‘Serious flaws’ in how police investigated missing-persons cases: report

TORONTO — Systemic discrimination contributed to “serious flaws” in a number of missingpersons investigations conducted by Toronto police in recent years, including the case of a serial killer who preyed on men in the city’s gay village for close to a decade, an independent review found Tuesday.

Those flaws exacerbated the mistrust some marginalized communities feel toward police, the report said in calling for a significant overhaul of how missing-persons cases are handled in the city. Officers unfamiliar with marginalized and vulnerable groups failed to engage those communities to help solve cases and some cases didn’t receive the attention they deserved, the report found. As well, some officers had “misconceptions or stereotypical ideas” about the LGBTQ communities that impeded their work at times, the document said.

Poor communication, including public statements made by the force’s then-chief, and excessive secrecy surrounding the investigations were also deemed “disturbing.”

The review, led by former Appeal Court judge Gloria Epstein, recommends implementing a more “holistic approach” to missing-persons investigations that would see greater reliance on civilians and social services rather than just law enforcement.

She acknowledged some improvements have already been made, including the creation of a centralized missing-persons unit, but said more work is needed.

Interim Toronto Police Chief James Ramer responded to the report by saying “none of this is acceptable, none of this should have happened.”

He also apologized for how the force communicated with marginalized communities during those investigations.