Book Review: Excessive Force

Authors: Alok Mukherjee, Tim Harper

This is an amazing analysis of Toronto Police Services (TPS). In the light of police violence, carding, racial profiling, and the evidence that people of colour are pulled over far more frequently than those who appear white, this book is a must-read for anyone who cares about North American society.

What the author points out, is that police are more worried about police safety than community safety. This is why they are armed to the teeth. The G20 fiasco is a prime example.

Alok Mukherjee was the chair of the Toronto Police Services Board. He details his attempts to bring policing in Toronto into the new millennium. There is so much to manage on the streets these days: road rage, road racing, mental health issues, as well as criminals, loon wolves, and angry white men.

Mukherjee's premise is that things must change. Police must work harder at education, having a police presence, and to reduce the military-type equipment common on the force to prevent issues in the community. With cell phone videos, body cams for cops, and other community engagement, police must be held accountable.

Mukherjee points out how he tried to change the excessive costs of policing, by stopping those who earned overtime by working festivals, and other for-hire opportunities, not policing per se. He wanted to stop carding, and that took years of effort, as he was blocked by Toronto Police Service (TPS)chiefs.


Mukherjee details:

• inherent racism of policing on both sides of our borders,
• during the G20 in Toronto, what was agreed to by TPS went for nought as the RCMP came in and took over. 
• the horrid G20 kettling event that occurred, with victims locked up for hours,
• the terribly negative way police officers treat one another when they face internal issues, such as PTSD,
• special investigations of police actions, and the lack of convictions, i.e. *Sammy Yatim. (SIU)

G8 fencing in Huntsville

This is an excellent read. He has amazing perspective and an understanding of policing around the world. He details that research, as well as looking at the history of TPS. I just hope it will make a difference.

There is no shortage of “inside” police books written by former cops. Here is a rare title—not only in Canada but the Western world—written from the community’s perspective.

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@Barrie Summy

The news is full of vicious raids, and Black live do matter.

New: A Florida sheriff's Facebook video of a "fentanyl/heroin" bust went viral. He brought armored cars + a masked SWAT team for a raid in broad daylight.

Turns out, he nabbed some young people, mostly for marijuana possession. No opioids were present.https://t.co/AS8TSMwAAZ pic.twitter.com/pFcexwBvKp

— George Joseph (@georgejoseph94) May 30, 2018

Women on the Force

I think things are looking up. There were women involved in presenting at the press conference.

Bonnie Crombie, Mississauga mayor and the Peel Police Chief: Jennifer Evans. This MUST make a difference in the Blue Wall people speak of.

TPS was formed in 1834, surely we can move into the new millennium.

Gun Violence & Mass Shootings

*Sammy Yatim
Yatim, an 18-year-old Toronto male armed with a pocketknife, was shot at nine times, and was hit by eight of the shots fired by 30-year-old Toronto Police Service (TPS) officer James Forcillo. He later died from the injuries.^[3] The incident occurred after Yatim, brandishing a 12 cm (4.7 in) switchblade knife in a Toronto streetcar,^[4] advanced on a passenger,^[5] threatened other passengers, and exposed himself.^[6] The confrontation between Yatim and the police was recorded and footage of it was released publicly, prompting strong reactions across Canada.^[7]

Toronto police 'Last Call' Campaign - 8 deaths too many

This week, Toronto police have been riding the red rocket, Toronto Transit Commission's streetcars, watching drivers as they are passed by the street car. The drivers do not expect the police to pop off the vehicle and grab them for chatting on a cell phone while driving.

What a fabulous idea.
I have many fine memories of traveling the TTC streetcar to Ryerson University, 1975 -79.

The only people who can be on their phones, or other handheld devices, are emergency crews. The same is true for British Columbia.

The fines in Ontario begin at $155, but if you go to court the judge can change it from $50 to $500!

There have been 8 deaths attributed to distracted driving this year, 2012.
The fine in Ontario can go as high as $2000 if a judge makes the decision.

I love my GPS in the forest.
Essential!

This is true for all handheld devices: GPS, iPhone, Crackberry, and entertainment devices. There are many who are addicted to their technology and cannot simply concentrate on the road and driving conditions.

You can't tweet, text, or talk. Of course, you shouldn't.
In house hunting, driving miles with real estate agents, I must admit that I have chastised a couple to put down their phones. They happened to be driving. You must speak out. We spent weeks house-hunting, driving with distracted drivers who risked it all for a call.

In one year Toronto Police Services (TPS) have laid 17,000 charges. I find it shocking, but not surprising. Sgt. Burrows says one is 23 times more likely to have an accident while distracted by a device.

The OPP charged 8,522 drivers last year for using a hand-held device while driving.

She was approaching a stop light, I was shocked.

 It took TPS 30 years to get a 90% rate for drivers to wear seatbelts. We can do this for distracted drivers!

It will take family and friends to speak up and speak out, not just lawmakers and the law, to patrol.

How important can it be to risk life and limb?
How fair is it to take another's life, depriving a family of a family member?

Speak up. Speak out. The life you save might be your own.

You are forewarned:

He was in a big truck, waiting to do a left turn.

 OPP cracking down on distracted driving
In 2010, there were more than 7,000 collisions on OPP-patrolled roads due to distracted driving resulting in 35 deaths and over 1,000 injuries.

In Feb., 2011, Toronto police charge 2500 in distracted driving crackdown

23 Feb 2011 – It's been a little over a year since police began nabbing drivers talking on their phones while driving — but apparently motorists have not ...

Distracted drivers are everywhere. These are all my photos, and there were many I spotted but couldn't grab a snap. I can't tell you how often I see them when we are taking our Daycations!

For Gen Y, they seem not to heed our warnings. Our adolescents think themselves immortal. These teens have grown up with technology and have taken this egocentric spirit into their adulthood.
Parents, grandparents, speak out and speak up.

He nearly hit me as I was stepping onto the curb from a cross walk.

This driver looks guilty. He must be texting from his lap!

Toronto police crack down on distracted drivers

14 Feb 2011 – 'Last call' campaign targets drivers ignoring year-old law banning use of electronic devices

Cops crackdown on distracted drivers

That's just the “tip of the iceberg” of Torontonians driving distracted,  Toronto Police Const. Hugh Smith said Monday at the launch of the Don't Drive ...