Lethal force report on Yatim death released

Today 84 recommendations were made on how to avoid deadly encounters between Toronto Police and the public.

The recommendations were part of former Supreme Court justice Frank Iacobucci’s detailed report about dealing with people in crisis. The review came after the police shooting of 18 year old Sammy Yatim on an empty TTC streetcar last summer.

Among the many recommendations is a suggestion that Toronto Police create a police and mental health oversight body that would include a voluntary registry with vulnerable people.

While a review was required in that incident, chief Bill Blair asked Iacobucci to include several other police shootings.

“The premise of the report is the target to be zero deaths, when police interact with a member of the public. No death of the subject, no death of the police officer involved, or in any member of the public.”

“I believe that the death of a fellow human being in these encounters is a failure or which blame in many situations cannot be assigned, and in these cases its more likely the failure of a system.”

The 346-page report also suggests that Toronto Police “more pro-actively and comprehensively educate officers” on mental health resources.

CHCH’s Melissa Raftis will have a full report tonight on the Evening News at 6.