Community Safety and the Failure of the Police

Community Safety and the Failure of the Police

On April 13, Toronto Police marked the second anniversary of the release of the Report of the Independent Civilian Review into Missing Persons Investigations (Missing & Missed Report), which found that systemic discrimination against the LGBTQ, new immigrants and refugees, and other racialized and marginalized communities, led to significant failings of Toronto Police concerning its missing persons investigation.

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Socialist mayoralty candidate Kiri Vadivelu condemns Toronto Police for patting themselves on the back, despite their sluggish implementation of the 151 recommendations in the report. The Toronto Police would like to appear as if they are atoning for their years of inaction regarding violence experienced by marginalized individuals.

“We know this is a farce” says 37-year old tenant organizer, Kiri Vadivelu. “Marginalized communities disproportionately experience violence at the hands of Toronto Police. Women experiencing domestic violence are consistently ignored, despite their pleas for help and protection. There is an extreme lack of care regarding missing and murdered people working class, queer, and racialized people. The establishment expects that we stay silent as our city becomes increasingly securitized - with the consistent harassment and violence exerted by the Toronto Police towards house-less folk, Toronto police patrolling the TTC, and the $48.3M increase in police budget. We will not fall for the use of buzzwords and attempts to placate us into accepting shallow apologies of the Toronto Police. We will continue to fight injustices in the city; we will continue to protest violence perpetrated by the TPS; we will continue to stand with marginalized communities; and we will continue to call for the city to Defund the Police.”