If the recent reckless statements made by a Toronto Police Officer at 31 Division have you just as upset as we are, then please consider taking the time to send a letter or an email to the following people, demanding more than just a slap on the wrist for the officer in question. Feel free to copy and paste!
This letter should be addressed to
Constable Wendy Drummond, Toronto Police Service spokesperson
wendy.drummond@torontopolic
Director of Communications, Toronto Police Service
mark.pugash@torontopolice.
Chief of Police, Toronto Police Service
william.blair@torontopolic
Office of the independent Police Review Unit
OIPRD@ontario.ca
professionalstandards@toro
Mario Sergio, MPP York West,
PA to the Minister of Community Safety and Correctional Services
msergio.mpp@liberal.ola.or
Fiona Crean, Toronto Ombudsman
ombuds@toronto.ca
Every 17 minutes, a woman in Canada is raped. This letter is meant to address the conduct of a Toronto police officer from 31 Division during a talk at Osgoode Hall on January 24, 2011.
We are extremely concerned that a public officer and community protector could make such abhorrent remarks suggesting sexual assault victims were responsible for dressing like “sluts.” The remarkable public response is indicative that the public, too, find the officer’s behaviour disgusting. As an ambassador of the Toronto Police Service, his words have discredited the oath he took:
- To act with honesty and integrity
- To treat people with respect
- Not to abuse the extraordinary powers and authority police officers are granted
- To act in a manner that does not discredit or undermine public confidence in the police service.
These statements made to a selective audience of students and staff at York University have now become of major public concern, given the officer’s publicly-funded position.
Toronto Police Service has indicated the officer will be issuing a written statement of apology to the students and staff of Osgoode Law School and will be “disciplined.” Misogyny has no place on a police force, especially given that almost 1 in 4 women in Toronto will be the victim of sexual assault in her lifetime. Public servants, especially those in positions of power, must be held to a higher standard of conduct and must be held accountable.
We wish to request instead that the Toronto Police Service ask for the officer’s immediate resignation. The public has lost confidence that this officer can adequately advocate for or act to protect victims of sexual assault.
Sincerely,