TORONTO — A police oversight body in Ontario could be soon faced with the most high-profile test of its newly vested powers as it considers launching an investigation into alleged Toronto police corruption.
The inspector general, a relatively new arm's-length position tasked by the province with overseeing policing, was asked to investigate Thursday after eight current and retired Toronto officers were charged in an organized crime and corruption investigation.
The case immediately raised questions about whether systemic issues contributed to organized crime's alleged infiltration of the ranks, said Kent Roach, a University of Toronto law professor and contributor to several high-profile police inquiries.