Community Alliance for Social Justice Suggested recommendations not allowed by Coroner Bonita Porter

Community Alliance for Social Justice Suggested recommendations not allowed by Coroner Bonita Porter

1. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) should be reformed by the Attorney General of Ontario to become an independent, civilian-led agency, reflecting the diversity of the community it serves. A mechanism should be created to allow for independent review of SIU decisions with respect to police activity.

2. The Ministry of the Attorney General of Ontario should review and monitor the manner in which the SIU’s investigators question youth witnesses. In particular, the Director of the SIU should be instructed to ensure that when questioning youth witnesses all SIU investigators take the following steps:

(a) Inform youth of their right to be questioned in the presence of their parents or guardians;

(b) Initiate prompt communication with the parents or guardians of youth witnesses and inform the parents or guardians of their right to be present during the questioning of the youth;

(c) Provide information to youth pertaining to their rights to counsel and all other legal and procedural rights;

(d) Offer food and beverage and other appropriate accommodations to witnesses who have been detained for questioning for lengthy periods.

3. The Toronto Police Service Board should direct the Chief of Police to review and monitor the actions of its officers regarding the detention of youth witnesses for questioning. In particular, the Chief of Police should be instructed to ensure that when detaining youth witnesses for questioning all police officers take the following steps:

(a) Inform youth of their right to be questioned in the presence of their parents or guardians;

(b) Initiate prompt communication with the parents of youth witnesses and inform the parents or guardians of their right to be present during the questioning of the youth;

(c) Provide information to youth pertaining to their rights to counsel and all other legal and procedural rights;

(d) Offer food and beverage and other appropriate accommodations to witnesses who have been detained for questioning for lengthy periods.

4. The Toronto Police Services Board should commission a study and determine whether outfitting police vehicles with video cameras would be a practical means to accurately record encounters between police officers and civilians.