The chair of the Toronto Police Service board says reports of criminal charges against Toronto officers in Spain are troubling and must be dealt with “swiftly and seriously” by the force.
The Mossos d’Esquadra police force in Barcelona confirmed Tuesday that three men were arrested for sexual assault and injuries after an incident in a taxi last Wednesday.
Several Spanish media sites had reported that three Canadian police officers on vacation had been arrested in the alleged sexual assault and assault of a sex worker in Barcelona.
Toronto police spokesperson Stephanie Sayer said Monday that three of their officers were charged in Barcelona while on vacation, without specifying the charges or confirming the Spanish media reports.
Sayer said one of the officers has since returned to Canada and has been suspended from duty, and the other two will be suspended when they return in the coming days.
Coun. Shelley Carroll, who chairs the Toronto Police Service Board, said Torontonians expect police officers to “uphold the highest standards of conduct, both on and off duty.”
“The reports emerging from Spain involving Toronto police officers are serious and troubling,” Carroll said in an emailed statement Tuesday, adding that public confidence in the force must be “continually reinforced.”
“To maintain public trust, these matters must be dealt with swiftly and seriously by the Toronto Police Service.”
When asked about the allegations in Spain, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said it wasn’t appropriate for her to comment as the charges are before the courts.
“If anyone is found guilty of charges, serious allegations, sexual assaults, they should be punished,” she said at an unrelated press conference Tuesday.
Toronto Police Association spokesperson Meaghan Gray said they are “aware of an incident involving three members who were on vacation” outside Canada.
“Given these charges relate to an off-duty incident, the Toronto Police Association has no further comment,” she said in an email Tuesday.
Carroll added that the public needs to see a commitment from police to strengthen the force’s culture and standards.
“I expect the chief and service leadership to demonstrate the actions necessary to maintain the trust the public places in the service.”
Add CityNews Toronto as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.
