A Toronto police detective is facing disciplinary action after he allegedly made derogatory comments about “certain races” and sexual orientation, just days after the former police chief apologized for disproportionately targeting the city’s black community.
Detective Jeffrey La Fosse was charged in Toronto Police Service court with multiple misconduct in June 2022 for a variety of comments and for failing to help a victim of domestic violence, saying he “would not help these lives.” low” and “degenerate”.
Some of these comments were caught on body cameras, according to a Notice of Hearing obtained by CTV News. That notice initiates a formal disciplinary process against the officer in court.
“In doing so, you committed misconduct in the sense that you acted in a manner that is disorderly or detrimental to discipline or that would bring the reputation of the Toronto Police Service into disrepute,” the document says.
Between June 2 and June 23, 2022, La Fosse made disparaging comments about LGBTQ2S training, members of a “certain race,” “stereotypical assumptions about a crime victim,” and sexual orientation in general, the Notice alleges. of audience.
In another incident that month, a young man was arrested and taken to Division 43.
“You made comments that included asking the defendant if he had no data on his cell phone because he was poor and advising the victim that he would never receive any money because the defendant was poor. He also made comments about the color of the defendant’s skin, as well as various other derogatory comments,” the Notice of Hearing says.
On June 21, a domestic violence victim called Division 43 for help and asked why she had not been notified that the defendant in the case had been released. La Fosse read her the bail conditions over the phone but did not give her a copy, despite another officer reminding her that she could arrange to have it done.
“Once he got off the phone, he made a derogatory comment about how he ‘wasn’t helping these low lives’ and said ‘fuck it’ about the victim. You made other comments about ‘not helping these degenerates,’” the document says.
La Fosse attended a Scarborough crime scene where officers were trying to save the victim’s life, surrounded by a clearly upset crowd, the documents say.
“A Body Worn Camera review of that night shows her interactions with members of the public at the event. He can be heard making rude, sarcastic, and condescending comments to members of the crowd. The images also show that her behavior was unprofessional,” including calling out some members of the crowd with profanity “on their faces,” the document says.
On June 15, 2022, then-Toronto Police Chief James Ramer apologized on behalf of the city’s police service to the black community, saying that the force’s own data indicated that black people have excess surveillance and are more likely to face force.
Nigel Barriffe of the Urban Alliance on Race Relations said that despite that apology, the allegations against La Fosse are a sign that some attitudes are not changing.
“It’s pretty disappointing, but not surprising,” he said. “Here we are seeing that this is coming from veteran police officers. It is unacceptable.
“To add insult to injury, the city decides to give $50 million more to an already bloated police budget instead of taking care of homelessness, housing and all the other crucial emergencies facing our city right now,” he said.
In a statement, the Toronto Police Association said it will not comment on the allegations as they are before the court.
“The Toronto Police Association will ensure that the member is treated fairly throughout the process,” the statement read.