Pubdate: Wed, 07 Jun 2000
Source: Toronto Star (CN ON)
Copyright: 2000 The Toronto Star
Contact:  One Yonge St., Toronto ON, M5E 1E6
Fax: (416) 869-4322
Website: http://www.thestar.com/
Forum: http://www.thestar.com/editorial/disc_board/
Author: John Duncanson, Toronto Star Police Issues Reporter

POLICE SHAKE-UP TO BOOST WAR ON CRIME

Fantino Shuffle To Target Drug Trade On Streets

Three months into his new job, Toronto police Chief Julian Fantino is 
poised to orchestrate one of the largest reorganizations in the force's 
history.

His top priorities will be to go after street-level drug dealers, improve 
the record of solving homicides and increase the number of officers and 
cruisers on the street answering emergency calls.

Fantino's plan, to be unveiled to senior commanders in a month or so, 
follows some of the strategies used in American cities, such as New York, 
that target petty crime in order to combat larger criminal activity. What 
this new approach means for the force's community-based policing 
initiative, which saw officers working hand in hand with members of the 
community, is unclear.

Police insiders say details include:

a.. A new boss for the homicide squad. The squad came under scrutiny after 
its rate of solving murders fell from nearly 90 per cent in the early '90s 
to a low of just 61 per cent in 1997. The squad just underwent an extensive 
internal review of its operations, the results of which have not been released.

b.. Bolstering the number of front-line officers who answer 911 calls and 
other calls for help. Guidelines will be set to ensure a certain number of 
police cruisers are on the road at all times. There have been complaints 
from field officers that at times there are fewer than three cars available 
in a division to answer emergency calls.

c.. Four of the 17 police stations will be designated as training centres 
for new officers, starting in September. The four that have been chosen are 
52 Division on Dundas St. West downtown; 14 Division on Harrison St. in 
Parkdale; 31 Division on Norfinch Dr., in the city's north end; and 42 
Division at Ellesmere and McCowan Rds. in Scarborough. New officers will 
work alongside veterans at these stations, which are among the busiest in 
Toronto.

d.. The beleaguered drug squads will be given a new focus - street-level 
drug dealing. Fantino wants drug officers to target people openly dealing 
drugs on street corners and housing projects. While the force would not 
give up on big drug investigations, there is a feeling that going after the 
drug kingpins is the job of the RCMP, sources say. Focusing on street-level 
criminals is an approach modelled after the success of New York's so-called 
"broken windows" strategy to crime-fighting, based on the theory that 
smaller problems pave the way for greater disorder.

Putting more officers into squad cars could mean some specialized squads - 
such as youth crime - will see their numbers reduced, sources say.

Rick Gauthier, a former homicide detective who handled some of the biggest 
cases in the force's history, will be moving back into the homicide squad 
in the next few weeks, although the move has not been made official.

Gauthier, now an inspector, was the lead detective on the murders of Andrea 
Atkinson, 6, in 1990 and 3-year-old Kayla Klaudusz in 1991. He also was in 
charge of the 1994 Just Desserts murder case. There were convictions in all 
three cases.

Fantino has brought in some outside help for the transition. Last week, 
lawyer Faye McWatt was hired on a six-month contract to advise Fantino on 
community issues. McWatt is a former crown attorney as well as a defence 
lawyer.

One of the biggest changes will likely come in the way the force is structured.

Following years of decentralization under former police chief David 
Boothby, Fantino will make police headquarters on College St. the heart of 
police operations once again.

There also may be a return to the old system of seniority, possibly 
including the rank of staff superintendent, which disappeared in mid-90s.

Those with that rank - as many as five officers - would take over some of 
the responsibilities handled by the force's five deputy chiefs.

The plan, say sources, is to reduce the number of deputy chiefs through 
retirement to three, leading to greater overall control by the chief.

One of those deputies, Robert Kerr, already packed it in earlier this year.

Minutes after being sworn in as chief on March 6, Fantino pledged to carry 
out a 90-day review of police operations.

Senior commanders were handed specific jobs during the review, but the 
biggest task was given to Deputy Chief Steve Reesor.

Reesor will report to Fantino this month on how to best redeploy the 
force's 5,000 officers to meet the new goals.

The police union, representing 7,000 civilian and officer members, has been 
consulted on the proposed changes.

Craig Bromell, president of the Toronto police association, said he and 
Fantino have agreed on many issues, but have disagreed on others.

"His job is to run the service, my job is to make sure everything stays on 
an even keel," said Bromell, who described his discussions with the chief 
as frank and constructive.

"I'm sure certain people have been disappointed we haven't had a fight 
during this review," said Bromell.

Lawyer Gary Clewley, counsel for the union, also has been involved in the 
discussions.

He said that, for the most part, everyone in the union command is 
supportive of what's being proposed.

"I think the police community will benefit from this," said Clewley.

One issue dividing the union and the chief is Fantino's belief that he 
should be able to suspend officers without pay in cases of alleged serious 
wrongdoing.
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