Discipline could start today: Blair
Wear full uniform or face the music, chief tells officers Union stands by its job action until rally issues settled
Now that police officers have a tentative contract agreement, Chief Bill Blair has served notice to his troops that it’s time to wear their full uniforms and hats or face possible discipline starting today. Through email, faxes and memos, police brass were busy yesterday getting the chief’s message out that his rules — and not the union’s — are the only ones to be followed from now on. The union is calling for a continuation of its job action until discipline matters relating to the action are resolved.
“ It is now my expectation that every member of the Toronto Police Service will, once again, obey all of the rules and regulations of the Service, and resume the performance of all duties as assigned,” Blair wrote in a directive distributed to the force. He added there was “ unprecedented tolerance” for minor infractions during the job action as an “ acknowledgement of the limited ways in which police officers can express concern during contract negotiations. Those negotiations have now concluded.” To back their contract demands, members of the Toronto Police Association launched a job action Oct. 11 when they donned baseball caps and scaled back on routine duties, such as issuing traffic tickets. As the protest escalated, officers were handing out information pamphlets while wearing dickies and toques.
After police staged a march and rally at Nathan Phillips Square last week, Blair said he planned to follow through on his threat to discipline those officers who participated in the demonstration while wearing their uniforms and guns, contravening his directive.
While the service’s professional standards branch investigates who defied the chief, the association is digging in its heels that the job action will continue. “The TPA respectfully disagrees with the chief’s position — contract negotiations are not finalized until the ratification is either accepted or declined by the membership,” a union spokesperson wrote in an email to the Star.
“ The TPA stands by its position: The job action will continue beyond any contract settlement until discipline matters related to job action participation have been dealt with to our satisfaction.”
Asenior police official said yesterday the chief went to great lengths to ensure the police service’s 7,700 uniform and civilian members were aware that as far as he’s concerned it’s back to business as usual.
“ If people make a choice to defy a lawful order, they will be doing so knowing there will be consequences. Could there be more discipline? Everybody hopes not, but it could be a possibility,” the source said. The service also has a history of forgiving officers who break the rules during contract negotiations for the sake of labour peace. Blair wants to show himself to be a strong leader whose word is law. Former chief David Boothby, for instance, ordered discipline action, after the only wildcat strike in police history occurred at 51 Division. The 38 officers who defied the law were, in the end, only handed light punishment, seen by some as a sign of weakness on the part of Boothby. Observers have said it hobbled him throughout his tenure as chief in the late ’ 90s.
If Blair decides to discipline officers for insubordination, it won’t happen until after the ratification vote is completed. On Sunday, union members will meet to hear all the details of the deal. They will then vote by mail- in ballots, a process that could take a further two weeks.