Retired judge to oversee probe of G20 summit police tactics

Specifically, Judge Morden will use the Board’s previously drafted 35 terms of reference to examine “oversight, governance, accountability, transparency and the communications and supervision issues” that arose among the various police forces during the course of the June 26-27 summit.
Mayor David Miller said Judge Morden is “exactly the right kind of person to lead this review on behalf of the Board.”

“I stand behind Chief Bill Blair and the officers of the Toronto Police Service and the Toronto Police Service Board, which, as a civilian oversight body, has an important role to play in ensuring that we have the fullest understanding of all aspects of G20 public safety issues.”

Mr. Miller said he believes Judge Morden’s review will be “transparent and thorough, and will be a crucial companion to other reviews that are being done.”

The review is the sixth investigation launched into police behaviour during the summit following widespread allegations of unlawful treatment of protesters, including assault, harrassment and illegal detention. More than 1,000 people were arrested, most of whom were later released without charge. Police actions are also the target of several recently-launched class-action lawsuits.

In addition to the Toronto Police Services Board’s review, the force itself has appointed its own team to internally review police methods during the summit. The Ontario Ombudsman has also launched his own investigation into the so-called “five-metre rule,” enacted under the little-known Public Works Protection Act that left the mistaken impression that people could be searched or arrested for coming within five metres of the downtown security fence.

Retired Chief Justice Roy McMurtry is also conducting his own independent review of the five-metre rule on behalf of the Ontario government.

In addition, Ontario’s newly minted Independent Police Review Director, Gerry McNeilly, has launched a “systemic review” of more than 300 complaints received by his office.

Finally, the province’s Special Investigation Unit is also checking into allegations that police caused serious injury to civilians during the summit.