Police officers’ families rally for improved safety
Families of Toronto police officers on the front lines say they fear for the safety of their loved ones amid staffing shortages, and took to police headquarters Monday to express their concerns.
“I’m here today because my husband’s life is at risk every time he goes to work,” said Jelena Leung, the wife of a Toronto police officer.
“I see the state he comes home in everyday, I see the state he goes into work. If you’re telling me that’s not an officer safety concern, if that’s not a public safety concern, I’m not sure who you’re listening to. And that’s why we’re here today.” About 80 family members and friends of Toronto police came together to raise concerns that the force is shrinking, which they say is leaving officers overworked and exhausted.
Leung spoke directly with police chief Mark Saunders, who is facing a symbolic non-confidence vote from the police union, when he emerged from police headquarters to address the families.
“I need to know how I can go to sleep every single night knowing that he’s as safe as humanly possible,” Leung told Saunders of her husband.
“That’s not happening today. I do not feel safe. He’s coming home exhausted every single day. He’s going to work exhausted every single day.”
Saunders assured Leung that he is “always” concerned about officer safety, adding that the Toronto Police Service is now in “action mode.”
“We’re now starting to push things out there that are tangible: connected officers, deployment of districts, realigning our resources a lot better, and that’s when we can have that conversation so you can see exactly what we’re doing and why we’re doing it,” Saunders told her.
Saunders said he has personally gone to “every single station and spoke with every single station — civilian and sworn — (and) explained what is going on and the direction we’re moving in.”
Leung told reporters after speaking with the police chief that “it’s clear” Saunders “has taken the right steps.”
“I’m going to take this again as a sign of, a good first sign, of change to come. But like I said to the chief, the families here need change today . . . We need to know that every single night we go to sleep, our families are safe.”
The rally was attended by Sahar Bahadi, mother of Sammy Yatim. Bahadi told reporters she attended the rally to “support the police family.”
Sammy Yatim was shot and killed by a Toronto police officer on a streetcar in July 2013. Const. James Forcillo was found guilty of attempted murder.
“Despite that my son was killed by the police, was murdered by the police, it doesn’t mean that I hate police,” Bahadi said. “The police is very important for our society.”
Bahadi said she’d like to see police “improve their de-escalating mechanism,” especially for people in crisis.
“And the target deaths should be zero, if we can,” she added.
“And I hope that avoids everybody from suffering, because I experienced that.”