Chief Ramer Responds to SIU Report

I have received theSIU report in to the death of Ms. Regis Korchinski-Paquet.

As detailed in the SIU’s release today, multiple urgent calls were made to 9-1-1 seeking assistance for a domestic disturbance involving an assault, weapons and multiple people.

As it was a priority call for emergency response, the Toronto Police Service were dispatched and arrived within minutes. Toronto Paramedics were also present. What happened next was the subject of the SIU’s investigation.

The Toronto Police Service and each of the officers involved in this tragic incident participated fully in the SIU’s investigation.

The Service had also publicly urged any witnesses to contact the SIU to ensure all information was available to the independent investigation.

As they outlined today, the SIU has cleared our officers of wrongdoing and determined that they acted appropriately and within the law.

The trust of the public is of paramount importance to us as a police service.

As such, it is very important that the full timeline and the facts, from all sides, have been released and the details of a very volatile scene to which the officers arrived and tried to manage, are now available.

Our officers are highly trained to deal with intense, dynamic situations and they acted professionally, and followed their training to the best of their abilities - and in the interests of a family that was in distress.

Although our officers were cleared, a finding that I fully stand behind, there is no “win” in this tragic situation for anybody.

A young woman lost her life. Her family lost their daughter, sister and cousin - and the Service, again, offers its deepest sympathies. This is a profound event for the officers involved and for the Toronto Police Service.

At this stage, in accordance with the Police Services Act, the Toronto Police Service must conduct its own review into this incident, what’s commonly referred to as a Section 11 Report.

I want to assure the communities that the Service’s Section 11 review will include an impartial, un-biased review of our policies and conduct in this case.

I have been having discussions to have a Mental Health Professional assist in this review. Our report will be submitted to the Toronto Police Services Board upon completion.

I want to close by confirming my support for the officers of the Toronto Police Service. The officers involved in this matter acted professionally, were accountable, and they each responded in accordance with their training.

In closing, I want to again, convey our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Ms. Regis Korchinski-Paquet.