a top priority.

Teschner said he was briefed with his team “fairly recently” about the investigation, prior to the official request from Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw.

“The policing oversight system in Ontario ensures independence and ensures oversight in a variety of circumstances including when a chief of police decides to give a criminal investigation and refer it to another police service,” he said.

Teschner confirmed Toronto police made a referral to York police, as part of the lengthy corruption probe.

Toronto police scandal at root of corruption inquiry

Seven TPS officers were arrested after a months-long investigation by York Regional Police, and officials have voiced concerns about the scandal undermining public trust in police. Since then, Peel police has suspended three of its own officers in connection with the case, although no charges have been filed.

News of the charges broke last Wednesday and more details were given by York police at a news conference Thursday.

The officers are accused of having been involved in serious criminal activity including conspiracy to commit murder, shootings, extortion, robbery and drug trafficking, York police Deputy Chief Ryan Hogan said Thursday.

Hogan said the investigation started last summer after police uncovered a conspiracy to kill a corrections officer at an Ontario detention centre.

The list of charges includes bribery, obstruction of justice, drug trafficking, theft of personal property, breach of trust and the unauthorized access and distribution of confidential information. Nineteen civilians have also been charged.

Demkiw is seeking suspension without pay for six of the officers, he told reporters at a news conference with Shelley Carroll, chair of the Toronto Police Service Board, following the investigation's announcement.

Sergeants and staff sergeants have been reassigned to 12 Division, which was at the heart of the scandal, since the corruption came to light, Demkiw said.

Carroll said the independent investigation will allow the TPS board to learn and act "in real time" as the review is publicized.

"We look forward to cooperating fully with that inspector," Carroll said.

In a letter last week, Demkiw asked the inspector general to conduct an independent review of the service and said the service will leave “no stone unturned.”

Toronto Police Association concerned about 'collateral damage'

But the Toronto Police Association, Toronto's police union, submitted a letter Monday to the inspector general raising concerns about the sweeping review saying the allegations do not reflect all of Toronto police, and asking to be "at the table" for the review.

"We will, therefore, not allow them to be unfairly treated as collateral damage through an overly broad review," the TPA said in a letter shared on X, formerly Twitter.

Following the investigation’s announcement, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow released a statement backing the decision.

“I want answers on how corruption could occur and continue undetected, and the systemic changes the Toronto Police Service must make to prevent this from happening again,” Chow said.

The Ontario Association of Police Service Boards (OAPSB) and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police (OACP) put out a joint release on Monday welcoming the independent review.

"Corruption has no place in policing. It is a direct attack on public confidence, and protecting the public trust is non-negotiable," the release states.

Meanwhile, the Ontario NDP also welcomed the review.

"Trust in our province’s law enforcement institutions must be carefully maintained through transparency and unobstructed public oversight; particularly in Toronto, which should demand much of this inspection’s focus," said Jennie Stevens, shadow solicitor general, and Kristyn Wong-Tam, shadow attorney general, in a news release Monday.

Demkiw said Monday that Ontario's Law Enforcement Complaints Agency (LECA) is also assuming control of a separate conduct investigation into the Toronto police officers charged.

The conduct investigation will not interfere with any criminal investigations and LECA may coordinate with the inspector general investigation when appropriate, LECA said in a release Monday.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ ... -9.7080546

[Michael Jack]

The Toronto arrests — and the serious nature of the allegations behind them — have damaged the public's trust in police, Ontario’s inspector general of policing said

In a bid to repair broken trust in policing, an Ontario-wide integrity and corruption review of all of the province’s police services is being launched after last week’s arrests of seven Toronto police officers accused of corruption linked to violent organized crime.

The review is not restricted to the Toronto police but will include all 45 of the province’s police services with a focus on protecting against the poisoning presence of organized crime.

Ontario’s inspector general of policing, Ryan Teschner, announced the inspection of how each police service, police service board, and the Ontario Provincial Police is working to prevent, detect, respond to, and fortify their organization from corruption.

The Toronto arrests — and the serious nature of the allegations behind them — have damaged the public’s trust in police, Teschner said.

“It is important to acknowledge the real questions the public is asking and the potential effect these questions may have on their confidence in Ontario’s policing system.

“Rebuilding public trust also requires more than words. It requires action,” he said when announcing the inspection on Monday.

