The first black female superintendent in the history of the Toronto Police Service was desperate over what she believed was systemic mistreatment of black officers and was attempting to diversify the ranks on her own when she helped six officers cheat on a test. promotion, his lawyer told a police court. Monday.
Superintendent Stacy Clarke was “frustrated and desperate” at the slow pace of change in the service and believed her efforts to promote qualified black candidates were falling on deaf ears, attorney Joseph Markson said during the court hearing that will ultimately determine her punishment. within the organization.
“As the first Black female superintendent in the history of the Toronto Police Service, Supt. “Clarke has been running uphill and into the wind for more than 26 years,” said attorney Joseph Markson.
“Under these unique and extraordinary circumstances, there is a straight line connecting systemic discrimination in policing toward Black people, Supt. Clarke’s experience and the acts of misconduct to which he had pleaded guilty. She is very sorry for his bad behavior. However, those acts of misconduct were rooted in real desperation, real pain and real hurt.”
Clarke pleaded guilty last fall to seven counts of professional misconduct for his role in providing question-and-answer photographs to officers in the promotion process, tarnishing an otherwise unblemished career, the court heard.
The misconduct could warrant a firing, but Chief Myron Demkiw still believes “this officer still has work to do,” TPS representative at the hearing, attorney Scott Hutchison, said.
“There are good reasons to question whether a senior officer who engaged in conduct like this will have a realistic role in the service in the future. I want to be clear that that is not the penalty I will ask you to consider,” Hutchison said, saying he is not opposed to evidence and witnesses that could shed light on what he called a “pernicious problem of anti-Black racism.”
He said the Service was seeking a two-rank demotion to first sergeant for a period of one year and a return to the rank of inspector at the end of that year. Clarke would not automatically be promoted to her current rank.
Markson proposed a demotion to the position of inspector for one year and then automatic reinstatement to the rank of superintendent.
“Returning to the rank of superintendent is in the best interest of TPS and the diverse communities it proudly serves,” Markson said.
About 60 Clarke supporters attended the hearing.
Markson read into the record a statement from Clarke in which he expressed remorse for the misconduct and expressed his desire to put it into context. The statement said she personally experienced mistreatment, including hurtful comments.
“Going through this role as the only black female officer was traumatic, painful and disorienting. What I had to endure during that time changed me forever,” Clarke said.
“I have had to go through obstacles created especially for me even though I worked for my promotions. I stood up when the credentials of people of color were undermined… I soon realized that my efforts were having no impact. She was frustrated and desperate. I myself had benefited from lobbying on my behalf in the past. However, the experience of differential treatment by the candidates I was mentoring was painful… A rising tide of emotions overwhelmed me. I decided that if the opportunity presented itself I would help the candidates and make a desperate effort to level the playing field.”
Lawyers say witnesses at the sentencing hearing will include former TPS chief Mark Saunders. Clarke is also expected to testify in his own defense.