How did we get here?

“Project South” opened eyes and should serve as a point of deep reflection for officers and police services everywhere.

This specific operation dealt with the takedown and charges of numerous officers with the Toronto Police Service. Work by York Regional Police uncovered layers of corruption linked with organized crime. 

As with most charges of this nature, all matters will ultimately be dealt with in court.

Inspector General of Policing Ryan Teschner confirmed in a press conference earlier this week that investigations are ongoing and other police organizations will be tested for corrupt and poor management practices.

In his press release it was noted that five key areas will be reviewed: 1) supervision and span of control, including how officers are supervised and how effective that supervision is; 2) screening and vetting of police officers both at recruitment and on an ongoing basis; 3) access to police databases and information systems, including permissions, controls and clearances; 4) evidence and property management practices; and 5) substance abuse and fitness for duty.

As to be expected, an issue like this has quickly become polarized with pro-police camps railing against the news and anti-police factions embracing the chance to stick it to the cops. We find those viewpoints extreme and unhelpful in the larger context, yet entirely in keeping with the current political environment.

As frustrating as that is, institutions are only ever as strong as their weakest link and Project South has cast a pall on men and women in uniform. This reputational damage is undeniable, but with honest dialogue, police services can come out the other side better for this black eye. 

We sure hope they do. The question remains how did we get here? We see it as a societal problem.

It has been our belief for some time that ethics and values have become casualties in recent years, as greed replaced good.

Right and wrong have been replaced with excuses and rationalizations to explain outcomes that often involve enrichment and personal gain. Dilemmas that were once black and white, now function in gray zones

Our experiences across an expansive number of businesses, non-profit organizations and political institutions suggest that these moral quagmires were always present but historically countered by voices of experience in such matters. The odd man out is generally unwelcome today, regarded as a fixture of the past. Go along and get some has become the norm.

Accountability and transparency, pledged as top priorities by many organizations, hide behind privacy and access to information laws. Despite some gains through tenacious reporting and insistence on answers, the truth remains sheltered.

Under these societal observations it should not be a surprise that police have problems within their ranks. Before becoming officers with tall expectations and high standards, they were citizens.

Rather than see unions and associations blindly fight for members, they need to become part of the solution and agree to turfing bad apples. The rot needs to go for the betterment of the institution.

Officers who advance to leadership roles actually need to be leaders capable of reprimanding and lifting the morale of the workforce in their charge. Great leaders can do both.

After the fiasco with the license bureau and dispensation of private consumer information, the whole government needs to develop a regimen holding those who access information criminally responsible for leaking said data. The rules and penalties must be that strong in this digital age if we are to counter bad actors.

Whistleblower legislation needs to be strengthened so that officers feel confident reporting impropriety within the service. Having claims sent back for internal investigation, rather than an independent body, makes it difficult for officers to report wrongdoing.

Out of every storm comes the sun. 

Hopefully this is step one to getting back on track with one of our most important institutions.