“Ontarians must have assurance that our policing system is able to maintain the highest standards of integrity and professionalism.

“Strong systems of vetting, oversight, accountability, and standards are essential — they enable police officers to earn and preserve public trust and are foundational to safe communities and effective policing in Ontario.

“Protecting the public is at the core of policing. The results of this inspection will help the sector deliver safe, effective and trustworthy policing for the people of Ontario.”

The Toronto Police Service and the Toronto Police Service Board requested a review of Toronto’s service by the Inspector General of Policing, but Teschner said a wider review of all police agencies was the better approach.

He said crooked cops don’t necessarily stay with one service or restrict their interactions to one service.

The inspection review will focus on five areas: How effectively officers are supervised; the screening and vetting of officers at recruitment and on an ongoing basis; access to police databases and information systems; evidence and property management; and substance abuse and fitness for duty.

“Organized crime is insidious, and organizations are made up of people. And we have to ensure that our organizations are sufficiently strong to prevent and, where necessary, detect and intervene,” Teschner said.

He said the province-wide, sector-wide inspection would be independent of government.

He plans to appoint an external inspector to conduct the review. That inspector will be given the same statutory powers he has. The external inspector will then give his report to Teschner who will review it to determine if there has been non-compliance with legislation.

“If there has been non-compliance, I must then determine whether to issue any legally binding directions, directions that will require action and implementation,” Teschner said.

He said the outcome will be made public.

His inspection will be looking at systems from an institutional level. It is not looking at individual officers’ conduct or at criminal conduct.

He would not give an expected timeline for the review.

After the announcement, Toronto Chief of Police Myron Demkiw and Toronto Police Service Board Chair Shelley Carroll said they appreciate the inspection and pledged support and assistance.

Demkiw said that he would seek to have six of the seven officers who were charged suspended from work without pay, as opposed to suspended with pay. That’s a rarity in policing. There are restrictions on when an officer can be suspended without pay.

Demkiw said Toronto police are internally reviewing their practices and not just waiting for the inspection review.

“There’s a lot of work that’s going to have to happen very, very quickly,” he said, saying he maintains support for the dedication and integrity of the vast majority of his 8,000 members.

“The actions of a few will not define the actions of the many, and our members will continue to deliver services in the best way they possibly can,” Demkiw said.

Carroll, the board chair, in turn said she supports the chief’s ability to handle the scandal.

“The chief has been clear in his commitment to transparency, cooperation, and to doing the work that is going to be necessary, doing the work that is required to rebuild trust in our community.

“His leadership is going to be essential to recommendations coming forward and being implemented in as quick a process as possible,” Carroll said.

The actions of a few will not define the actions of the many

The Police Association of Ontario expressed concern about the perception the probe might give of its 33,000 members across Ontario.

“There is no evidence of widespread police corruption across Ontario. Our members are dedicated, hard-working professionals who serve their communities with pride and professionalism every day,” a statement from the association said.

“To paint all our members with the same brush is not fair to the thousands who come to work every day to ensure the safety and security of our communities.”

The individual professional disciplinary hearings for potential misconduct by the arrested officers under the Community Safety and Policing Act — which are separate from their legal prosecution under the Criminal Code — will not be dealt with internally by Toronto police.

The Law Enforcement Complaints Agency, known as LECA, has taken over that process, the agency said Monday.

Police chiefs at all provincial police services are required to notify LECA when they become aware that a sworn member of their service may have engaged in misconduct that impacts members of the public. The usual types of complaints are then typically handled internally by the police service’s professional standards officials, but LECA can assume control over any complaints it wants to.

LECA Director Stephen Leach announced LECA has taken over the individual review of disciplinary action into allegations or complaints related to the officers and any future complaints related to the investigation.

LECA said they are communicating with the Inspector General of Policing to ensure their work does not interfere with the province-wide inspection.

Last week, York Regional Police announced the findings of Project South that lead to the alarming arrest of seven serving Toronto police officers and a recently retired Toronto police officer. They were criminally charged based on a variety of allegations, including an allegation of a conspiracy to commit murder.

Charges laid include bribery, obstruction of justice, drug trafficking, theft of personal property, breach of trust and the unauthorized access and distribution of confidential information.

The next day, three Peel Regional Police officers were suspended stemming from the Project South investigation, but not criminally charged. Those officers were suspended pending further investigation by the Project South team.

