More than $31 million of taxpayer’s money has been spent on paid suspension leave for Toronto officers between January 2013 and April 2024, according to reports. The data comes as new legislation allows police chiefs to suspend officers without pay.
CBC data reveals that over the 11-year period, 119 Toronto police officers were suspended 130 times, some on multiple occasions, and that all were paid fully for the duration of their suspensions.
“As of April 9, at least 31 Toronto police officers are still suspended, 69 went back to work, 12 resigned, five were fired, and three retired,” CBC News reported, though it was not able to determine the fates of the remaining five.
Across Ontario, police suspensions cost approximately $134 million over the same 11-year period.
Provincially, CBC’s research revealed there were 453 suspensions for allegations such as drunk driving, fraud, drug trafficking, manslaughter, sexual assault and intimate partner violence.
Of those suspended, nearly 19 per cent resigned before their hearing, about 16 per cent were demoted, almost six per cent were fired, and close to four per cent were forced to resign.
The median length of time for a suspension in the province was 553 days, and the longest suspension was nine years. Eighty-seven per cent of suspensions were followed by a criminal charge, according to the data.
So far this year, about $1.3 million of taxpayer money has been spent so far this year to pay the salaries of 31 suspended Toronto police officers.
And the paid suspensions continue to happen. Earlier this month,a Toronto police officer was arrested for allegedly assaulting two women.
Constable Nickolas Kalatzopoulos, was arrested and charged with two counts of Assault and Unlawfully in a Dwelling House on April 20.
Officer Kalantzopoulos has 25 years of service and was suspended with pay.
The data comes as new legislation under Ontario’s Community Safety and Policing Act, (CSPA) which came into effect on April 1, permits officers to be suspended without pay under certain circumstances including an indictable offense committed by an off duty officer, such as aggravated sexual assault or murder.
Toronto Police Association President, Jon Reid, who helms the advocacy group representing the interests of Toronto police officers, told Now Toronto that, “If a member is suspended with pay, we believe that our members, like everyone, are entitled to a presumption of innocence and due process when they face allegations of misconduct or criminal behaviour.”
“As the CSPA rolls out, it is our responsibility as the police association representing our members to ensure the new guidelines under the legislation are applied appropriately,” he concluded.
