On Wednesday it was revealed that Constable Ong who assaulted Angela Turvey at Osgoode Hall would not be facing charges. This is wholly unacceptable as she was brutally attacked and left with numerous injuries while Ong ignored her cries. The SIU closed the investigation while pointing to CCTV footage that they have not released to the public.
http://toronto.mediacoop.ca/story/violent-cop-gets-pass/11585
Just this morning The Star put out an article that illustrates this is far from an isolated incident but rather a symptom of a corrupt system.
This coming Tuesday July 10th there will be a gathering at Osgoode Hall at the site where Angela was assaulted; . We will appeal to the Law Society of Upper Canada and the Ontario Superior Court to do their part to end police brutality.
We will hear from some speakers before bringing our message to the streets. People who wish to share personal stories of police brutality will be given a chance to speak.
Our demands:
- Conduct an audit of the Special Investigations Unit to be conducted by civilians with no ties to law enforcement
- Re-open the investigation into Constable Ong's assault on Angela Turvey
- Release the CCTV tape of Angela allegedly assaulting Ong
Speakers list:
- Darryl Richardson
Message one of the admins to get on the speakers list.
Some background info From Occupy Canada:
Ontario Cops Above the Law?
http://wearechangetoronto.org/2012/01/08/ontario-cops-above-the-law/
The Ontario Ombudsman found the SIU was met by a lack of co-operation by police agencies in more than one-third of the 658 cases it investigated over the past four years. For all these cases, Mr. Scott wrote 287 letters to police chiefs regarding these issues yet received only 20 “substantive responses.” In 50 of the cases, the agency was contacted up to two months later or not at all. According to the report, officials have “systematically” discouraged Mr. Scott from going public when police officers refuse to co-operate in investigations.
source: http://www.ombudsman.on.ca/Newsroom/Ombudsman-in-the-News/2011/SIU-report--Don-t-ignore-Marin-%28Windsor-Star%29.aspx
The SIU employs 54 full- and part-time investigators, of whom 47 are former police officers.
http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/882725--siu-cases-unequal-justice-for-the-police
In it’s 20-year history, the SIU has conducted at least 3,400 investigations and laid criminal charges after only 95 of them, according to a Toronto Star analysis; the SIU does not track what happens to those it charges. But the Toronto Star has, and found only 16 officers have been convicted of a crime, only 3 have seen the inside of a jail cell.
source: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/882725--siu-cases-unequal-justice-for-the-police
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