• Email: ahumphreys@postmedia.com | Twitter: AD_Humphreys

https://nationalpost.com/news/toronto-p ... ion-review

[Michael Jack]

Ontario’s inspector general of policing has announced an independent province-wide inspection of police services and boards after a bombshell corruption investigation saw several Toronto police officers charged last week.

“Public trust is repeatedly cited as essential to policing,” Inspector General Ryan Teschner said during a news conference on Monday morning. “Without this trust, even lawful authority loses legitimacy and public safety is weakened for everyone.”

The announcement comes after York Regional Police last week shared the results of an organized crime and corruption investigation, dubbed Project South. Seven active Toronto police officers, and one retired officer were allegedly connected to various crimes including conspiracy to commit murder, shootings, extortion, drug trafficking and other offences.

York police allege the officers accepted bribes and provided unauthorized access and confidential information to individuals outside the police force.

Since last week, two additional Toronto police members have been suspended, but not formally charged.

In a statement, Mayor Olivia Chow said she welcomes the investigation.

“The revelations of corruption last week have shaken our trust,” Chow wrote.

“On behalf of the people of our city, I want answers on how corruption could occur and continue undetected, and the systemic changes the Toronto Police Service must make to prevent this from happening again,” she continued. “Torontonians deserve to know that the police in their community can be trusted to keep them safe and are acting with integrity.”

The province-wide inspection will be conducted under the authority of Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act. It will look into Ontario’s 45 police forces and their boards, including the Toronto Police Service, Ontario Provincial Police, Peel Regional Police, York Regional Police and Durham Regional Police Service.

Teschner, who previously served nearly five years as executive director and chief of staff for the Toronto Police Service Board, said he will appoint one person outside of the government to lead the investigation and will offer them the same statutory authorities that he has as inspector general in order to obtain any relevant information.

No timeline was given for when an external inspector will be appointed, but Teschner called it a “top priority.” He added that while he hasn’t made a decision on who will be taking the role, he said “there are some very qualified people right here in Ontario.”

The investigation is not intended to find examples of individual criminal conduct, but rather to examine the integrity of existing policing processes, including recruitment and IT systems.

The inspection will eventually provide a findings report that will be made available to the public, Teschner said. It will focus on the following five key areas of policing, initially requested by Toronto police and the Toronto Police Service Board in an open letter:

- Supervision and span of control;
- Screening and vetting during recruitment and in an ongoing basis;
- Access to police databases and information systems (permissions, controls, clearances);
- Evidence and property management practices;
- Substance abuse and fitness for duty.

https://www.orilliamatters.com/police-b ... g-11855268

[Michael Jack]

Ontario’s inspector general of policing ordered a review of the province’s police services and boards Monday amid accusations of corruption within Toronto police.


Ryan Teschner told reporters at Queen’s Park those accusations have rocked the public’s trust in policing, and an independent, provincewide inspection will help restore it.

“If there are vulnerabilities within the systems currently in place in Ontario’s policing sector, or in the standards that it must adhere to, it is essential that they are identified so meaningful, system-wide improvements can be made,” he said.

“This province-wide inspection will be conducted under the authority of Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act, the province’s policing legislation, and it will focus on five defined areas with the ability to examine additional ones as the inspection unfolds.”

Teschner said those five areas include officer supervision and span of control, screening and vetting of officers, access to police databases and information systems, evidence and property management, and substance abuse and fitness for duty.

The probe comes after York Regional Police’s Feb. 5 announcement of charges against seven active Toronto police officers and one retired Toronto officer in Project South, their investigation into organized crime and corruption.

The allegations against those officers include bribery, obstruction of justice, drug trafficking, theft of personal property, breach of trust and the unauthorized access and distribution of confidential information.

A day later, Peel Regional Police (PRP) suspended three officers pending further investigation by York Regional Police. A PRP spokesperson told Global News Friday those officers haven’t been charged.

When the charges were announced, Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw shared that he had written to Teschner, seeking an independent external inspection immediately.

Demkiw told reporters Monday he welcomes the probe, and has also written to Law Enforcement Complaints Agency, which he said is going assume responsibility to investigate allegations related to the Community Safety and Policing Act.

