Pubdate: Tue, 20 Jan 2015
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2015 The Toronto Star
Contact:  http://www.thestar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/456
Author: Wendy Gillis
Page: GT4

STRIP-SEARCH REPORT MISSES MARK, PUNDITS SAY

Police Review of 175 Incidents Found All Were 'Justified,' but 
Critics Want Less Intrusion

It is an issue that has dogged the Toronto Police Service: when is it 
appropriate to conduct a strip search - and how frequently can you 
employ an important police tool that the Supreme Court of Canada has 
ruled is inherently degrading?

Following criticism Toronto officers too frequently approve and 
conduct strip searches - 2013 figures showed they occurred in more 
than one-third of all arrests - the Toronto Police Services Board 
called on Chief Bill Blair last May to conduct a random spot check of 
all police divisions to monitor officers' use of the search.

In his report, which Blair will present to the board Wednesday, the 
chief outlines the findings of a two month probe of so-called "level 
3" searches, which involve removing some or all of a person's clothing.

Conducted by the Toronto Police Audit and Quality Assurance section, 
the review examined 175 strip searches between June 15 and Aug. 15, 
2014, finding each one was "justified and lawful and no misconduct 
was found," Blair writes in the report.

Some problems were identified, including improper documentation of 
the searches in police notes, and that some officers in charge did 
not, as required, videotape their orders to perform a strip search 
(the searches themselves are not videotaped). But these problems have 
already been addressed by correcting the actions of officers and 
changing police training to emphasize thorough note-taking when strip 
searches are conducted, according to the report.

In response, the Toronto Police Accountability Coalition - which has 
long called for tighter regulation of strip searches - is urging the 
board not to drop the issue after the mostly glowing review, noting 
not everyone has "such a high opinion."

In a letter to the board sent Monday, the coalition references an 
October 2013 correspondence between Blair and Gerry McNeilly, of the 
Office of the Independent Police Review director, who noted he was at 
that time "deeply troubled by what appears to be a general overuse of 
strip searches" by Toronto police.

Officers conducting strip searches do so to locate evidence, weapons, 
anything that can cause injury (drugs, alcohol) and anything that can 
aid in escape.

Critics of the searches often point to data that show police found 
evidence, such as drugs, in just over 1 per cent of the 20,152 strip 
searches conducted in 2013.

Blair has shot back, saying objects that could harm the person who 
was arrested, another person in custody, or police officers, or be 
used to escape was found in 43 per cent of those searches.

Writing on behalf of the coalition, former Toronto mayor John Sewell 
urged the board to change the strip search policy to require a less 
invasive pat-down search be conducted before a strip search.

"It is astounding that the Toronto police do not do the less 
intrusive search first, but that they move immediately to one of the 
most intrusive kinds of searches."

The coalition has asked to speak at Wednesday's meeting about the review.
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MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom