Police need to face some accountability

Police chasing suspect before deadly Highway 401 crash in Whitby had been called off — but pursuit continued, internal report says, May 2

Recently, Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw said he and members of the force were “hoping for a different outcome” after a jury found Umar Zameer not guilty.

This partisan statement about a judicial outcome was after three police officers were suspected of collusion in their testimony. If the Ontario Provincial Police investigation confirms witness officers gave “false” evidence, will they be dismissed?

Then this week, four innocent people died after a slew of cops insisted (in spite of reportedly being ordered to stand down) on chasing a suspect on to a busy major highway. While we must wait on the outcome of the SIU investigation, if the police involved in the chase did in fact “go rogue” in pursuing a suspect who caused the crash, will they be charged?

I get the impression that many police officers are more interested in supporting their community than in supporting ours, and seem to have abandoned their role to “serve and protect.”

Brigitte Nowak, Toronto

I know that a Special Investigations Unit (SIU) investigation is underway, but hopefully the appropriate ministry will review policies and regulations for such police pursuits, especially on our 400 series highways.

Highway 401 is Canada’s busiest highway and proceeding with a police pursuit against oncoming traffic makes no sense to me. This accident was preventable.

Jim McEwen, Bowmanville, Ont.