Demkiw also said he’ll be seeking suspension without pay for six of the seven officers who were charged, adding the nuances of legislation don’t allow him to do so at this time.

Teschner said he is appointing an external person as an inspector to lead the probe. They will have the same authority as he does to obtain relevant information, and the probe will be conducted in a way that doesn’t compromise or interfere with Project South.

The inspector will then provide Teschner with their report, which he said he’ll review to see if there has been any non-compliance with policing legislation.

If there has been non-compliance, Teschner said he’ll have to determine whether to issue any legally binding directions.

His directions and the full review will be made public, he added, but did not offer a specific timeline as to when they’ll be released.

“If I issue directions, the Inspectorate of Policing also has the legislative duty to monitor progress of how those directions are being implemented, that they’re being implemented effectively and that they’re achieving their intended outcomes,” Teschner said.

The Toronto officers charged in Project South allegedly had ties to criminal networks that were reportedly involved in a conspiracy to murder a man working at an Ontario correctional institution, York Regional Police Deputy Chief Ryan Hogan told reporters Feb. 5.

Hogan said that over a 36-hour period, several suspects went to the man’s home in York Region, at least three times, to allegedly kill him. He said video surveillance shows masked and armed suspects entering the home and, at one point, ramming a police cruiser that was in the driveway.

Hogan said the suspects were arrested at the scene, and it was later alleged that Toronto police Const. Timothy Barnhardt had unlawfully accessed confidential information about the victim.

He is accused of then leaking it to Brian DaCosta — reportedly a key figure in a criminal network operating within the Greater Toronto Area.

Hogan also alleged that information was then released into other criminal networks to cause harm against the correctional member. He said investigators identified several criminal acts that allegedly occurred after the release of confidential information “almost in real time.”

Hogan also alleged Const. Elias Mouawad released confidential information to two other suspects “in support of illicit activity.”

As well, investigators allege Const. John Madeley (Jr.) and his father, retired constable John Madeley (Sr.), both accessed and distributed confidential information.

Barnhardt, Sgt. Robert Black, Const. Saurabjit Bedi and Sgt. Carl Grellette are alleged to have accepted bribes to provide protection from a law enforcement investigation in the operation of illegal cannabis dispensaries orchestrated by DaCosta, Hogan said.

Meanwhile, Hogan said Const. Derek McCormick was arrested for his participation in the theft of personal property from a police facility. The personal property allegedly included driver’s licences, health cards and passports. A “substantial amount” of it was recovered, he added.

The officers are facing a long list of charges. Some include accepting a bribe, breach of trust by a public officer, conspiracy to obstruct justice, drug trafficking and possession-related charges.

Outside of the officers charged, 19 suspects have also been arrested and charged in connection with the investigation, including two youths whose ages were not provided.

Teschner said Monday that Project South is an example of an organization identifying an issue and pursuing it fully.

“Our role now is to look at the totality of the system and make sure that whether it’s about vetting, whether it’s about IT system access or the other issues that I listed, that we give the tools and the rigour necessary to ensure that these systems stay strong,” he said.

https://globalnews.ca/news/11659179/tor ... stigation/

[Michael Jack]

Inspection will confront the most important challenges facing Ontario’s policing system and impacting public trust

Toronto, ON (February 9, 2026) – Ontario’s Inspector General of Policing, Ryan Teschner, today announced a province‑wide inspection to examine police integrity and anti‑corruption practices across Ontario’s policing sector. The inspection will evaluate the effectiveness of police services, police service boards, and the Ontario Provincial Police in preventing, detecting, responding to, and fortifying their organizations from corruption.

“Effective policing depends on public confidence. Ontarians must have assurance that our policing system is able to maintain the highest standards of integrity and professionalism. Strong systems of vetting, oversight, accountability, and standards are essential—they enable police officers to earn and preserve public trust and are foundational to safe communities and effective policing in Ontario,” said Inspector General Teschner. “Protecting the public is at the core of policing. The results of this inspection will help the sector deliver safe, effective and trustworthy policing for the people of Ontario.”

After considering a request from the Toronto Police Service and the Toronto Police Service Board, Inspector General Teschner has determined that a sector-wide inspection will focus on five defined areas, with the ability to examine additional areas should they arise during the inspection:

- Supervision and span of control, including how officers are supervised and how effective that supervision is;
- Screening and vetting of police officers both at recruitment and on an ongoing basis;
- Access to police databases and information systems, including permissions, controls and clearances;
- Evidence and property management practices; and
- Substance abuse and fitness for duty.

Under Ontario’s policing oversight system, the Inspector General of Policing – the first role of its kind in Canada – and any inspector appointed by the Inspector General have the statutory authority to obtain information, records and data that is relevant to an inspection. The Inspector General also has the legal authority to determine whether there has been non-compliance with the Community Safety and Policing Act (CSPA) and, if so, issue progressive, risk-based and binding directions and measures on police services and chiefs of police, as well as police service boards, to protect public safety. The CSPA embeds protections to ensure the Inspector General's oversight role is delivered at arm's-length of government.

Given the importance of this inspection being conducted in a timely manner, the Inspector General will appoint an individual external to government to serve as lead inspector. Upon completion, the inspector will submit a Findings Report to the Inspector General, who will independently review the report and determine whether any directions must be implemented to ensure compliance and improve performance across Ontario’s policing system.

“Independent oversight is not to be feared – but welcomed. It is essential to maintaining public trust in policing, particularly at a time when confidence must be earned and sustained,” said Inspector General Teschner. “We appreciate the leadership shown by Ontario’s policing sector in bringing this matter forward itself. Police services and boards across Ontario share a responsibility to uphold integrity and protect against corruption, and this work is essential to maintaining a policing system that is strong, resilient, and continues to be worthy of public trust.”

About the Inspector General of Policing and the Inspectorate of Policing

The Inspector General of Policing leads the Inspectorate of Policing (IoP). The IoP discharges the Inspector General’s mandate to independently inspect, investigate, monitor, and advise Ontario’s police services, boards and special constable employers. By leveraging research and data intelligence, the IoP promotes leading practices and identifies or requires improvements, ensuring that high-quality policing and police governance is delivered to make everyone in Ontario safer.

In March 2023, Ryan Teschner was appointed as Ontario’s first Inspector General of Policing with duties and authorities under the Community Safety and Policing Act. Mr. Teschner is a recognized expert in public administration, policing and police governance.

For more information about the Inspector General of Policing or the IoP, please visit www.iopontario.ca.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Rima Amri

Inspectorate of Policing

IOPMedia@ontario.ca

https://www.iopontario.ca/en/about-us/n ... ion-police

[Michael Jack]

TORONTO - An Ontario police watchdog is launching an inspection of the province’s police services and boards to assess their ability to prevent, detect and respond to corruption, after seven current Toronto officers were among those charged in an organized crime investigation.

Inspector general Ryan Teschner, a former executive director of the Toronto Police Services Board, announced Monday he will appoint an external person to conduct the inspection so someone can be singularly focused on the task.

“Although this issue originated with the Toronto Police Service, we have since learned that other organizations may be impacted,” Teschner said.

“In any event, incidents like these understandably shake public trust in policing more broadly. It’s important to acknowledge the real questions the public is asking and the potential effect these questions may have on their confidence in Ontario’s policing system.”

Seven Toronto police officers and one retired officer were among 27 suspects charged in an investigation led by York Regional Police. That probe uncovered allegations of bribery, conspiracy to commit murder and drug trafficking, among other offences.

York police allege Toronto police officers accessed personal information and leaked it to members of an organized crime group, who then carried out crimes including shootings, extortions and robberies.

Three Peel Regional Police officers have also been suspended pending further investigation by York police.

Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw welcomed the inspector general’s decision to take a provincewide approach, saying the issue is “something that everybody would want to see dealt with comprehensively.”

The force has deployed additional supervision to 12 Division, where some of the accused officers were based, and is putting together a working group that will examine internal processes and practices to ensure it is responding as quickly as possible, “recognizing the work of the inspector general may take some time,” the chief said in a news conference.

“We will support that work completely, comprehensively, but we will not waste a moment to move forward in enhancing our capacity internally within the Toronto Police Service,” he said.

The investigation into misconduct allegations arising from the criminal probe will be taken over by the Law Enforcement Complaints Agency, Demkiw said.

The chief added he will be seeking to suspend six of the accused officers without pay, in accordance with policing legislation. He had initially indicated he would seek suspension without pay for four.

