Strip-searches by Toronto police drop dramatically in February
by Adrian Ghobrial
Last Updated Mar 2, 2021 at 8:11 pm EDT
For decades the Toronto Police Service has been criticized for ordering “a very large portion of people arrested” to take off their clothing while at a police station or sometimes even at the side of a road.
“Strip-search opportunities are abused elsewhere, but not as systemically or as regularly as they are in the city of Toronto,” says criminal defence Lawyer, Kim Schofield.
In January of this year, data shows Toronto Police performed strip-searches on more than 270 people per week. That’s 40 times higher than any other big city police service in Ontario. In February, that number dropped dramatically to about 40 per week.
FILE PHOTO - Brad DeBungee (centre), along with Rainy River First Nation chief, Rob McGinnis (right) and past chief, Jim Leonard, speaks about how he feels validated following the release of a report the OIPRD that substantiated allegations of misconduct by Thunder Bay Police’s investigation into the death of his brother, Stacy.
THUNDER BAY The death of a Rainy River First Nation man who died in Thunder Bay in 2015 is being re-investigated, a spokesperson with the province’s chief coroner confirmed Tuesday.
The Ontario Independent Police Review Director (OIPRD) identified nine deaths for re-investigation and directed that an assessment be made as to whether the death of Stacy DeBungee also be re-investigated, Stephanie Rea with the Office of the Chief Coroner said Tuesday, Feb. 2.