Drug Psych Tests for Police and the Reality of Crime in Toronto

Drug, psych tests for cops -- Move slammed for 'high-risk jobs'

Drug, psych tests for cops -- Move slammed for 'high-risk jobs' January 14, 2005, Kim Bradley, Toronto Sun

AS TORONTO'S top cop, Julian Fantino, prepares to leave his post in March, certain members within the service will start getting tested for drugs, psychological problems and undergo financial background checks. The controversial move, announced yesterday, was slammed by the Senior Officer's Organization and the Toronto Police Association.

[. . . . ] They are fundamentally unacceptable to our members and will be challenged by our association at entry level."

[. . . . ] A committee of the Police Services Board, Senior Officer's Organization and the Toronto Police Association was formed after Fantino asked Justice George Ferguson three years ago to review the service's practices in the wake of several police scandals.

In January 2003, Ferguson came back with a report containing 32 recommendations, which he agreed to help implement at Fantino's request last April.

The drug and psychological testing and financial background checks were a result of the report and committee talks held since April. [. . . . ]

There is so much money in the drug trade and in chasing the druggies, drug czars, and assorted other criminals. Police are forced to deal with a segment of society that I never want to know; still, the temptation must strong, especially as police see the courts in action after they have worked so hard. Nevertheless, there have been problems in the police department as I have mentioned in posts before; something must be done if the system is not to become seen as corrupt.




How would you like to do this job? These are items from one Toronto news service on one day

Shot cop stared at death Friday, Jan 14, 2005

WOUNDED IN both legs and helpless, Const. Noel De Guzman could only watch as the man who shot him walked up and fired a bullet so close to his head, fragments tore a piece off his ear, court heard yesterday. What he didn't know was that the man had a jammed gun.[. . . . ]

Onlookers ignored beating?

THE DAUGHTER of an Oshawa grandmother and taxi driver who was beaten and robbed in broad daylight is "very angry at the community" for not intervening in the attack. "I understand people don't want to get involved but if we keep running away from things like this, then our city is going to be overflowing with people who commit these kinds of crimes," said the victim's irate daughter, 32, adding, Oshawa's downtown is overrun with druggies and criminals. [. . . . ]

Cops shadowing 3 more: Lawyer

POLICE HAVE three more suspects in an East York student's stabbing death, said the lawyer for a 17-year-old facing a charge of first-degree murder. The teen, represented by lawyer Dan Brodsky, made a second appearance in Jarvis St. youth court yesterday. He is charged in connection with the swarming and stabbing death of Andrew "Drew" Stewart on Dec. 3. [. . . . ]