The provincewide inspection will not aim to root out individual criminal conduct, rather it will look at whether systems are strong enough, Teschner said. It is set to focus on five areas: how officers are supervised and how effective that supervision is, screening and vetting of officers, access to police databases and information systems, evidence and property management, and substance abuse and fitness for duty.

The Toronto Police Association said it is concerned about the scope of the provincewide inspection.

“We recognize the importance of examining any organizational shortcomings that may have contributed to these allegations, but we are concerned that the Inspector General’s review is overly broad as these allegations are limited to an extremely small number of individuals, and not a reflection of the broader membership,” president Clayton Campbell wrote in a letter to Teschner and published on social media.

The Ontario Association of Police Service Boards and the Ontario Association of Chiefs of Police said in a joint statement that they welcome the inspection, and hope the findings and recommendations can help improve policing after the “profoundly troubling” allegations uncovered by York police.

“The findings of the investigation strike at the very heart of public trust — trust that police professionals rely on to serve communities effectively and keep people safe,” the organizations wrote.

“That is why we welcome an independent review of the issues raised by these serious criminal allegations, as well as any vulnerabilities that may undermine public trust.”

Teschner did not commit to a timeline for the inspection, but it will encompass all 44 of Ontario’s municipal police services, the Ontario Provincial Police and the Nishnawbe Aski Police Service.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 9, 2026.

—With files from Paola Loriggio

https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/ontari ... 54c56.html

[Michael Jack]

Ottawa police Chief Eric Stubbs says he welcomes an independent, provincewide review into police forces that was announced by the province’s police inspector Monday morning.

Ryan Teschner, Ontario’s inspector general of policing, announced that an external, independent investigator would be appointed to “evaluate the effectiveness of police services, police service boards, and the Ontario Provincial Police in preventing, detecting, responding to, and fortifying their organizations from corruption.”

According to a media release published Monday morning, the inspection will be conducted under the authority of Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act and will focus on five areas, including:

- Supervision and span of control, including how officers are supervised and how effective that supervision is;
- Screening and vetting of police officers both at recruitment and on an ongoing basis;
- Access to police databases and information systems, including permissions, controls and clearances;
- Evidence and property management practices; and
- Substance abuse and fitness for duty.

All 45 police forces across the province and their boards, including the OPP, will be part of the review, Teschner said.

He noted that the review was needed after York Regional Police arrested and charged seven active Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers and one retired TPS officer as part of Project South, a seven-month investigation into organized crime and corruption.

All of them face several charges ranging from drug trafficking to conspiracy to obstruct justice, among others.

Since then, three Peel officers have been suspended in relation to the probe.

“Although this issue originated with the Toronto Police Service, we have since learned that other organizations may be impacted, and, in any event, incidents like these understandably shake public trust in policing more broadly,” Teschner said at Monday’s news conference at Queen’s Park, which the Ottawa Citizen monitored through a CBC livestream.

“It’s important to acknowledge the real questions the public is asking and the potential effect these questions may have on their confidence in Ontario’s policing system.”

Teschner said a report would be provided to him when the investigation concluded, and any findings and directives that may stem from that report would be publicly posted.

The Inspectorate of Policing will also have a legislative duty to monitor progress of how those directives are being implemented, he added.

“It is essential that we address issues of corruption, police and police integrity directly, that they are probed independently and in a way that helps rebuild that trust to an even stronger place than it stands today,” Teschner said.

“Independent oversight is not to be feared. It must, and should be, embraced.”

It is unclear, however, when the public can expect to see that report.

“I understand that the public is watching. I understand that these issues need to be dealt with and addressed swiftly, but I’m also committed to doing so properly. As I go through the process of appointing an inspector, as we scope out the details of what this inspection will cover, we will continue to be transparent and keep the public informed,” Teschner said.

Stubbs said in an emailed statement to the Ottawa Citizen that the review was a chance for him and his law enforcement colleagues to strengthen public trust.

“We support the Inspector General of Policing’s independent, provincewide review, and we see it as a chance for the entire police sector to learn and strengthen how we prevent and detect corruption,” Stubbs’ statement read.

“The Ottawa Police Service will participate as required, review the findings closely, and incorporate the relevant recommendations that further reinforce our policies, controls, and oversight.

“Public trust is essential to effective policing and protecting it will always be non-negotiable.”

https://ottawacitizen.com/news/province ... ion-review