Deputation Toronto Police Services Board

Agenda Item: Re: Recruiting and Employing Somali-Canadian Police Officers By Miguel Avila - Latin American Tenant Association

Feb 19, 2013 Dear Members of the T.P.S Board IMPORTANT: This deputation differs slightly different from the original in view of the short time to elaborate my case. Turning my microphone on. Thank you again for an opportunity to speak on an important item as is the Diversity and Multicultural life on my City Toronto. I want to provide a different perspective to the presentation delivered by M.P.P Mr Cole today; a request to the Police Board to add members of the Somali- Canadian Community to the T.P.S as new recruits. You and I know firsthand, the current budget constraints that the Board and the Service are face with and perhaps you may not be able to accommodate such request presented by Mr. Cole right away. I agree in principle with this great idea to hire members of the Somali-Canadian to the T.P.S nevertheless. The reality is , we need funding from the Federal and Provincial Governments. The city can not face the burden of the ever ballooning Police Budget alone. There is Hope for Mr. Cole request There is a way , yes there is a solution.. and I spoke to this idea two months ago in relation the Police Paid Duty System a $61.00 dollars an hour , a total waste of taxpayers money in my opinion and , I recommended the Board Wouldnt it be a good idea to transfer this paid positions to our Toronto Youth whom are in need of jobs so desperately. For clarification I want to give you some quick facts: 1.- Ward One (1) is the home of so many Somali - Canadians Jamestown a T.C.H.C property is the scene of the latest shooting and also part of this ward. A ward lacking good jobs for the youth, in special our Somalian- Canadian Youth. 2. - T.P.S 23 Division is the closest to Jamestown. This ward is regular hit by members of T.A.V.I.S every summer and there is a clear impression of animosity between the T.P.S and the community because of the false arrests and Racial Profiling going rampant in the Ward. Going back to the idea of providing meaningful jobs, there are important real facts to consider.

GOOD NEWS: There are cost savings for the Service, paying Youth at Construction Sites or Street Corners to monitor and control transit at a lower rate than a regular Toronto Police Officer ,for example in Vancouver the staff are paid @ the rate of $17.00 dollars an hour, a descent salary to help our trouble youth , to help themselves and their immediate family. Do You ( The board) still want to waste your time creating a Academic Task Force to deal with Youth Violence?? Dont waste time any longer. Act Now! Hire youth to curve the violence in Priority Neighborhoods.

BEST NEWS: I had spoken in regards the Task Force that Councilor Nunziata is seeking to address the current Gun Violence at T.C.H.C Communities and I applaud Ms. Nunziata for her willingness to take the Bull by the horns. Please consider the following info: I depute to the Citys Executive Committee last February 05 2013, in regards the T.P.S and T.C.H.C here is the link: http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2013.EX28.10 EX28.10 ACTION Amended Ward:All

Toronto Police Service - 2013 Service Priorities and Business Plan

Committee Recommendations The Executive Committee recommends that: 1. City Council receive for information the report titled, "Toronto Police Service - 2013 Service Priorities and Business Plan" attached to the letter (January 21, 2013) from the Chair, Toronto Police Services Board. 2. City Council request the Toronto Police Services Board to add People with Disabilities, including those within Toronto Community Housing Developments, to the list of identified groups whose needs are distinct as they relate to policing. 3. City Council request the Toronto Police Services Board to provide detailed information on Board Succession Planning for the Toronto Police Service, as a component of its Human Resources strategy.

Origin (January 21, 2013) Letter from the Chair, Toronto Police Services Board

Summary The purpose of this report is to provide Toronto City Council, via the Executive Committee, with the Toronto Police Services 2013 Service Priorities and Business Plan.

Background Information (January 21, 2013) Letter with Appendix A from the Chair, Toronto Police Services Board on Toronto Police Service: 2013 Service Priorities and Business Plan (http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2013/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-55440.pdf)

Speakers Miguel Avila, Latin American Tenant Association Councillor Adam Vaughan More I spoke also at the T.C.H.C Board on February 06, 2013 in regards agenda item number 10: here are the recommendations/ decisions made by the Board:

The Board of Directors resolved to: 1) support the Task Force established by Toronto Police Services to look at options to improve overall security and community safety on and adjacent to TCHC properties; such review to include consideration of practices and partnerships to enhance security; and 2) that Councillor Nunziata provide a report to the Board with the terms of reference of the Task Force.

BAD NEWS: There is a stumbling block and that is the current Collective Agreement so you first, have to deal with the Police Union and their President Mr. McCormack, to make accommodations to the request , as you may know the Citys Audit Committee last Feb 15 2013 made a decision to ask the Province to amend relevant legislation to accommodate the Vancouver model for Paid Duty Link : http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2013.AU10.16

MORE BAD NEWS: The Human Rights Chapter finish two years ago. Madame Barbara Hall, the current Commissioner praised the board for the initiative of the board to hire minorities. Yes you have achieved this milestone, kudos to you! Here is the kicker.. Also, Mrs. Hall blasted the board for not changing the police culture in order to RETAIN minorities. Feels.. like a revolving door you hire minorities from all over the world and away they go out because, you are not able to make profound changes to the Police training and Culture this is due to lack of proper supervision and careful management. There are piles of Human Rights Complaints that you know and I know as well are dealing with Harassment and Discrimination of minorities in the T.P.S. for the record. You may promise Mr. Cole to hire Somali-Canadians is some foreseeable future but you are failing the grade , big time, again let me stress out retaining minorities in the force. So in essence is easy to put an add to recruit minorities and is another story to keep these minorities hired. In Conclusion: I applaud Mr. Coles presentation and I agree that some mechanism must be implemented to examine closer the issue of police records of people coming from war torn countries like Somalia where the government state has ceased. An exemption to this requirement must be lifted in view of the current situation in Somalia. I also want to recommend the T.C.H.C to provide relocation policies to members of the community to be transfer a.s.a.p. if they have cooperated on tracking and apprehend a gun banger for their safety and security they must be move out of the area/zone and here is where the Witness Protection Plan ( W.P.P) may come into force and assistance to the T.C.H.C with FUNDING to help courageous residents that come forward with valuable tips of information to assist the police in their investigation and case solving. Dont need to remind you that people live in fear in this communities, because there are severe repercussions, they literally are; peeing in their pants if they come forward with information to the Police to help solve a crime out of fear primarily, for themselves and their families since retaliation will come at any time , lets do something now to assist this people. Enough of talking is time to act now! Tuning my Microphone Off Sincerely Always Yours,

Miguel Avila Resident Leader City Hall Monitor Latin American Tenant Association