Cops asked by union to pass judgement on Chief Saunders

The Toronto Police Association (TPA) has sent a memo to all police officers asking them take part in a vote of confidence on Chief Mark Saunders. The issue for the union, and its president Mike McCormick, the son of a former chief, is just how many officers will be employed by the Toronto Police Service. The union has already paid for billboards and placed newspaper ads showing Saunders along with Mayor Tory and Police Board Chairman Pringle laughing about the issue of police staffing. The ads also showed splattered blood. The vote is scheduled to close Febrary 21. The memo, obtained by CTV News Toronto, cites Saunders’ “ineffective leadership, lack of communication skills and failure to take responsibility.” The police chief serves at the pleasure of the Police Services Board. There is a meeting this very night (Wednesday) at the Thorncliffe Neighborhood Office to discussed the transformational plan for Toronto Police, including doing the many jobs now assigned to police with fewer officers. According to the union, the TPS now has 577 fewer officers than it had in 2010.